Chapter 1
I hadn’t seen Nathaniel Carter for three years, not since he vanished without a word.
We ran into each other at my college roommate’s wedding. He was the groom. I was the bridesmaid.
Vanessa Brooks, my roommate, pulled me aside, practically glowing as she launched into their “how we met” story.
“You know, when his company went bankrupt, he was ready to jump. I’m the one who pulled him back. There was some woman chasing after him back then, but I whisked him overseas so he could start fresh. Pretty bold move, right, Belle?” she chirped, proud as could be.
I barely heard her. My mind went blank.
Three years have passed. Over a thousand days and nights, I ached for the man I loved most, only to find out my own roommate had hidden him from me the whole time!
My body started trembling, as if every bit of strength had been drained from me.
Vanessa noticed my face and quickly steered me into the makeup room. “Belle, what’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?” she asked gently.
For three years I had searched for Nate. I’d crisscrossed the country, asked strangers for any lead, plastered missing posters everywhere, filed police reports, even paid to get his name trending online.
His family had given up, convinced he’d taken his own life.
But I never believed it. I kept looking, clinging to the belief that somewhere, he was still alive.
On nights when the darkness closed in, I’d stood on rooftops, tempted to end it all just to stop the ache. And now… now it all felt like a vicious joke.
My gaze dropped to the scars along my arms–thin, silvery lines that would never fade. My eyes burned. My heart felt as if it had been split open.
Vanessa’s tone turned gentle. “You haven’t let go of him yet, have you, Belle? It’s been so long. You have to let go. Look at me I found someone amazing, and I moved on. You can too.”
Then she smiled playfully. “Tell you what. I’ll put together a little get–together sometime. Nate can introduce you to some of his
friends.”
Before I could answer, Nate walked in. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, tall and lean, just as he had been three years ago. He hadn’t changed at all–except for the way he looked at me.
Once, his eyes had been warm, fixed only on me. Now, they slid over me with cool indifference before he turned to adjust Vanessa’s wedding gown.
Behind him came his groomsmen–the same friends we’d spent so much time with back then. I could still hear them calling me “sis” like it was yesterday. When they saw me, hesitation flickered in their eyes, followed by pity.
A moment earlier, I might have told myself he’d lost his memory in some tragic accident, that he didn’t recognize me. But the way his friends looked at me told another story. He remembered. He just didn’t love me anymore.
Vanessa beamed up at him. “Honey, make sure your friends stick around tonight. Let’s make it a party!” She threw me a playful wink
Nate gave a distracted nod, his gaze never leaving her. He didn’t spare me another glance–as if I were a stranger.
I closed my eyes. My heart felt like it was being crushed in a fist, ground to pieces, and set on fire.
The pain was unbearable.
I bolted for the bathroom, sliding down against the cold tile wall as sobs shook me. The chill seeped into my back, but nothing could numb the ache in my chest. My voice broke as I whispered, “Nate… how could you leave me?”
