Chapter 1

During a Labor Day single's party, my girlfriend, Maya Brooks, got poisoned by some wild mushrooms.

At the hospital, she clung to her first love, Kieran Reed, refusing to let go. She kept me at a distance, treating me like a total stranger.

"He isn't my fiancé," she told everyone. "He's just some hired help I brought in to look after me."

"Kieran, you're the only one I've ever loved. I don't want to marry that loser."

She was hallucinating, but her heart was finally speaking the truth. My heart went cold as I listened to her confession.

Later, to stay out of the way of her reunion, I called my mentor.

"I've made up my mind," I said. "I'm taking that flight in three days."

I didn't expect that Maya, who was always so distant and cold, would end up crying and begging me not to leave.

1

When I rushed to the hospital, I saw Maya holding onto a doctor. She wouldn't let him go.

Her body was pressed against his, and she was sobbing into his chest.

"Kieran, you're finally back… I missed you so much."

The nurse told me Maya was having hallucinations from the toxins. She was talking nonsense.

But the way she looked at that man was so full of genuine love. It didn't feel like a hallucination at all.

Under the harsh white lights, I locked eyes with the doctor.

I knew him. He was Kieran Reed, Maya's first love.

I knew his face because Maya's safe was filled with his photos and journals about how much she missed him.

In an instant, my heart felt like it was being crushed. The pain spread through my chest.

I didn't have time to process it before the nurse asked me to help get Maya ready for an exam.

But when I reached for her, she shoved my hand away with a look of pure rage.

"Who are you? Don't touch me! I have a boyfriend!"

"Kieran, someone is trying to take me away from you! Save me!"

My hands froze in mid-air. I just stood there, paralyzed.

Kieran gave me a small, smug smile and patted Maya's hand.

"Your fiancé is here," he said softly. "Let him take you to the exam, okay?"

The word "fiancé" seemed to bring Maya back to reality for a split second.

She looked up at me, and her eyes flickered with recognition. I knew she knew who I was.

But a second later, she turned her head away and shook it violently.

"He's not my fiancé. He's just some orderly I hired to help me."

"Kieran, stop joking around. How could I ever be someone else's bride?"

She suddenly pulled out a wedding ring she had hidden away.

She looked at it like it was her whole world. "Kieran, will you marry me?"

"I had this ring custom-made just for you. I've been waiting for you this whole time."

As she spoke, she slid the ring onto Kieran's finger. It was the ring that was supposed to be mine.

My face went pale. I realized then that the "K" engraved on the band wasn't for some generic design. It was for Kieran.

The room fell into an awkward silence, broken only by Maya's soft whimpers of love.

Kieran looked triumphant. He could clearly see how humiliated I was.

He slowly took the ring off and handed it back to me with a condescending tone.

"Maya is just confused. She didn't mean to give the ring to me."

"Don't take it to heart. She probably just mistook me for you."

I didn't miss the mockery in his eyes. He was enjoying every second of this.

Just as I reached for the ring, Maya glared at me with pure hatred.

"That ring is for Kieran, not for you!"

"You pathetic clown, give it back to him right now!"

Her best friend quickly stepped in to try and smooth things over, laughing nervously.

"Quentin, don't take it out on her. Just let Kieran keep it for now."

I looked into Maya's eyes and saw that she was perfectly lucid. I decided right then that I didn't want that ring anymore.

Kieran ended up carrying Maya to her exam himself. He stayed with her until it was over.

Luckily, she hadn't eaten much, so she didn't need her stomach pumped. He carried her back to her room.

Kieran smirked at me. "Maya needs to stay for observation. Take good care of her."

I forced a smile and nodded. I couldn't find the words to speak.

We were supposed to get married in three days. That ring was supposed to be for me.

Yet, in front of her first love, Maya couldn't wait to throw me away.

I fought to keep my composure. I made an excuse and walked out of the room.

I went straight to the designated smoking area and lit a cigarette.

It was the only way I could numb the humiliation. I just needed to escape the pain for a moment.