Chapter 3

Camille POV: The heavy iron gates of the state correctional facility slowly swung open. I pushed the car door open, stepping out almost on pure instinct. I had brushed on an extra layer of blush today to hide my sickly pallor and swallowed an extra painkiller so he wouldn't notice anything if the cramps hit. A baseball cap and dark sunglasses completed the armor—I didn't want the first version of me he saw to be a miserable one. Jake Ashley. My father's ward, the boy I grew up with. In the ruthless, predatory environment of the Ashley family, he was the only one who had ever shielded me. In over a decade, he had never raised his voice at me. He once told me, "Cam, anyone in this world might let you down, but never me." He had even said, "I don't want the Ashley name. I don't want to be your brother. When you're older, marry me, okay?" The day he was locked up three years ago, I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye. And then... I married Courtney Trevino. A tall silhouette emerged from behind the gates. Dressed in all black, short hair, carrying a battered duffel bag. His features were sharper than they had been three years ago, carrying a reckless, dangerous edge. His gaze swept over the lot and seemed to land on me. My heart nearly stopped. My throat tightened, tears pricking my eyes, and my feet moved toward him before my brain could stop them. "Jake..." "Jake!" A cheerful female voice rang out from behind me. A woman in a red dress brushed right past my shoulder and literally threw herself into Jake's arms. Jake caught her flawlessly, letting her wrap herself around him. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for you? If you didn't get out soon, my dad was going to drag me off to marry some suit!" The woman framed his face and kissed him. Jake tipped his head down and kissed her back, completely oblivious to anyone else, a smirk playing on his lips. "In that much of a hurry? Then tell your driver to take a hike later. I'll personally deliver a big gift to your old man." "You're awful!" the woman teased, clinging to him and refusing to let go. "My dad said he wants to see you tonight, throw you a welcome back party..." My feet rooted themselves to the asphalt. I stood there, feeling like an entirely irrelevant bystander. The gentle, considerate Jake, the one who always put me first... was apparently just a decade-long fever dream. A sharp, twisting cramp flared in my lower abdomen. I instinctively pressed my fingers against my stomach, pressing my lips into a tight line. It felt as though a knife had slashed through three years of time just to gut me all over again. "Watch out!" Someone yelled sharply. I whipped my head around. A motorcycle had lost control and was barreling straight toward the three of us! In a split second, Jake yanked the woman in his arms backward, shielding her completely. He didn't spare me a single glance. Left to fend for myself, I lunged awkwardly out of the way. My ankle rolled violently as I hit the ground. My sunglasses went flying, and my cap tumbled off my head. The bike roared past, practically grazing the hem of my jacket. Only then did Jake look over. Our eyes met. His gaze was dark, unfathomable. There was a split second of scrutiny, and maybe a flicker of... panic? "You—" "I'm fine." Before the tears could fall, I scrambled up, turned, and ran. Behind me, I heard the woman ask curiously, "Who was that?" Jake fell silent for a long moment. Then, I heard the soft sound of him kissing her. "I don't know. Looks like someone I know." Someone I know. Over a decade of growing up together. The boy who once promised to marry me. Now, I was just someone he knew. I hid myself back inside my car, resting my forehead against the steering wheel as layer upon layer of cold sweat broke out across my skin. I couldn't tell what hurt more: the crushing ache in my chest, or the malignant tumor quietly growing inside my body. My phone rang sharply, shattering the silence. Two words flashed on the screen. Arthur Hayes. I took a deep, trembling breath. Did Courtney finally see the divorce papers?