Chapter 3

My wedding with Cole was scheduled for next week.

His episodes of amnesia usually lasted about two weeks, which meant he and Roselle could get married without a hitch next week, and I could finally leave everything behind.

When I got home, the first thing I did was hand in my resignation to my boss. Once I finished handing over my work, I would be free to leave.

But clearly, Roselle wasn't content with the situation. Less than two days later, she showed up at my door in tears and had the lock picked—literally.

I had changed the door code the moment I got home, and I had also put my family and Cole on the apartment complex's blacklist. Still, I never expected them to find a way in anyway.

The moment Cole stepped inside, he started yelling at me. "Rachel, why did you change the door code?"

I was speechless. "Because we're no longer together. What's wrong with me changing the code?"

He was stumped.

I knew that in the past, I would never have talked back to him. Now, I was becoming less and less willing to let things slide.

"Still, you can't just blacklist all of us!" Roselle argued. "Besides, this place isn't just yours. What gives you the right to block Cole, too?"

I looked at her, genuinely confused. "Have you ever considered that maybe this is actually my place? What's wrong with me blocking you?"

My response threw Roselle off. She turned to Cole with a wounded look, and he immediately became eager to defend her.

"Rachel, I'm here today to tell you some good news. I found a booking on my phone for a two-person trip around Eurora. I'm guessing I planned it for the two of us.

"I have to go on a business trip next week, so why don't you go on the tour by yourself?"

I pondered briefly. Good thing I hadn't decided where to go to clear my head yet. A free trip was a free trip, so why not?

"Sure."

The moment I agreed, I could visibly see Cole and Roselle relax. Maybe because I was being more cooperative than they had expected, he wired me 7,000 dollars.

The remarks read, "Breakup fee."

I didn't say a word and accepted it.

"Rachel, I remember your grandmother left you a necklace," Cole said, suddenly changing the subject.

Only then did I realize what he was really after. The gemstone on the necklace Grandma left me was incredibly rare. It was practically priceless.

I glanced at the 7,000 dollars I had just received and secretly scoffed. That amount wasn't even a fraction of what the necklace was worth. But thankfully, he reminded me.

"What do you want?"

"It's just that I have a friend who's getting married next week. I was wondering if she could borrow your necklace for the wedding."

I glanced at the "friend" Cole was talking about, Roselle, whose eyes were gleaming with excitement. Of course, I knew she had been dreaming of having that necklace for years.

All this time, I had never agreed to give or lend it to her. But now…

"Sure. But I need to find it first. Why don't you come by this weekend to pick it up?"

At that, Roselle threw her arms around Cole in excitement. He was the first to remember I was still standing there. "S-Sorry."

"It's alright," I said. "If there's nothing else, you can leave. I'm a little tired."

For once, they actually listened.

They headed for the door together, but as Roselle passed me, she couldn't resist a little mocking chuckle. "Everything you have belongs to me, Rach."

"Well, good luck."

My belongings weren’t so easy to take.