Chapter 3

I left the wedding feeling lighter than I ever had.

The last time I'd felt this free was after Mom and Dad divorced, when I threw myself into getting into college and building a life of my own.

Now, for the second time in my life, I felt that same freedom. And this time, I was finally free of cancer.

I'd started to suspect that Audrey had another reason for getting close to me. I didn't want to believe it, but I still had someone look into both her and Russell.

Even then, it never crossed my mind that she wanted Russell to take my place.

Then one day, I noticed she'd left her phone screen on.

Normally, I never would have pried into her private life. But the image of her in Russell's arms kept replaying in my head.

Before I knew it, I'd picked up her phone. Her notes were filled with details about me, including what I liked to eat, what foods I hated, and what time I worked out. She'd written down all my habits.

I couldn't help feeling a little happy. For a moment, I thought she really did love me. I even hated myself for doubting the woman I loved.

I was about to put her phone down when a message popped up on the screen.

"Got it. Don't worry. I won't give myself away."

The moment I saw the contact, my blood ran cold. She'd saved it as a heart emoji, but the profile picture wasn't mine.

Pain shot through my chest, like someone had stabbed me straight through the heart. It hurt just as much as being stabbed in the back by a close friend I trusted in business.

My fingers felt stiff as I opened the message, and a familiar name jumped out at me.

"Russell, I made this list of all his habits just for you. Make sure you memorize everything so you won't get caught when the time comes!"

Why did Russell need to memorize my habits? And why would that keep him from getting caught?

It was only one short message, but it sent a chill through my whole body. I could barely think.

Then I heard Audrey calling my name, her cheerful voice coming closer. I quickly marked the message as unread and put her phone back on the table.

By the time she opened the bedroom door, I was already making the bed.

Her eyes went straight to the phone on the nightstand. She hurried over and checked it, then visibly relaxed when everything seemed normal.

I acted like I hadn't noticed. "Audrey, what's wrong?"

She quickly put on a smile. "Nothing, Shane. I couldn't find my phone anywhere. I thought I'd lost it!"

I forced a smile, lowered my eyes, and gave a quiet "Mm."

Just as she turned to leave, I called after her. "I saw a message pop up on your phone. Someone said they wouldn't give themselves away, and you saved the contact with a heart."

Her face stiffened as she looked at me. "You saw that?"

I wanted to see how she'd explain it, so I said hoarsely, "The message popped up on your screen."

She smiled. "That's my best friend. Don't make such a big deal out of it. And if you're worried that Russell and I might get back together, you don't need to be. I'm yours now."

Even though I'd seen for myself that she was still in contact with Russell, I couldn't help being a little moved by those words.