Chapter 2

With a short beep, Ethan hung up the phone in a hurry.

I stood there frozen, the phone still pressed to my ear.

The giant wedding photo in front of me was so blindingly bright that it made my eyes water.

The man in the photo, dressed in a sharp, tailored tuxedo, was smiling warmly as he held his bride.

That face. The face that had kissed me goodnight every night for three years. The man who had promised to save up and build a home with me.

It was Ethan, my boyfriend of three years.

"Meow..."

A fluffy Ragdoll cat rubbed against my ankle. It looked up at me with its crystal-blue eyes, purring softly to comfort me.

My fingers trembled. Like a puppet with its strings cut, I mechanically filled the food bowls, changed the water, and cleaned the litter boxes for the three cats.

Then, on autopilot, I took out my phone, filmed a quick video of them eating, and sent it to my new client.

She replied almost instantly.

[Thank you so much! They look so happy. You're a lifesaver!]

[I'll trouble you for the next few days. When my husband and I get back from our honeymoon, we'll bring you a souvenir!]

Husband.

Honeymoon.

Those words stabbed straight into my chest like sharp needles.

The pain was so intense that my knees buckled. I had to lean against the wall for a long time before I could stand straight again.

I don’t even remember how I made it back to the apartment Ethan and I rented together.

This cozy place, which we had decorated ourselves, with a photo wall of our anniversaries, now felt like a physical slap to my face.

Just yesterday, Ethan had held me close, resting his chin on my head, his voice filled with gentle promise.

"Baby, when I go back this time, I'm going to tell my parents about us. Let's get them ready so our families can finally meet."

I had blushed and playfully tapped his chest.

Looking back, it was a joke.

I suddenly remembered that this client, Chloe, had found me on Twitter. With shaking hands, I opened the app and searched for her username.

Her profile header was that exact wedding photo.

But in her profile picture, it was just a solo shot of her, which was why I hadn't noticed anything wrong initially.

I clicked on her latest post. The title was: [We tied the knot!], with a gallery of nine photos.

In one photo, she was taking a selfie in front of a full-length mirror.

But in the reflection of that mirror, Ethan's face was unmistakably clear. He was even flashing a peace sign at the camera, smiling brighter than the sun.

Just then, a Snapchat notification popped up at the top of my screen.

It was from Ethan.

[Baby, I was busy just now and couldn't ask. Why the sudden urge to get a cat?]

I stared at the text.

A few seconds later, another message came through.

[I really am allergic, remember? When your neighbor’s cat came over last year, I broke out in hives just from holding it. But I know you love them. I just bought you a plush cat toy and shipped it to your place.]

[Don't be mad at me, okay?]

The same gentle tone. The same thoughtful gestures. It was exactly how he had treated me for the last three years.

If I hadn't unlocked that apartment door, if I hadn't seen that photo, I would probably be crying tears of gratitude right now, thinking I had the best boyfriend in the world.