CHAPTER ONE

I checked my time for the fifth time in ten minutes. Five-thirty. I sighed lightly as I shut down my computer and leaned back in my chair. Around me buzzed with the usual late-afternoon activity, but my attention had been elsewhere all day. On my phone, on Ethan. One message that had changed everything.

For months, I had been walking around with a heartache filled with unanswered texts, ignored calls, and unending excuses I made on his behalf, that had piled up until breathing felt exhausting.

Mrs. Sophia noticed.

"Nora."

I looked up to find her standing at my office door. With brows drawn together. "You're leaving already?"

I nodded quickly. “Do I have your permission?”

She smiled "Of course. I'm just surprised you actually took my advice for once."

I laughed softly. For weeks, she'd been telling me to take time off to clear my head, but rest wasn't what I wanted. I wanted Ethan, I wanted answers, I wanted the man I love to remember I still existed.

My phone buzzed, Ethan's message was still displayed on my screen. 

Ethan: Meet me at Bluebird Kitchen at seven.

Even now, reading it again made my heart flutter.

"There it is." Mrs Sophia teased.

"What?" Heat rushed to my cheeks.

She laughed. "Go. Whatever is making you smile like that must be important."

If only she knew how important. I grabbed my bag, gave her a quick hug, and hurried out of the office.

For the first time in months, I was hopeful.  Maybe he had a reason, maybe something terrible had happened, maybe he was finally ready to explain and everything would go back to normal —Maybe.

The moment I got home, I rushed straight into the shower. Warm water ran over my skin as thoughts of Ethan raced through my mind. What would he say, would he apologize? Maybe his family had pressured him, or his mother had interfered again.

Mrs. Whitmore had never hidden her dislike for me. Not once, but Ethan had always stood by me. At least, he used to.  I stepped out of the bathroom and hurried to my wardrobe, my gaze landed on a white fitted dress Ethan once said was his favorite, and a sly smile crept onto my face. Perfect.

By six-forty-five, I was done. Light makeup, soft curls, and a touch of perfume. Nothing dramatic.

I stared at my reflection and for the first time in months, I looked hopeful again.

Bluebird Kitchen was already busy when I arrived. The scent of coffee and freshly baked bread filled the air. My palms had begun to sweat.

Three whole months, I hadn't seen Ethan in three months. Then I spotted him… My heart skipped.

There he was, sitting at our usual table, looking the same. Dark hair, with a beautiful smile. Relief flooded through me. Maybe everything really was going to be okay.

"Ethan!"

His head lifted. I waved excitedly, and he raised a hand in return. I hurried toward him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders… for a brief second, he stiffened.

"Nora."

I laughed.  "No. Don't 'Nora' me." I pulled back and pouted. "You owe me three months of explanation." I moved to sit on his lap.

"Nora!"

The sharpness in his voice froze me. I blinked slowly, confused, then I noticed her, Elara Hart, sitting beside him.

The atmosphere around the table suddenly felt wrong, very wrong. Elara crossed her arms and gave me a frozen look. I ignored her.

"What is she doing here?"

Neither of them answered immediately.

"Nora," Ethan said quietly. "Sit down."

I felt nauseous, cold and something heavy instantly. Something was wrong. I lowered myself into the chair opposite them, as my hands trembled beneath the table.

"What's going on?" I finally asked.

Elara exchanged a glance with Ethan for barely a second before Ethan reached for a large envelope and slid it across the table. I stared at it.

"What is this?"

"Open it." His voice sounded almost impatient.

"Go ahead," Elara added.

My pulse quickened, as I slowly opened the envelope, and pulled out the card. I stopped breathing as I read the names: Ethan Whitmore, Elara Hart Wedding Ceremony. Three weeks from today.

My fingers tightened around the invitation. This wasn't possible.

"Ethan..." My voice cracked.

"What is this?"His expression remained blank, an expression that was strange to me.

"A wedding invitation."

I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh and tell me this was some horrible misunderstanding. Instead, he reached for Elara's hand, right there in front of everyone. My heart shattered.

"How long?" I whispered, but neither answered.

I looked at their joined hands. "How long?"

"Two years." The answer came from Elara, and she looked pleased with herself.

“T—two years” I laughed hysterically. "Ethan, tell me she's lying."

He didn't reply, he sighed as if he was tired of my presence. 

"Nora, I moved on."

The words hit harder than a slap. "What?"

"I found someone else."

My chest tightened. I stared at him, searching desperately for the man I loved, the man who promised we'd build a future together and called me home, but he was gone or maybe he had never existed.

Elara lifted her left hand, The diamond ring

sparkled beneath the restaurant lights mockingly.

"We're very happy together, this is not new, the engagement was three months ago"

I couldn't look away from the ring. The exact amount of time Ethan had disappeared from my life, stopped answering my calls, the exact time I spent defending him, and waiting for him.

I looked at Ethan. "You knew what this would do to me."

For the first time, guilt flickered across his face, then disappeared immediately. "I think it's best if we both move on."

Move on, from three years just like that. Something inside me broke completely.

I didn't remember them leaving, I only remembered staring at the invitation in my hand, until people started watching, whispering, and lifting phones.

Then realization hit me like ice water, they were recording, I quickly wiped my face and walked out before my legs could fail me.

The walk home felt endless. Streetlights blurred, traffic noises faded. The city moved around me while I drifted through it like a ghost. My phone kept ringing, Mrs. Sophia, Rose, and unknown numbers. Again and again, but I ignored all of them.

When I finally reached my apartment, I kicked off my heels and collapsed onto my bed, the invitation slipped from my fingers and for a moment, I stared at the ceiling. Then the tears came, Violent and Uncontrollable.

I cried until my throat burned and exhaustion finally dragged me into darkness.

The next morning, my phone's vibration yanked me awake. I groaned and reached blindly for it. Fifty-three missed calls, one hundred and twenty-eight messages. Something was wrong.

I opened social media and froze. My video from last night filled the screen. Someone had recorded the entire thing. My hands began shaking. Comments flooded in faster than I could read them.

"Embarrassing."

"She should have known her place."

"Who chooses an orphan over Elara Hart?"

"Poor girl never stood a chance."

"Imagine thinking you could compete with a Hart."

A sob escaped me, I kept scrolling and it got worse until I stumbled into a headline that made my blood run cold.

ELARA HART ANNOUNCES WEDDING TO ETHAN WHITMORE. MYSTERY EX-GIRLFRIEND CAUSES DRAMA AT BLUEBIRD KITCHEN.

My phone buzzed again, a message from Rose.

Rose: Nora, don't come to work today

Me: Why?

Rose: Because Elara Hart uploaded the video herself.

The phone slipped from my fingers.