Chapter 2

Aria traced Nolan Reed's face on the screen, then locked her phone.

In her first life, she had followed him into the entertainment industry and spent years trying to recover the boy who once protected her. The pursuit had cost her career, dignity, and finally her life.

"This time, I'm the one leaving you."

She still lived in Nolan's apartment. Two years earlier, she had moved in believing proximity might restore their childhood closeness. Instead, they had become polite strangers under one roof. They had barely held hands.

The elevator opened into the underground garage. Aria called her best friend as she walked toward her car.

"Tessa, help me find a place. I need to move today."

Tessa Morgan went quiet. "You and Nolan..."

"We're finished. I'll explain when I see you."

Aria ended the call, started the engine, and drove toward the apartment with a calm she had never possessed in her previous life.

Across the city, Nolan had only just woken. He rubbed his temples and checked his phone.

No missed calls. No messages.

Aria should have sent a stream of anxious questions by now. She should have demanded to know why he vanished from their anniversary dinner. Her silence bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

His thumb hovered over her name when someone knocked.

"Come in."

Grant Mercer entered with his usual practiced smile. "Rough night?"

"What do you want?"

Grant showed him the top trend. The photograph of Nolan and Serena outside the police station had already spread across every entertainment account.

Nolan barely glanced at it. "Let public relations handle it."

"I tried." Grant sighed as though burdened by someone else's immaturity. "I asked Aria to clarify that she was with you, but she refused."

That made Nolan look up. "What did she say?"

"That she won't clean up your mess anymore."

Nolan called her at once.

The first call rang until she disconnected it. So did the second. By the fifth attempt, his grip had tightened around the phone.

"What game is she playing?"

Grant's eyes flickered with satisfaction. "She's probably jealous because you helped Serena."

"There is nothing between Serena and me." Nolan stood, irritation sharpening every word. "Aria is turning one missed dinner into a crisis."

The front door opened.

Aria stepped inside, heels striking the floor with measured certainty. Nolan stared. Her face had not changed, yet the woman before him no longer seemed to wait for his approval.

"Why didn't you answer?" he demanded.

She set her bag on the sofa. "I didn't want to."

He had no answer ready for that.

"Post the clarification," Nolan said at last. "Now."

"No."

"Aria, enough. Serena and I are colleagues. Stop throwing a tantrum over nothing."

"Nothing?" Her gaze remained level. "You abandoned our anniversary without sending a message, then expected me to lie so the woman you chose over me could avoid the consequences."

"Last night was an exception."

"It was only exceptional because this time I finally understood it."

Grant stepped between them with conciliatory hands. "Nolan knows he made a mistake. Why not have dinner tonight and put this behind you?"

"I'm not interested."

Aria turned toward the bedroom. Nolan caught her wrist and pulled her back.

"What exactly do you want from me?"

She looked down at his hand until he released her. The gesture had once made her heart race. Now it felt like what it was: an attempt to stop her from walking away.

"I want to break up."

The apartment went silent.

Nolan stared at her as if he had misheard.

Aria met his disbelief without flinching.

"We're done."