All Chapters of FALLING FOR THE DEVIL: Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

I find the engagement ring while looking for condoms.Not my proudest moment, but Brandon's been "too tired" for three weeks and I'm ovulating and honestly I'm 26 years old with a boyfriend who still can't remember to buy his own socks. So yeah. I'm digging through his nightstand like a crazy person.That's when I see it.Small velvet box. Navy blue. Shoved behind a half-empty bottle of lube and some old receipts.My heart stops.Holy shit.I open it even though I know I shouldn't. Even though this ruins the surprise.It's beautiful. Oval diamond. Rose gold band. Delicate. Exactly what I would've picked if he'd ever bothered to ask what I wanted.He's going to propose.After four years of "I'm not ready" and "marriage is just a piece of paper" and "why do we need to label it" - Brandon finally bought a ring.I take a picture. Send it to Maya with seventeen exclamation points.She calls immediately. "OH MY GOD.""I KNOW.""You weren't supposed to find it!""I was looking for condoms!"

I wake up to seventeen missed calls.My head is pounding. My mouth tastes like regret and cheap wine. I reach for my phone and immediately regret it when the screen brightness stabs my eyes.Twelve calls from my mom. Three from Brandon. Two from numbers I don't recognize.Great.I check the time. 11:47 AM. I slept through my alarm. Through three client meetings. Through any chance of salvaging today.There's a text from Maya: **Check Instagram. Don't freak out.**I immediately freak out.I open Instagram. My notifications are exploding. Hundreds of new followers. Dozens of DMs. Comments on photos from months ago.What the hell?I click on my latest post. A photo from last week's wedding. Simple caption about love and new beginnings. Very on brand for a wedding photographer.Except now it has 3,000 comments.**@kellsey_marie: This you? The psycho ex from Tyler's party?****@bradonfoster_official: For everyone asking, yes this is my ex. Yes she made a scene. Yes I'm sorry you all had to