Chapter 6

That moment in high school, Declan' s silent intervention, had been a turning point for me. Before that, I was a ghost, drifting through school, invisible at home. My parents were always too preoccupied with their own precarious social standing and Artis's endless demands to truly see me. My achievements were expected, my struggles ignored. I existed on the fringes, always observing, rarely participating. His small, almost imperceptible nod that day had made me feel seen, perhaps for the very first time.

It was a fragile connection, a silent acknowledgment, but to my lonely teenage heart, it felt like everything.

That was the beginning. The reason I studied architecture, following his path. The reason I pushed myself, trying to be worthy of his attention, his respect. The reason I built my entire world around him, believing that if I worked hard enough, if I was indispensable enough, his recognition would eventually morph into something deeper, something akin to love.

Now, as he looked at my bruised face, his concern felt real, a ghost of that long-ago kindness. But the illusion shattered almost immediately. "You need to handle your family issues, Cayla," he said, his voice firm, already transitioning back to his usual clipped tone. "They can't be allowed to interfere with your work, or the firm's reputation. It's a liability." He wasn't worried about me. He was worried about the disruption, the potential damage to his carefully constructed image.

My throat tightened. The faint spark of hope that had flickered within me died out, replaced by a cold, hard ache. He still saw me, not as a woman, but as a problem to be managed. A liability. The old Cayla would have tried to explain, to apologize even. But that Cayla was fading fast.

"I understand," I said, my voice flat, carefully neutral. "It won't happen again. I'll make sure of it."

He nodded, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "Good. Now, about tonight. Professor Thompson is hosting a small gathering at his home. An alumni mixer, primarily for the top students and partners. You should come. He's expecting us." Us. The word hung in the air, a relic of a past that no longer existed.

The Professor' s house was a familiar scene of bustling intellectualism. Mingling with the firm' s luminaries, the air thick with architectural jargon and ambitious chatter. Declan, as always, was at the center, a magnet for attention. Kisha, a radiant supernova, was never far from his side. She laughed, she charmed, she captivated. I watched from a quiet corner, nursing a glass of sparkling water, feeling like an anthropologist observing a foreign tribe.

Professor Thompson, a jovial man with a booming laugh, clapped Declan on the back. "Declan, my boy! Still the brightest star. And Kisha, you two make quite the pair! A match made in architectural heaven, I dare say!" He winked, his gaze sweeping between them, a clear endorsement of their perceived romance.

Kisha blushed prettily, leaning into Declan. "Oh, Professor, you're too kind!" Her eyes, however, darted to Declan, a clear invitation for him to respond in kind. Everyone in the room knew about our engagement. Or, they thought they did. The awkward silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions.

Declan surprised me then. "Professor," he said, his voice firm, "Kisha is an exceptional talent, and a wonderful intern. But we are strictly professional." He offered Kisha a polite, distant smile.

Kisha's face fell, her carefully constructed poise crumbling. Her smile vanished, replaced by a wounded expression. She mumbled an excuse and quickly slipped away from Declan's side, disappearing into the crowd.

Declan sighed, a long, weary sound. "She's very sensitive," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. And then he followed her, his broad shoulders disappearing behind the ornate columns, leaving me alone once more.

"He certainly has a way with women, doesn't he?" A colleague, Sarah, sidled up to me, a knowing look on her face. "You two are still on, right? I mean, with the wedding so close? You should probably make it clear to everyone, Cayla. Some people are getting the wrong idea."

I took a slow sip of my water. "The 'wrong idea' seems to be the only idea anyone has," I replied, my voice dry. "But no, Sarah. We're not 'on.' It's over."

Her eyes widened. "Really? But... why? You seemed so perfect together."

"Looks can be deceiving," I said, a bitter taste in my mouth. My head had begun to throb, a dull ache behind my eyes. The polite smiles, the forced conversations, the lingering scent of Kisha's perfume – it was all too much. "Excuse me," I mumbled, setting my glass down. I needed air. I needed to escape.

I found myself in a quiet hallway, opening a large glass door that led to a secluded garden. The night air, cool and crisp, was a welcome relief from the stuffy warmth of the house. I stepped outside, grateful for the solitude.

And then I saw them.

Declan and Kisha. They were partially hidden by a towering rose bush, their figures silhouetted against the soft glow of the garden lights. Kisha was crying, her shoulders shaking. Declan had his arms around her, holding her close, his head bent over hers. Her hands were pressed against his chest, clutching his jacket. He was stroking her hair, a gesture of profound comfort, of intimacy. The kind of intimacy I had yearned for, dreamt of, for ten long years.

"I love you, Declan," Kisha sobbed, her voice muffled but clear in the quiet night. "I truly do."

My heart, already fragile, shattered into a million pieces. He had rejected her publicly. But here, in the shadows, he offered her solace, a tenderness he had never once offered me. He knew how to comfort, how to console, how to love. He just didn't love me. He loved her.

A memory flashed through my mind: that day in the hospital, after my injury. He had come to my bedside, his face pale, his voice filled with guilt. He had proposed. Not out of love, but out of a sense of obligation. A debt. And I, foolish, desperate me, had accepted. I had convinced myself that his guilt was a form of love, that it would grow, mature into the real thing. I had lied to myself for two years, clinging to a promise made out of pity.

Now, seeing him hold Kisha, hearing her confession of love, seeing his gentle response, the truth was undeniable. He had never loved me. Not in the way he loved her. Not even close. My existence was a convenience, an efficient support system. Kisha was his heart.

I turned away, the sound of her sobs and his comforting murmurs a knife twisting in my chest. My eyes burned, but I wouldn't cry. Not here. Not for them. I walked back into the house, my steps measured, my face an emotionless mask. The familiar emptiness returned, but this time, it was deeper, more profound. It was a void that swallowed everything.

When I reached my dorm room, the light under the door was still on. Declan. Of course. He was waiting. I paused, my hand on the doorknob. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. This was it. The final act.