CHAPTER ONE

~ISLA~

By 8 p.m., I knew something was wrong.

Jason had never missed an anniversary—not once in three years.

Still, I wore the red dress he loved, the one he said made it impossible to look away. “If I ever lose you,” he’d laughed, “it’ll be because of this dress.”

I sat alone at our reserved table, fingers curled tightly around my phone, eyes fixed on the restaurant door.

7:17.

I glanced at my watch again but still didn’t fret because I was sure he was going to propose.

I’d seen the ring hidden in his closet, the exact one I’d shown him a year ago. 

Maybe he was just preparing his speech. 

7:45.

Then 8:00.

My calls went straight to voicemail. My messages stayed unread.

“He’s doing this on purpose” I told myself, forcing a smile that no longer felt real. He liked to mess with me before surprises.

But the longer I waited, the louder the silence became.

And for the first time that night, a terrifying thought crept in…

What if he wasn’t coming at all?

The tapping of my heels grew louder. So did the stares.

By the time I stood up, my hands were shaking.

Outside, the night air felt too cold. I called again. Still nothing.

“Maybe it’s at his place,” I whispered. Hope flared, fragile but desperate.

He’d done that before—pretended to forget my birthday, then blindfolded me and said, “Trust me.”

I grabbed a taxi.

As we drove, my heart raced between excitement and something darker. I pictured him smiling nervously, dropping to one knee.

God please, let me be right.

Soon, we got to his house and not only were the lights on but there was decoration outside the house.

My heart swelled as I got out of the car. There were rose petals scattered on the ground as well as little lights and balloons.

I was right, he really wanted to surprise me at his home.

I took a deep breath as I walked towards the door with my heart racing. This was it, this was what I have been waiting for since the day we met.

A tear slipped down my cheek and I immediately wiped it away. I couldn't cry yet and risk ruining the surprise.

I knocked on the door and it opened almost instantly and not only was I shocked, I was flabbergasted.

Standing in front of me was my sister, Cassandra looking disheveled with her lip gloss smeared. Not only that but she was putting on a shirt I got for Aiden.

“Isla, good to see you! Are you here to congratulate me?” Cassandra asked as she blinked innocently at me but before I could find my voice, the big diamond on her hand caught my eye and my breath hitched.

It was the same ring I had found in Aiden's Closet.

I grabbed her hand with shaky fingers as I stared at it properly to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

“It's beautiful isn't it? Aiden really outdid himself, don't you think?” She asked and I let go of her as I stumbled on my feet with my eyes wide open and tears threatening to fall.

I didn't know what to say nor did I know how to react.

Footsteps sounded down the door before Aiden came into view.

His light brown hair was tousled like he had run his fingers through it and his shirt was half buttoned. The most noticeable thing was the smeared lip gloss on his lips and neck.

The same shade on my sister's lips.

“It was our anniversary” Was the only thing I could say as tears rolled down my cheeks.

Guilt flashed in his eyes but it was gone so fast I might have imagined it.

“What are you doing here, Isla?” He asked with a tired tone and I scoffed.

“What am I doing here? Is that the question you should be asking me?” I questioned and he sighed.

“Isla…”

“I waited at the restaurant for you, the same restaurant we met three years ago, for you thinking you were going to propose to me” My voice cracked as I stared at him, the pain in my chest was so unbelievable in that moment.

“I didn't ask you to wait, that was your choice” He uttered and that felt like a knife plunged into my already bleeding heart.

“Wait? Did you really think this ring was for you? You already served your purpose, Isla” Cassandra muttered and I furrowed my eyebrows. 

“What do you mean? What is going on?” I asked, waiting for an explanation as I stared at Aiden but he just pursed his lips.

“Now that Aiden has your inheritance, he doesn't need you anymore” Cassandra uttered and my heart dropped instantly.

“I don't want you working. I don't want you stressing yourself and the only way that can happen is if I have more power at the company. You don't want the inheritance anyway so why don’t you sign it over to him? After I become CEO, we’ll get married And I'll make sure these pretty fingers never have to work again” A memory of Aiden saying that to me flashed through my heart and I slowly began hyperventilating.

Despite the fact that I hadn’t been a real Anderson, my adoptive grandmother had been the only one who didn’t turn away as soon as Cassandra walked in. Before she died, she left me her percentage of the company but I never had any plans to own it. 

I was grateful to her but I didn’t want to be connected to the Andersons anymore which was why giving Aiden had been so easy. I had thought…

I stumbled on my feet as I shook my head frantically and only then did he step forward to grab my arm.

“Isla…”

“You used me” I whispered as my heart clenched painfully.

“You gave it to me willingly, I didn't force you…”

“You bastard! You gave me promises. You…” I couldn't even speak anymore because I was basically gasping for air at this point.

His green eyes shone down on me with worry. The same green eyes that had looked down at me with love and made promises he had no intention of keeping.

“Isla…” Cassandra rushed up to us, yanking his hand off my arm and pushing me to the ground.

  “You're not needed anymore and If I ever see you near my fiance, I won't be blamed for what happens to you” She warned before pulling him towards the house.

He gave me one final glance before the door slammed behind him, leaving me seated on the ground, shivering from the cold but that was the least of my worries.

Where do I even go from here?...