Chapter 1

My phone buzzed with a new message from the mentor, and I glanced down.

Susanna Jackson's flirty voice played in my head again.

"Come on, no more kisses. You'll be in hot water if your girlfriend walks in on this.

"Oh, that's right, she's clueless. You slipped me her wedding draft. I'm asking for a carbon copy of her dream day, and she's over the moon thinking we're on the same wavelength. It's almost cute how naive she is."

My face drained of color, a sour ache spreading from deep within.

Frank Carter and I had been together for five years—a staple in his social circles.

Everyone knew I was not after his money or the limelight. I just wanted his path to be clear and bright.

He promised me a future of a lavish wedding. I was overjoyed, obsessing over every detail of our wedding, refining it until it was perfect.

However, the manuscript had vanished recently, and despite my frantic search, it remained missing.

Frank had wrapped me in a guilty embrace, "Maybe it got tossed out with the trash by mistake. I'm sorry, Teresa."

I had poured my heart into that proposal, revising it tirelessly. Losing it stung, but I reassured him, ready to start anew.

The harsh truth hit me then. My labor of love had not been trashed—it had been regifted to his bride-to-be.

I could not bear to listen anymore and escaped to the restroom.

Then, my phone pinged with a text from Susanna.

[Ms. Scott, when will you be back? You missed my husband—he came and went.]

[I wish you could've met him.]

Staring at my tear-streaked reflection, I splashed water on my face and stepped back out.

Susanna was singing softly to herself, but her eyes locked onto mine with a loaded gaze as I approached.

"Ms. Scott, what took you so long? Did you run into my husband? He's quite the looker, right?" she asked with a sly smile.

Our eyes met, and in that moment, I got it.

Susanna had made sure I would see. Her little show-and-tell act meant to scare me off.

However, Frank and I had been an item for five years for everyone to see, and even if we had not tied the knot, I was no homewrecker.

I pushed down the whirlwind of feelings inside me and managed a smile.

"The wedding planning's all wrapped up, and I'm sorting out of the rest. Your husband? You two seem like a perfect fit. I wish you all the best."

With those words, I spun on my heel and left. However, Susanna's voice, smug and victorious, followed me.

"Sure, I've only been with my husband for three months, but getting a man to make it official? That's what counts. I'll be Mrs. Carter now. If you keep hanging around my husband without a shred of decency, don't be surprised if I give you a piece of my mind."

I did not miss a step, kept my spine straight, and headed home.

Frank got there before me.

He was lounging on the couch and perked up when I walked in, reaching out for a hug. "Dear, you're back."

I dodged his arms without thinking, and he paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

My eyes landed on the tie around his neck. It was not the one I had worked overtime and scrimped to buy him.

"You've changed your tie," I noted.

The bewilderment in Frank's eyes quickly gave way to a guilty smirk.

"I spilled some coffee on mine today, so I had my assistant swap it out. I'll wear the one you got me every day once it's clean. It's special because it's from you."