Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Hey Seraphina, that guy you wanted to set me up with... is the offer still on the table? I want to meet him."

On the other end of the line, my sister sounded shocked. "What changed your mind? Just a few days ago, you were swearing up and down that it was Clint Harrison or no one..."

I thought back to my grand declarations from last week. Now, they just felt like the punchline of a cruel joke.

"Just consider it a wake-up call," I said quietly.

"Alright. He's actually flying back to Chicago early next month. I'll let you know when he's in town."

After hanging up, I opened my phone and set a reminder.

There were still fifteen days until the start of next month.

My dream was over. It was time to return to reality.

I had just finished setting the alert when the bedroom door pushed open.

Clint walked in, wearing that same gentle, attentive smile he always used. He held out a small pastry box. "I waited in line for three hours to get this for you. Give it a try."

I took it and flipped the lid.

Of course, it was strawberry.

I set the cake aside without taking a bite. "I'm not really in the mood for cake today," I said, my voice flat.

Clint sat down beside me, pulling me into a soft embrace. "Who upset my little Celia? Tell me, and I'll go give them a piece of my mind."

I let out a bitter laugh.

We had been together for three years. I had told him a thousand times that I didn't like strawberry.

I loved chocolate.

But every single time Clint bought cake, it was strawberry.

At first, I told myself the bakery just ran out of chocolate. I told myself it was the thought that counted.

That was until a week ago.

Clint was in the shower, and his phone was sitting on the nightstand. A notification popped up from a social media account.

It was a post from an account named 【Ceci_v_Luv】.

【I've tried so many desserts around the world, but my heart still belongs to that strawberry cake from the bakery on 5th Street!】

That account was on his Close Friends list.

The handle sent a strange chill down my spine.

When you said it out loud, the name sounded almost identical to mine.

I used my own phone to search for the account. I spent hours scrolling through three years' worth of her posts.

She was a radiant, cheerful girl who traveled the world. She was beautiful, stylish, and full of life.

She was currently living abroad but was planning a permanent move back to the city.

Her real name was Cecilia.

Celia and Cecilia. Different names, but the same sound when he whispered them in the dark.

The realization hit me like a physical blow.

Later that night, I found Clint's burner account. His handle? 【Strawberry_Cake】.

It was a ridiculous name for a grown man, and it wasn't his style at all.

But then it clicked.

Cecilia had posted that strawberry cake was her absolute favorite.

Clint had sacrificed his dignity and ignored my preferences just to pretend, in some pathetic corner of his mind, that he was the thing she loved most.

In that moment, I finally understood why he had pursued me so intensely after meeting me just once three years ago.

I understood why he was so overprotective, always calling me by my nickname.

And I understood why he always bought strawberry cake, even after I protested a hundred times.

He wasn't calling out to Celia. He was calling out for Cecilia.

Clint didn't notice my mood. He kept coaxing me with that nauseatingly sweet tone. "Are you just feeling down? Sweets always make things better. This bakery is famous for their strawberries. Just one bite?"

The weight in my chest felt like it was suffocating me. "I told you, I don't like strawberry cake!"

Clint froze, looking startled by my sudden outburst.

Before he could respond, his phone rang loudly.

He answered it quickly. His expression shifted from shock to pure, unadulterated joy in a split second. "Okay. I'm on my way. I'll be right there."

His hands were shaking as he hung up.

He was in such a rush to leave that he knocked over a potted plant by the door.

As I watched his taillights disappear down the driveway, I felt a premonition. I opened the app and checked Cecilia's profile.

She had just posted a photo. It was the exterior of the airport.

The caption read: 【Finally landed! Strawberry Cake, I've missed you so much!】

So, today was the day Cecilia returned.

I turned off my phone and let out a long, slow breath.

It was time for the stand-in to exit the stage.