Chapter 3

3

"Oh, so that's what you meant..." He paused, making my heart stop.

"Sure, I'd like that. But this is my first time dating, so you'll have to be patient with me." Silas smiled.

I beamed back at him. I was so excited I almost wanted to jump for joy.

That wasn't the first time we'd met, but it was the day I etched every detail of him into my memory.

Now, I decided I needed a long break. I needed to clear my head and figure out how to live my life moving forward.

It was the second night after the breakup. Silas's social media feed updated with a new post.

It was a photo of him and another woman. There were palm trees in the background. Based on my knowledge of the city, they were at the beach.

The caption read: "Loving the joy of a reunion."

The real queen was back. My role as the stand-in was officially over.

I packed my bags and prepared to leave the city. I wanted to travel and forget everything for a while.

As I opened my door, I found Silas standing in the hallway.

"Taya, where are you going?" He looked genuinely panicked.

"I don't think I need to report my whereabouts to you anymore. I'm free to go wherever I want." I used a cold tone I'd never used with him before.

Silas's face turned pale. He looked physically uncomfortable with my new, distant attitude.

"Taya, don't go. We're supposed to get married..." His voice trailed off until it was barely a whisper.

"I'm just glad I found out before the wedding. It's better to cut my losses now."

"Taya, I'm begging you. Don't leave. We're getting married!" He grabbed my suitcase handle, his voice full of desperation.

"Taya, what am I supposed to do if you leave?"

"You have your Winnie. She's the joy of your reunion, remember?" My words seemed to hit him like a physical blow.

His grip on my suitcase loosened. He looked completely dazed, as if he had lost his ability to function.

I rarely saw him like this. In my memory, he was someone who never showed weakness or negative emotions.

Back in college, he was always the golden boy. Whether it was student government, competitions, or classes, he was always the best.

Even after we entered the workforce, he was a pro at controlling his feelings. He handled every career setback with total composure.

It seemed like nothing could rattle him. Everything was always under his control.

Seeing him look so pathetic and lost was a new experience for me. Part of me wondered if he really did care about me.

A small pang of regret hit me. I almost wanted to say something to comfort him.

But then, the memory of his chat with Winnie flashed through my mind again.

I decided against it. I turned and headed for the stairs.

When I reached the lobby, I ran into another uninvited guest. I had hoped I would never have to deal with her.

She was the woman who had caused the greatest upheaval in my life.

Winnie Beck.

My first impression of her was that she was bold and stunning. She wore a tight red dress, and her long curls cascaded over her shoulders.

With a face like that, I doubted any man could ever say no to her.

She stepped forward and greeted me with a fake smile.

"So, you're Taya? What's going on? Having a little tantrum and running away from home?"

Her words were sharp and mocking, but I felt nothing. I was done with Silas, and I was definitely done with her.

I tried to sidestep her, but she moved to block my path.

"Get out of my way," I said coldly.

"Silas, is this the fiancée you were talking about? She's got quite a mouth on her." She didn't even look at me. She looked past me at Silas, who was coming down the stairs.

Fiancée? Did Silas even see me that way anymore? From the moment he went to find her, that fiancée was dead.

I turned back to Silas. He was standing a few steps above us.

"Silas, come and get your dog. She's blocking the exit," I said, my anger finally bubbling over.