Chapter 1

The clock chimed in the early hours of the morning. I stared at the sky-blue cake on the table as its frosting slowly melted. My birthday had come and gone in silence.

I walked slowly to the table and looked at the forgotten cake. I picked it up and took a bite. "Happy birthday," I told myself.

Then, without a second thought, I threw it into the trash can.

Madison Carter pushed the door open just as I was tossing the cake away. She curled her lips in displeasure and held up the bag in her hand. "Cass, I went out of my way to bring you takeout from a well-known restaurant."

As she stepped closer, I caught the scent of alcohol on her, along with an unfamiliar man's cologne. When she opened the bag, I glimpsed leftovers inside.

"I'm not worthy of something so fancy," I said.

These were the scraps from her lavish dinner with Lucas Whitfield. The thought of it, on top of the physical discomfort I was already feeling, made my voice turn ice-cold.

"Cassian Wilder, I was out all day and still took the time to bring you food. And this is how you talk to me?"

Madison sounded angry, as if I were the one being unreasonable.

I shot back, "Does your idea of being busy all day mean spending it with your first love, eating, and shopping?"

She paused, then defended herself without a hint of guilt. "Lucas studied abroad and is highly accomplished. He's talented and capable. I only went shopping and ate with him to build a business connection."

When I remained silent, her tone hardened. "Are you picking a fight because I wouldn't lend you money? What would you even need it for? Don't tell me you're keeping another woman on the side."

She knew perfectly well I wasn't that kind of person, yet she turned it around on me anyway.

The surge of emotion sent a sharp pain through my chest. If I hadn't braced myself against the nearby table in time, I would have collapsed on the floor.

Seeing that I was unwell, Madison instinctively reached out to steady me. Then something seemed to cross her mind, and she pulled back, looking at me coldly. "Don't try to play the sympathy card on me. You've been fine for a long time."

In a daze, my mind drifted back to the first time I was admitted to the hospital.

Back then, Madison had cried and pleaded with the doctor, saying she would pay whatever it took to get me better. She stayed by my bedside for three days and nights without rest. Everyone said I was lucky to have found such a devoted girlfriend.

The surgery had been a success, but the doctor said there was still a chance of relapse. Unfortunately, Madison had forgotten all about that.

Just then, a distinct ringtone cut through the strained silence between us. I didn't need to guess who was on the other end. It was Lucas.

Madison spoke softly into the phone. "If you like that shop, just buy it. Money isn't an issue. By the way, my mom's birthday is next week. Come join us. She's been asking about you."

I quietly dumped the leftovers she had brought home into the trash can.

Madison saw what I did. She impatiently pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed her hand firmly over the receiver, making sure Lucas wouldn't hear us. "Don't be upset. I'll wire you a large sum at the end of the year."

She brushed me off with that and walked into the study with her phone. The door slammed shut behind her, swallowing her playful laughter along with it.

…

Madison and I had a cold war for a full week. When she saw that I wouldn't give in, she stopped bothering with me and went out to see Lucas every single day. There was nothing I could do to stop her, and my disappointment in her kept growing.

On the birthday of Madison's mom, Rosalie Sinclair, I overheard Madison venting to someone on the phone. "I'm so tired of looking at Cassian's face every day. It's not like I'm stuck with him. If I wanted a new boyfriend, plenty of guys would be waiting in line."