CHAPTER 1

Elena's POV

The hum of the tires against the road was the only sound in the back of the yellow cab. Outside, New York was just a blur of brake lights and heavy rain, but I couldn't stop smiling. I held my phone to my ear, listening to it ring until Maya finally picked up.

"Elena! Tell me you're not still stuck in traffic," Maya said, her voice competing with the loud hiss of an espresso machine in the background.

"I’m actually five minutes away," I said, leaning forward to check the meter. "The driver managed to cut around the mess on 5th Avenue."

"Good, because if you missed tonight, I would never let you live it down. Two months, right?"

"Two months today," I said, feeling a nervous flip in my stomach. "And Maya... tonight is the night."

There was a loud gasp, followed by a clatter. "Wait, seriously? The *actual* night? No more stalling?"

"Hey, I had a lot going on," I laughed. "But yes. The actual night. I went to that boutique and bought the ridiculously expensive lace stuff. It's currently hiding under my trench coat."

"Oh, thank god," Maya groaned. "I was starting to think you two were just going to be pen pals. So, what changed? Where did this sudden confidence come from?"

I looked out the window at the rain. For the first time in an entire year, the heavy knot in my chest had actually loosened up.

"Everything is just finally working out," I said, my voice dropping a little. "You know how brutal the last few months have been. But today? Today felt like a sign that I'm finally allowed to breathe."

"Tell me," Maya said, her tone softening. "Give me the good news. I need a win today."

"Well, the hospital called this morning," I said, a lump immediately forming in my throat, but this time it was from pure relief. "The coordinator said Chloe is officially at the top of the list for the kidney transplant. They found a potential match. It’s not 100% locked in yet, but her doctor said she’s next."

"Elena, that’s incredible!" Maya yelled so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. "Oh my god, I’m literally crying at work. That is the best news ever!"

"I know. I sat down on a random bench and sobbed for ten minutes," I admitted, wiping a stray tear that snuck out anyway. "And that's not even all of it."

"There's more? Don't do this to me."

"I got the job," I whispered. "The final offer came through an hour ago. I start Monday."

"No way. The assistant position at Wyatt Enterprises?"

"Yep," I said, smiling so hard my cheeks ached. "The pay is double what I was making at the boutique. With the insurance package and the signing bonus, I can cover the rest of Chloe's medical bills without stressing about making rent. I don't have to choose between groceries and her meds anymore."

"You are incredible," Maya said softly. "Seriously, El. You've been killing yourself for your sister, and you deserve this so much. And Liam has been so great through all the chaos."

"He really has," I agreed. Liam had been the only calm part of my life. He never complained when I had to cancel dates to sit with Chloe at the clinic, and he always listened. "He’s been so patient. That’s why tonight feels right. I want to show him how much he means to me. I just want to focus on *us* for one night, without a million worries over my head."

"Well, go get your man," Maya laughed. "Have a glass of wine, relax, and turn off your phone. Do not call me until tomorrow afternoon."

"Deal. Love you, Maya."

"Love you too. Good luck!"

I hung up and put my phone away just as the cab pulled up to Liam's apartment building. I paid the driver, grabbed my umbrella, and stepped out into the rain.

I let myself into the building's lobby using the spare key Liam had given me a couple of weeks ago. Walking up the stairs to the third floor, my heart was racing. I unbuttoned my wet coat and quickly fixed my hair in the hallway mirror, wanting to look perfect.

When I reached apartment 3B, I reached into my purse for my keys, but noticed the heavy door wasn't fully shut. It was open just a crack, a sliver of warm light spilling out into the hallway.

I smiled, thinking he must have been rushing to get ready for me.

I pushed the door open quietly, intending to sneak in and surprise him. The apartment smelled like his usual cologne, mixed with a sweet, floral perfume that definitely wasn't mine.

"Liam?" I called out softly, setting my umbrella down.

No answer. But as I walked past the living room, I heard a sound coming from his bedroom. It was a low, muffled noise. A sharp gasp, followed by the rhythmic thudding of the bedframe against the wall.

My footsteps stopped. The warmth in my veins vanished, replaced by a sudden, heavy chill. My brain scrambled, desperately searching for an innocent explanation. Maybe the TV was loud. Maybe he was fixing something.

But as I walked closer to the half-open bedroom door, the sounds became impossible to ignore. A woman’s sharp breath. A low groan that I knew all too well.

I pushed the door open.

Liam was on the bed, his back to me, his hands gripping the hips of a blonde girl whose legs were wrapped tightly around him. Her eyes were closed, her head tossed back against his pillows.

She looked completely different from me. Younger, polished, like someone who had never stepped foot in a hospital waiting room.

The folder containing my Wyatt Enterprises contract slipped from my fingers, hitting the floorboards with a loud smack.

The noise cut through the room. Liam froze instantly. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening in horror as they locked onto mine. The girl opened her eyes, blinking in confusion before she realized I was standing there, and quickly yanked the blanket up to her chest.

"Elena," Liam stammered, scrambling backward off the bed, completely ignoring the fact that he was naked. "Elena, wait. What are you doing here?"

I couldn't speak. My throat felt completely dry. The expensive lace lingerie under my coat felt like a sick joke now.

"What am I doing here?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "It’s our anniversary, Liam."

"Look, it's not what it looks like," he said, taking a step toward me, holding his hands up. "We were just... she’s nobody. It was just a mistake."

"A mistake?" The girl on the bed snapped, glaring at Liam. "You told me you broke up with her last week!"

Liam snapped his head around. "Shut up, Courtney!"

He turned back to me, reaching for my arm. "Elena, please. Let’s talk. You've been so stressed out lately with Chloe, and you're never available, and I just... I had a moment of weakness. It didn't mean anything."

I stepped back, pulling away from his hand. The guy standing in front of me looked like a complete stranger.

"Don't touch me," I said, my voice completely flat. "Don't ever look at me again."

"Elena, don't be dramatic," he pleaded, his tone shifting from guilty to annoyed. "We can fix this. You can't just walk out over one slip-up."

I didn't give him an answer. I couldn't look at him for another second. I turned around and walked out of the bedroom, my heels clicking loudly against the floor. I grabbed my purse from the couch and headed straight for the front door.

"Elena! Wait!" Liam shouted, but he didn't follow me out into the public hallway.

I slammed the door behind me. As I hurried down the stairs and out into the pouring rain, the tears finally came, hot and furious, washing away the makeup I had spent an hour putting on.

Twenty minutes ago, I thought my life was finally turning around. Now, standing alone on the dark sidewalk, I realized I was completely on my own.