Chapter 2

The next day, the news was not just a headline, it was a full-blown feature in a high-society magazine left open on the coffee table at my studio. I was there to pack up the last of my things. The glossy pages showed a picture of Liam and Olivia Reed at a charity gala last night. The caption read: Real Estate Mogul Liam O' Connell and associate Olivia Reed, the city' s new power couple?

They looked good together. Perfect, even. Him in his impeccable tuxedo, her in a sleek, silver dress. They stood close, smiling for the camera. A power couple. It made sense. It was what everyone expected.

A sharp, bitter pain went through my chest. I quickly shut the magazine. It was one thing to decide to move on, it was another to see him do it so easily, so publicly. The last eight years of my life felt like a joke. A stupid, one-sided fantasy I had built in my own head.

I couldn't stay in the studio a moment longer. The smell of fabric and the sight of my sketches on the wall were suffocating. I grabbed my purse and walked out, leaving the half-packed boxes behind. I needed to get away, to breathe air that wasn't filled with memories of him.

I ended up at the park near my apartment, the one where my fiancé, Ethan, had proposed. I sat on a bench, watching children play on the swings. Ethan was good to me. He was kind, stable, and he loved me in a way that was simple and uncomplicated. He never made me feel like a responsibility. With him, I wasn't just Jake's little sister. I was Chloe. I should be happy. I should be grateful. So why did my heart feel so heavy?

"Chloe?"

I looked up, and my breath caught in my throat. It was Liam's mother, Mrs. O'Connell. She had always been a second mother to me, especially after Jake died. She stood there, a small paper bag in her hand, her kind eyes full of concern.

"I thought that was you," she said, sitting down next to me. "Are you alright, dear? You look pale."

I tried to smile. "I'm fine, just tired. Wedding planning, you know."

She didn't look convinced. She opened the paper bag and took out a warm pastry. "I was just at the bakery. They still have those almond croissants you love."

I took it from her, my fingers trembling slightly. It was a simple gesture, but it almost broke me. "Thank you."

We sat in silence for a moment, and then she said softly, "I saw the news about your retirement. And about Liam and Olivia." She sighed. "That boy. He can build skyscrapers, but he can't see what's right in front of him."

My head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

"Chloe," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "I've known you since you were a little girl. And I've known my son his whole life. I have eyes. I see the way you look at him. And I see the way he pretends not to notice."

Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn't hold them back anymore. "He sees me as a sister, Mrs. O'Connell. He said so himself. He gave me his blessing to marry Ethan."

"He's an idiot," she said simply. "He's so caught up in this promise he thinks he made to Jake that he's forgotten to live his own life. He thinks he's protecting you, but he's only hurting you both." She patted my hand. "Don't give up your dreams for a man, Chloe. Not for Ethan, and certainly not for my foolish son."

Her words echoed what I already knew deep down. I was giving up my career, the one thing that was truly mine, for a life that felt like a consolation prize.

Later that week, Ethan had to go out of town for a conference. "I'm sorry, honey," he said over the phone. "The flight back is late. I won't be able to make it to my parents' anniversary dinner. Can you go for me? They'd be so disappointed if neither of us showed up."

"Of course," I said. I didn't want to go alone, but I couldn't say no.

When I arrived at the restaurant, I saw his car in the parking lot. Liam's car. My heart started pounding. Of course he would be here. His parents were close friends with Ethan's.

I walked in and found them at a large round table. Liam was seated next to Olivia Reed. My stomach twisted.

"Chloe, darling!" Ethan's mother greeted me with a warm hug. "We were so sorry to hear Ethan couldn't make it, but we're so happy you're here."

I smiled and took the empty seat, which was directly across from Liam. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to look at him. Throughout the dinner, I focused on making conversation with Ethan's parents, telling them about our wedding plans, painting a picture of a happy, perfect future.

"So, Chloe," Olivia said, her voice cutting through the chatter. "I hear you're giving up your career. That's so... traditional. I could never do that. My work is too important to me."

The jab was obvious. I felt a flash of anger. "I'm looking forward to a new chapter," I said, my voice even. "My priorities have just changed."

"It's a shame, though," Liam said, speaking for the first time since I arrived. His voice was low, and it sent a shiver down my spine. "You're so talented."

I finally looked at him. His eyes were intense, full of an emotion I couldn't read. It wasn't the polite distance from the gallery. This was something else. Something raw.

"People change, Liam," I said, my words sharper than I intended. "I'm not the same little girl you used to know."

The rest of the dinner was tense. I could feel Liam's gaze on me, a heavy weight I tried to ignore. When it was time to leave, I said my goodbyes quickly, wanting to escape.

"I'll walk you to your car," Liam said, standing up as I did. It wasn't a question.

I didn't want him to, but I couldn't make a scene. We walked out into the cool night air in silence. When we reached my car, I turned to him. "You don't have to do this, Liam."

"I wanted to," he said. He leaned against the car next to mine, blocking my way. "Chloe, we need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," I said, my hand on my car door handle. "I'm getting married in a few weeks. You're with Olivia. We're both moving on."

"Are you happy?" he asked, his voice rough.

The question caught me off guard. "What?"

"Are you happy with him?" he repeated, his eyes boring into mine. "Is this what you really want? To give up everything you've worked for?"

Tears of frustration stung my eyes. "What do you care? You're the one who told me I deserved to be happy. You gave me your blessing! You were happy for me!"

"I was an idiot!" he said, his voice rising. "I was wrong, Chloe. I was so wrong."

"It's too late, Liam," I whispered, my voice breaking. "It's too late."

I got into my car and drove away, leaving him standing alone in the parking lot. My hands were shaking so hard I could barely grip the steering wheel. I kept replaying his words in my head. I was wrong. Why now? Why, after all this time, was he finally saying the things I had longed to hear? It wasn't fair. He had no right to come back into my life and tear it apart, not now that I had finally found a way to put the pieces back together.