Chapter 5

Quinn finally finished tying up her work commitments and had everything ready for her departure. She found herself staring absently out the window, thinking about the one matter she still hadn't resolved: the amusement park on the east side of town.

Her phone kept buzzing with messages from friends inviting her out. Since she might be gone for quite some time, she hesitated before replying in the group chat.

[On my way.]

The moment she responded, a few of her closer friends began messaging her privately. One sent a video of Liam and Riley kissing passionately under dim lights while the people around them erupted in cheers.

[Quinn, are you and Liam...?]

It was clearly an attempt to find out where things stood between them.

Everyone in their social circle knew what had been going on for the past three years. They also remembered how much Liam had once adored and protected Quinn, which was why, in the beginning, they'd tried to convince him to stop acting out of anger. But Liam had ignored them, moving from one flirtation to the next until everyone eventually grew accustomed to his behavior and dismissed it as another prolonged tantrum.

Those who knew the couple well understood where it had all started.

Their engagement had been arranged by Charles and Quinn's older brother, Nathan Walker. Quinn had always known that Liam had little affection for his father, but she'd never imagined just how deeply he despised the man.

When Liam learned about the arrangement at their engagement party, he'd turned around and walked out on Quinn without hesitation. It was the first time he'd ever abandoned her like that.

Soon afterward, he found another woman. Nothing actually happened between them. He simply waited for Quinn to come looking for him.

"You love me so much that you'd actually use that man to force my hand?" he'd demanded. "Well, what about now? Do you still love me?"

Quinn understood that he was angry. Despite how much his behavior hurt her, she'd nodded.

"Fine. If you love me, then stop loving anything else. Like your racing."

Racing had been Quinn's only hobby, the one outlet she had for all the frustration and stress that came with her demanding life. Yet a single demand from Liam had been enough for nineteen-year-old Quinn to abandon her competitions and the sport she loved.

Looking back now, she wondered whether their relationship had been doomed from the moment she'd agreed to sacrifice something so important to her.

By the time Quinn arrived at the gathering, neither Liam nor Riley was there. Her friends greeted her with cheerful complaints about how difficult it was to get the busy Quinn Walker to come out and have some fun. They carefully avoided mentioning Liam, as though afraid of reopening a wound.

Noticing their efforts, Quinn raised her glass with a smile.

"Thanks for looking out for me lately, everyone. But you can stop sending me pictures of Liam. I'm not a paparazzo, you know. It's not like I'm getting paid for them."

Her tone was light, almost teasing, and after exchanging a few glances, her friends laughed and readily joined in.

"Here's to Quinn! Young, fabulous, and with everything going for her!"

"She's finally free of that cheating asshole! Come on, let's drink to that!"

Quinn smiled, lazily clinking her glass against theirs before draining it in one swallow.

Once everyone had loosened up and was enjoying themselves, she excused herself to the restroom. She'd barely lit a cigarette when her phone vibrated with another message.

[19th floor, Room 801. Passcode: 111111. There's something there you'll want to see.]