Chapter 2

I didn't stop. I kept walking toward my car, my back straight, my steps even. I didn't let him see me falter.

Brittany' s syrupy voice drifted from the doorway. "Liam, honey, what's wrong? Let her go. Come back inside."

He didn't answer her. I heard his footsteps start to follow me, but then they stopped.

"Just go home, Chloe," he called out, his voice a strange mix of irritation and something else I couldn't place. "We'll talk tomorrow." Then I heard his condo door shut firmly behind him.

I got in my car and drove away without a single glance in the rearview mirror.

When I arrived back at the Davis mansion, Mrs. Davis was waiting for me. She had prepared the guest room, the one that had always been unofficially "mine." It was next to Liam's childhood room, a painful irony.

She showed me inside. The room was beautiful, decorated in soft blues and creams. A bouquet of my favorite flowers, white lilies, sat on the nightstand.

"We had all your things moved from your apartment this afternoon," she said gently. "I hope that's okay."

I nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude for her kindness. "Thank you."

My eyes fell on a stack of boxes in the corner, labeled "LIAM." They were filled with years of shared memories-photographs, gifts, mementos of a love that was never meant to be.

"Can you have someone throw these away?" I asked, my voice hollow.

Mrs. Davis looked at the boxes, her expression pained. "Are you sure, dear?"

"I'm sure," I said, forcing a smile. "From now on, he's my brother. I shouldn't keep these things."

She understood. She pulled me into a hug, her embrace a safe harbor in my storm. "Get some rest, Chloe. Everything will be better."

She left me alone in the quiet room. For the first time in weeks, I slept soundly, a deep, dreamless sleep, as if my body finally understood that a chapter had closed.

I woke up the next morning to my phone buzzing incessantly. I saw a string of missed calls from Liam. I ignored them and got out of bed.

As I was getting dressed, the phone rang again. It was him. I let it go to voicemail, but he immediately called back. This time, I answered.

"Where the hell are you?" he demanded, his voice tight with frustration. "I went to your apartment this morning, and it's completely empty. What's going on?"

I could hear a hint of panic in his tone, but I quickly dismissed it. It was probably just annoyance that I had disrupted his routine.

"I've moved out," I said calmly.

"Moved out? Moved where?"

"I'm staying at your parents' house now," I explained, keeping my voice even.

There was a pause. When he spoke again, his voice had shifted. It was slower, almost casual, but with a sharp edge underneath.

"Oh. Okay." Another pause. "So, are you still coming to the Henderson's engagement party tonight?"

The Henderson party. A big social event for our families' circle. We were supposed to go together.

"Yes, I'll be there," I said. "I just need to find something to wear."

In the past, I would have gone to his place. We would have spent hours getting ready together. I'd help him pick out a tie, and he'd zip up my dress. The thought sent a pang through my chest, a memory of a closeness I would never feel again.

"Right," he said, his voice distant now. I could almost hear Brittany in the background, asking him who he was talking to. He was already distracted.

"Well, don't be late," he said coolly, and then he hung up.

The call left a bitter taste in my mouth. He didn't care. He was just making sure I'd be there, another piece on his chessboard.

I spent the rest of the day preparing for the party, choosing a simple but elegant black dress. I did my own hair and makeup, my reflection in the mirror a stranger. She looked poised, calm, but her eyes held a deep, lingering sadness.

I arrived at the party alone. The ballroom was glittering with chandeliers and filled with the murmur of polite conversation. I spotted Liam almost immediately. He was standing with Brittany, his hand possessively on her lower back. She was wearing a ridiculously flamboyant pink dress, clinging to his arm and laughing loudly at something he said.

I avoided looking at them, instead making my way to a group of old family friends.

"Chloe, you look beautiful!" one of them, Mrs. Gable, greeted me warmly. "We were all so sure Liam would be bringing you tonight." Her eyes flickered towards Liam and Brittany with disapproval.

"Everyone thought so," another friend, Sarah, chimed in. She lowered her voice. "I don't get it. He was always so obsessed with you. Remember that time in college when that guy asked you out? Liam basically scared him off. He was so possessive."

"He used to look at you like you were the only person in the room," Mrs. Gable added with a nostalgic sigh.

The memories hurt. They were reminders of a love I had believed in, a future that had been stolen from me. I forced a smile.

"Things change," I said simply.

"Is Liam even here?" Sarah asked, scanning the crowd.

I gestured with my chin. "He's over there."

They all turned to look. At that exact moment, Liam leaned down and kissed Brittany, a showy, public display. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. The room seemed to fall silent for a second as people noticed.

Sarah and Mrs. Gable exchanged an awkward glance, their faces a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

"Oh," Sarah said, quickly changing the subject. "Did you see the new exhibit at the art gallery downtown?"

The main event of the evening began. The hosts, Mark and Jessica Henderson, stood on the stage, a beaming, happy couple. They talked about their journey, their love, their shared dreams. I watched them, a quiet ache in my chest, and silently wished them a lifetime of happiness.

Then, Mark cleared his throat, a wide grin on his face.

"And now, for a special tradition in our circle," he announced, his voice booming through the microphone. "As one couple gets engaged, we pass the torch, or in this case, the bouquet, to the couple we all believe is next in line!"

A knot of dread formed in my stomach. I knew what was coming.

Jessica took the microphone, her eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on me.

"So, without further ado, we want to call up the couple we are all rooting for... Chloe Miller and Liam Davis!"