CHAPTER 1

CATHRINE

I stepped out of the Lyft with a bottle of Rosé in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. The December wind whipped through my coat, biting at my skin, but I barely felt it through the excitement. I was finally home.

Jayden’s manor loomed ahead, glowing with holiday lights, picturesque as always. My heels clicked against the stone pathway as I buzzed myself in, replaying our last phone call.

‘Katie, baby, please tell me you’re coming home for Christmas. I don’t think I can spend another week without you.’

I giggled, nursing a cup of coffee as my secretary passed me some files to sign off on. ‘I’m sorry, but work has been so crazy. The firm had a last minute client and I’m this close to losing my mind.’

He sighed. ‘I’ll miss you.’

I smiled brightly, staring at the 24 karat diamond ring Jayden had used to propose. ‘I’m so sorry. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I love you.’

‘I love you too Katie bear.’

That was two days ago. Luckily I was able to wrap up just in time to catch the last flight back home. I didn’t call when I landed. I wanted to surprise him. Big gesture. Classic rom-com moment.

I punched in the gate code and waited as the iron doors buzzed open. My heels echoed in the cold as I climbed the familiar steps. The front door swung open and my breath caught.

Blue eyes. Salt-and-pepper hair. Jaw like a Roman sculpture. Mr. Turner. Jayden’s father, looking every bit the man who turned heads without trying.

“Cathrine,” his deep voice rumbled through the air, as smooth as aged whiskey. “I wasn’t aware you were in town.”

I offered a sheepish smile, struggling to balance the oversized chocolate box on my hip. “Yeah… I managed to make it in last minute.”

A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face, but he stepped aside. “Jayden’s around here somewhere. Make yourself at home.”

As he walked away, I noticed, again, how strange it was that I’d never seen him with a woman. Not once in two years. My friends always joked I was dating the wrong Turner. “Ditch the trust fund kid,” they’d tease. “Go for the silver fox with actual ambition.”

They didn’t understand. Jayden could be intense, sure. But he had his moments. We had our moments.

My phone buzzed and I smiled at the text. It was from my sister, Ellie.

I’m so glad you’re back in the city. The hospital’s like a literal cell. They threw a fit cause I left to get jelly! Save me!

Be good Ellie. I’ll be there as soon as I can.

I shoved my phone into my coat and climbed the staircase with a flutter in my chest, careful not to spill the Rosé. His door was slightly ajar. I raised my hand to knock but stopped short.

I furrowed my brows, slowly pressing my ear to the door. Giggles, stumbling, I heard at least two people and from the voices, one was a woman. Confusion still wrapped around me.

Maybe it was Kyle. He always brought his sleazy hookups home and sometimes in his brother’s room.

Then I heard his voice... Jayden’s.

“You’re so goddamn sexy,” he slurred, followed by more giggles and the unmistakable sound of kissing.

The world stilled. My lungs forgot how to breathe. I should’ve walked away or stormed in or done something, but I stood frozen. Until the moaning started.

My heart cracked. I pushed the door open.

Let me tell you what was worse than finding out your fiancé was cheating on you. Your fiancé, cheating on you with your friend.

“Carol?” I whispered but they were too busy sucking each other's tongues off to notice me. Not until I snapped louder, “Jayden!”

They jolted apart like children caught with matches. Jayden fumbled for his pants. Carol scrambled for her shirt, hiding behind him.

“K…Katie?” Jayden stammered.

This had to be some kind of elaborate sick joke. “What… what’s going on here?”

Jayden’s gaze bounced around. “Baby it’s not what it looks like.”

“Oh?” I laughed but there was no humor behind it. “Because it looks like you were just cheating on me… with my best friend.”

Carol whimpered behind him.

“Carol, why the hell are you hiding? I already saw you.”

She stepped out, clutching her shirt to her chest. Her eyes were red.

“Someone better start talking, or I swear to God-”

“I’m sorry Katie!” She cried, curling her shirt to her chest and Jayden cursed under his breath. “I just… we don’t…”

“Katie… baby,” Jayden stepped forward, slipping into that familiar, manipulative tone. “It was just a dumb mistake.” He exhaled, taking a hand through his hair. “We went to Kyle’s party together and one thing led to another but I promise you baby, it was just a mistake.”

“A mistake?” I repeated, voice rising. “I took an eight-hour flight to surprise you… and this is what I find? That’s not a mistake, it’s a choice!

Carol chipped in and I swore I would have committed murder. “Katie,” she sobbed. “Please it didn’t… it didn’t mean anything we-“

“Shut the hell up!” I snapped and Jayden stepped in front of Carol, almost like he was… protecting her?

“Look Katie,” he started, “I’m a man. And men have urges. I mean… you left for two months.”

“I was working!”

“Exactly!” He snapped, “you’re always working. You never have time for me. It was inevitable.”

I flinched like he’d slapped me. “I spend everyday working my ass if ever since I graduated. I don’t come from fancy old money Jayden,” I shouted. “I don’t have daddy’s million dollars to cushion my fall. You know that and you…” I jabbed a finger in his chest. “I trusted you. You’re the only man I’d ever been with in my life.”

He tore his gaze me with his jaw screwed tight. “Even on those long days, those late nights I made sure we spoke, made sure you were around, moved my meetings around to have dinner,” I inhaled. “And you say I didn’t make time for you?”

Somebody wake me for this nightmare.

“That’s the problem Katie,” he said, Carol still clutching on him like a lifeline. “You only care about yourself. I begged you to quit your job. I have money! Heck I can buy the whole state if I wanted to!”

“Your father has the money Jayden,” I corrected in a cool, detached tone and his face turned red with anger. Let’s just say he didn’t like being compared to his father.

“Screw you Katie,” he said helping Carol with her dress and an obvious realization that I had been too dumb to notice hit me like a fiegn truck.

“How… how long has this been going on?”

Jayden paused, looking back at me while Carol was the poster of terror. He shrugged. “A few months. You know what?” He said, turning fully to me. “We’re done, Katie. You can stay the night or not. Just keep your negative energy away from my stuff.”

“Leave the ring on the nightstand,” he growled. “That shit cost more than your yearly income.”

He brushed past me with Carol and I was too dumbfounded to catch up to what was going on. Did that really just happen? Did he just break up with me, after cheating?

My heart pounded, fury rising like a wave that came too late. “I’M the one who gets to call it quits!” I screamed at the hallway.

They were gone.

I looked down at the ring on my finger, then at the perfectly made bed they’d just desecrated.