Chapter 1

Grace’s POV

When I got back to the office, my boss was still working late.

She looked up from her sandwich in surprise.

"Back already? I thought you were checking out houses."

I fidgeted with my fingers, trying to summon my courage.

"Ms. Palmer, the transfer to the headquarters, is it still on the table?"

Her eyes lit up instantly. "You changed your mind? Great. You start next month."

I nodded.

For the first time since we had set my wedding date, the heavy knot in my chest loosened.

My phone vibrated violently.

Texts from Daniel Jones flooded in.

[Typical. I knew you’d be late. Honestly, Gina and I don’t know how you’d survive without us.

[Good thing we were there, or nothing would have gotten done today.

[Anyway, any thoughts on the renovations?]

My fingers hovered over the screen.

Before I could type a reply, another text popped up.

[Never mind. No point asking you. Gina and I will just handle it.]

The words blurred on my screen.

Never mind?

I lost count of how many times Daniel had said that to me.

After high school graduation, he held my hand and asked where I wanted to go for college.

My eyes lit up.

I was about to say a coastal city.

But a second later, he cut in. "Never mind. No point asking.

“Gina and I had already picked out the best schools and majors for you.

“We spent three whole days researching."

I swallowed my words while drowning in disappointment.

Since then, it was the same for every date and every trip. I never had a say.

Over time, I brainwashed myself into believing their choices were what I wanted too.

But seeing them so intimately designing my future home today left a bitter taste in my mouth.

It was supposed to be my home with my family for the next decades.

Instead, it felt like Daniel and Gina Xavier’s house.

I sat frozen at my desk.

My phone lit up again.

This time it was a voice note from Gina.

"Hey, tell Daniel to back off! He’s being so tacky.

“He insists on putting a TV in the master bedroom. Who even watches TV in bed these days?"

The next few voice notes were just recordings of Daniel and Gina bickering playfully.

I locked my screen.

Heavy tears began to splash onto the dark glass.

I touched my cheek, realizing I was already sobbing.

They were having so much fun arguing.

Yet, neither of them bothered to ask if the person actually living in that bedroom wanted a TV.

I loved TV.

I had loved it since I was a little girl.

Every weekend, my parents would watch shows in the living room and I would sit on a small stool next to them, completely glued to the screen.

Later, when we hung out at Daniel's house, his TV was much bigger than mine.

Gina used to tease me. "You’re such a TV addict. You’ll watch literally anything."

Daniel had laughed back then.

He promised he would buy me a massive TV one day and mount it right on our bedroom wall.

So that I could watch it all night.

But now…

He had forgotten.

Just like he forgot I was afraid of the dark.

He always made me watch midnight movies because it fit Gina's schedule.

He forgot I wanted to live by the ocean.

That I wanted to major in literature and to travel south for our first vacation.

I opened the chat, typed a few words, and deleted them.

I did this over and over.

Finally, I sent nothing.

For once, I wanted to be spiteful.

I wanted them to know what it felt like to sit around and wait for a final memo.

And then, I would leave.

I would move so far away where they would never see me again.