Aiden's POVMy voice had been echoing across the glass table, crisp and assured as I explained the quarterly projections—until my phone rang. It wasn’t the standard business ringtone I kept for the world. No, this one was different — soft, but distinct, and the sound sliced through the room like a knife. I froze mid-sentence.I never froze. Not during meetings. Not ever.Twelve suits stared at me, all mid-note, their pens paused in the air. I didn’t want to check it. I never allowed interruptions. But my heart — God, my heart — was thudding like a wild animal. And somewhere deep in my chest, I knew. I knew it was her.Cheryl.I reached for the phone with a slowness I couldn’t explain. Her name sprawled across the screen like a whisper from a different life — like a dream I’d buried beneath deadlines and liquor and clenched fists.I picked up immediately.“Gentlemen,” I said, standing, my voice calm, rehearsed. “Continue without me. I just want to see the final report and last month’s
CHERYL'S POVI didn’t know what surprised me more — the fact that I said yes to lunch with Anika, or the fact that I was actually enjoying it.The restaurant had a garden-like theme. Ivy trailed down from hanging pots, woven between trellises painted a soft sage green. The tables were set with tiny glass vases holding wildflowers, and the soft scent of lavender drifted in the breeze. Everything felt intentional — airy, delicate, soft, like a dream version of reality. Like a place where you could forget that you had once been enemies with the girl sitting across from you.Anika looked like she belonged here. She wore a long, flowy floral dress that brushed her ankles, her golden-blonde hair loose and floating in the wind like something out of a perfume commercial. She looked… effortless. Meanwhile, I kept adjusting my cardigan, suddenly hyper-aware of every piece of lint, every un-ironed wrinkle.I don’t know why I cared so much. Maybe because some part of me — the high school version
CHERYL'S POVI turned at the sound of my name, just as my fingers brushed the edge of a satin gown hanging delicately on a rack near the entrance. My eyes landed on a tall, striking figure with flaxen blonde hair tucked into a sleek ponytail, her frame draped in a white silk blouse and high-waisted slacks. She looked every bit like she belonged here, amidst tulle and sequins and ivory satin."Look whos'getting married" she said, eyes lighting up as she approached.Anika.She was standing beside one of the white gowns, fluffing out its delicate hem, her manicured fingers working with the ease of someone who had done this a thousand times before. There was a small golden nameplate near the entrance with the name of the store etched into it, and only now did I notice the stylized A at the end."What are you doing here, Anika?" I asked cautiously."I own the store," she replied with a shrug, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I’m sure you must've seen my flyer in town and t
Cheryl's PovThe sun cut through the ivory curtains like a golden whisper, soft and warm. I stirred slowly under the thick duvet, the weight of the night before lingering on my chest like a ghost I couldn’t quite shake.Oliver’s words echoed again.“I’m falling for you.”And just as loud, Sabrina’s voice clawed in after it.“You’re going to regret this. Both of you.”I sat up and swung my legs over the bed, exhaling slowly as the cold floor kissed the soles of my feet. A chill curled around my spine. I rose and padded to the bathroom, where warm water steamed against the marble tiles and lavender soap filled the room with a false sense of calm. I scrubbed harder than I needed to, as if I could wash off the anxiety clinging to me like second skin.After drying off, I slipped into a sleek navy-blue dress that hugged me modestly and zipped up the back with a satisfying click. My dark curls framed my face, and a pair of kitten heels completed the look. It was professional enough for my li
Cheryl's POVI couldn’t sleep.The room was too quiet, too neat. Everything in this wing of the mansion felt curated, like a showroom made to look like a life had once happened there — but never really had. The sheets smelled like lavender and starch. The curtains moved slightly with the wind even though the windows were sealed shut. It felt… sterile. Like a hospital ward for the rich and emotionally repressed.I turned onto my side, the silk sheets whispering against my skin, and stared out at the dark windowpane. My reflection was faint. Half a face, blurred in shadows. I hadn’t turned the lights off completely — just a bedside lamp glowing gold beside the untouched book I’d lied to myself about reading.Sabrina’s words still echoed in my head.“Oliver hasn’t made a choice. He’s made a mistake.”And for a moment, I almost believed her.I didn’t belong here — not in this polished marble world, not in this house filled with tight smiles and tighter secrets. Not beside a man like Olive
Cheryl's POVI knew I shouldn’t be nervous.But as the car pulled into the long stone driveway, I felt that familiar flutter in my stomach — like I was stepping onto a stage I hadn’t rehearsed for. The house loomed ahead, tall and elegant and cold, just like the people who lived in it. Or at least, one of them.I wasn’t afraid of grand houses. I’d lived in one before — with Marty. But even at his worst, that house had felt warmer than this one. This one felt like a museum. Like you weren’t supposed to touch anything. Like your existence was a favor, not a right.I stepped out of the car, carrying my suitcase in one hand, my phone in the other. I had texted Oliver ten minutes ago, telling him I’d arrived. No reply yet.The door was already opening before I could ring the bell.Of course it was her.Sabrina.Her posture was stiff, arms crossed over a pristine beige knit top, the kind of shade that only stayed that clean when you didn’t do anything real with your day. Her hair was pulle