's license. Caleb became more and more consumed by his role at the company, his visits becoming less frequent. Wesley was the only constant, a qui

To seal the deal, Caleb was set to marry the rival CEO's daughter, a woman named Victoria. The engagement was

ers, the suffocating weight of expectations. But my att

s, and music drifted through the open doors. I moved through the crowd like a ghos

erfect corporate bride. But Caleb looked miserable. His smile didn't re

the conservatory, the same place

peration. "I don't love her, Jocelyn. This whole thing

for the first time, I saw the cracks in his perfect facade. He

ter than I intended. "This is what you w

ce I always gave myself. We di

he asked, his eyes searching mine.

upted. We returned to the party, the

Chadwick told me everything the following

d snuck int

as emotionally vulnerable and had been drinking too much. She drugged his drink. Then she stage

off the engagement. The rival CEO was furious. The merger, which was

o choice. They had to control the narrativ

. They issued a public statement hinting at a long-standing, secret romance between he

she had forced her way into the Blakely empire. She had

a, a woman I didn't even know, publicly shamed and discarded. I thought of

e forever burned into my memory. This wasn't just ab