As the gathering ended, friends trickled out one by one. The festive air dissipated, leaving a strange hollowness in its wake.
My phone rang, startling me. Mechanically, I answered.
“Hannah! You’re back in the country? You said you wouldn’t return—are you staying there?” A familiar voice buzzed on the line. When I didn’t respond, his tone turned desperate.
“Answer me!”
Finally, I croaked out a single sentence, “I’m… back.”
It didn’t matter anymore. My love, my friends—they had all replaced me with Olivia. This place, once a home, now felt foreign. There was nothing left for me here.
Victor Hayes sighed in relief then, realizing it was an afterthought.
“You’ve been crying, haven’t you? Tell me where you are. I’ll fly back and find you. Wait for me!”
A cold, familiar voice interrupted from behind just after hanging up the phone.
“Who were you talking to?” Nathan stood there, his expression dark and piercing. “A man? Who is he? Do I know him?”
Ignoring him, I walked away. But he grabbed my wrist, his grip tight and unrelenting. His determination to get an answer was almost frightening.
Reluctantly, I lied. “A colleague, asking about some documents.”
Satisfied, he released me and tugged me toward the parking lot. “Let’s go. My parents are waiting for us at home.”
It was then I noticed Olivia was gone, having slipped out unnoticed.
My dad and Nathan’s dad were old war buddies. That was why I had lived in Nathan’s house since my dad passed away. As a matter of fact, I should go back and take a look.
It wasn’t until I was standing by his car that I noticed something was off. The passenger seat was accessorized with bright stickers spelling out Olivia Grace, a butterfly-print neck pillow labelled Princess Olivia’s Special Seat and a seat cover embroidered with her initials.
I hesitated for a long time, deciding whether or not to go to the back seat, my hand hovering over the door handle. Nathan glanced at me sideways. “Don’t sit there. Olivia hates it when anyone else does. You’re more understanding—take the back.”
I blinked at him, stunned. He remembered Olivia’s pet peeves but forgot my chronic carsickness, which made anything but the passenger seat unbearable. I didn’t say anything and opened the back seat door.
What met my eyes was a set of sexy red lace lingerie.
My mind raced. During the two hours, I had been waiting eagerly, full of excitement to see him, smiling and dreaming of his warm embrace. And what had they been doing in this car during those same hours? My stomach churned as reality mocked me—this was nothing short of a cruel joke.
***
When we arrived at his family home, his parents greeted me warmly.
“You’re back! Finally, you’re back!” His mother held my hands tightly, beaming with joy.
After some pleasantries, she pulled me aside to show me wedding invitations. “Hannah, which design do you like best? I’ve been trying to pick the perfect one for your wedding!”
“Wedding?” I stammered, taken aback. “But we—”
“Mom, don’t stress her out. Hannah just got back and must be exhausted.” Nathan’s casual interruption startled me. His tone was so… matter-of-fact. Was he genuinely planning to marry me? And if so, what about Olivia?
His parents shared an amused glance, his father chuckling. “This boy! He’s always been so devoted to you. He used to fly overseas to visit you all the time. Now, you’ll finally be together every day.”
Overseas? I froze. He had never once visited me. A flicker of panic crossed his face and he quickly changed the subject. Their words didn’t sit right with me. Something was off.
When I had a moment alone, I messaged a mutual friend, Madison Clarke.
Hannah: [Can you check Nathan’s social media from the past three years? Did he post anything about travelling?]
Her reply was almost immediate.
Madison: [Nope, nothing. Why?]
Still unconvinced, I contacted a few other friends. Their answers were the same: no posts, no visits, no evidence he had ever tried to see me.
Then I remembered. I had an old, forgotten secondary account that might give me a clearer picture. Logging in, I searched for his profile and opened his posts.
What I saw shattered me. A flood of posts, all featuring him and Olivia.
Photo after photo of him and Olivia filled the feed. Their faces beamed in selfies taken against backdrops of iconic landmarks. For three years, I had begged him to visit me. Each time, he’d said he was busy, that it wasn’t the right time. I’d waited alone in a foreign country, clinging to hope. But they had been travelling the world together—while I waited, begged and believed his excuses.
My vision blurred as the truth slammed into me. I wasn’t even worth a weekend trip when I was just a few hours away in a neighbouring country.
