Chapter 2

2.

A girl poked her head out from the master bedroom.

She scanned me from head to toe, the smirk on her face widening.

"Oh, you must be Sienna. Caleb has mentioned you before."

She was wearing a white button-down shirt that clearly belonged to him. She had the sleeves rolled up, showing off her slender wrists.

"I just got back to the city and ran into Caleb. I didn't have a place to stay, so he was kind enough to let me crash here for a bit."

She paused for a second, her smile growing more feline.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just a houseguest."

"A guest in his house?" I asked, my voice trembling. "In the master bedroom? In his bed?"

Caleb's face turned pale and ugly.

"No, Sienna, it's not what you think. She... she really is just staying for a bit. Don't be dramatic."

I let out a harsh laugh.

"Dramatic? How am I supposed to trust a man when a woman is wearing his clothes and living in his bedroom?"

Caleb started to panic, his voice rising with irritation.

"Sienna, enough! We're getting married soon. Can't you have a little faith in me? Do you have to be so confrontational?"

My chest felt tight, the anger simmering just beneath my skin.

"Caleb, the only reason I care is because we're supposed to get married―"

"You're what?" he interrupted, rolling his eyes. "You're just insecure. You're always looking for a reason to pick a fight."

The girl saw her opening and stepped in.

"Gosh, maybe I should just leave. I don't want to be the reason you guys fight. I'd hate to ruin your relationship."

"It's pouring rain outside, Jade. Don't go anywhere," Caleb said, his voice softening as he looked at her.

My heart sank. Every bit of hope I had left shattered into a million pieces.

It felt like someone was carving a hole in my chest with a dull knife.

Everything I thought was a happy life was just a cruel joke.

I took a deep breath, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I get it now, Caleb."

I turned toward the door.

"Sienna, wait! Don't be like this! There's nothing going on!" he yelled after me.

I didn't look back.

The freezing rain hit my face, feeling colder than my own tears.

When I finally got home, only the light in my mother's room was on.

"Mom, you're still up?"

I looked around the quiet house. "Where's Dad?"

She looked up from her books, her expression unreadable. "He's busy. He won't be home tonight."

I laughed bitterly and leaned against the doorframe.

That night, neither of us said another word, but we both knew the world was changing.