Chapter 1 Bella's Pov

CHAPTER ONE

Bella's POV

I've always believed that the universe sends warnings before it breaks your heart. Little shivers, gut pinches, whispers that sound like, "Something is fucking wrong."

I have always believed that it did.

This morning, the universe did just that. Heck, it wasn't only whispering.

It was screaming at me.

I just didn't want to hear it.

"Bells, you sure you don't want me to drive you?" Ava asked from the doorway, her eyebrows raised in that way only best friends have mastered which was a combination of half concern and half judgment.

I tucked my lip gloss into my purse and forced a smile. "I'm fine. It's just a quick stop at Ethan's office. I want to surprise him before his presentation."

Ava rolled her eyes in response and folded her arms. " Oh please. Surprises are for people you trust. Last week, he canceled your date for the third time. The universe is talking to you, babe. You just don't want to hear it"

I waved her off like her words weren't scratching at something raw inside me. "He's just stressed, Ava. This pitch to Valor Tech is huge. He said they might promote him to VP if it goes well. He is not acting up. Don't make a big deal out of it please."

At my words, Ava's expression softened. "I am not trying to, Bells. You know that. I just... don't want you running after a man who's not running to you."

I laughed and I felt it was too light, too fake. "I'm not running anywhere. I'm just being a supportive girlfriend. That's all."

I then smiled brightly at her and made to leave. But when I hugged her goodbye and stepped into the elevator, that uneasy knot in my chest tugged a little tighter.

Still, I told myself what I always tell myself when I feel things I don't want to: Stop overthinking.

If only I knew I should have listened to the knots.

***

The city felt different that morning, I thought as I left my apartment building. It was as if it too was giving me a sign I could not help but to ignore.

I sighed deeply as I clutched the small velvet box in my bag, running my thumb over the outline of the ring through the fabric.

Ethan didn't know about it. He didn't know that I'd spent the last three months quietly saving, planning, praying...

He didn't know that today I was going to ask him to marry me.

I smiled, imagining the surprised look on his face, the way his serious expression would soften, the way he'd kiss me like the world finally made sense.

Because it did, when I was with him.

Or at least... it used to.

The cab ride down to Midtown felt endless, each red light dragging me deeper into my own head. At one point the driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror and then furrowed his brows in concern.

"You okay back there? You look like someone with a lot on your mind."

I forced a nod. "I'm fine."

But my heart wasn't. It was pacing like I had been running for miles. But of course, I couldn't tell the driver that.

By the time we reached Ethan's company building-a tall glass tower that reflected the Manhattan sky like it wanted to swallow it whole-my palms were damp.

I adjusted my dress, smoothed my hair and reapplied a thin layer of my peach gloss. Ethan loved that gloss. Said it made me look soft.

Then I checked my reflection in the lobby's mirrored wall-my skin was glowing, lashes were curled, edges behaving for once.

Perfect.

I looked like someone ready to start a new chapter.

If only I had known the chapter waiting for me was the kind people don't put in love stories. They put it in warnings.

***

The elevator hummed as it rose-soft, almost too calm, like it didn't want to disturb me before everything shattered. I held the velvet box in my hand now, unable to let go of it, like it could anchor me.

Ethan had sounded tired on the phone the night before. Distracted. Distant in a way that made something cold slither up my spine. But when I suggested coming by, he said:

"Not tomorrow, baby. I'll be swamped."

He didn't want me there.

But I wanted to be there for him.

So I had decided to surprise him.

The elevator dinged at the seventh floor, and the doors slid open to reveal a reception area with sleek furniture and pretentious indoor plants that looked like they belonged in a billionaire's Tribeca mansion .

His assistant, Camilla's coat was draped over the back of the receptionist's chair.

A flicker of something in me tightened.

Why was she here? She wasn't supposed to be in until much later. Ethan mentioned she was taking a half-day because of a migraine. Because she had become a friend, I had even made a mental note to call her later in the evening to check up on her.

Maybe she felt better?

Maybe she came in early to help him prepare?

Maybe...

Stop overthinking, Bella. Please.

Still, my heart continued to pace frantically as I walked past the empty reception desk to an adjacent corridor. My heels echoed too loudly in the corridor as I walked. It was like the building too was trying to warn me of what was coming.

Ethan's office was at the far end of the corridor-glass walls, frosted halfway up for "privacy"

As I reached it, I could hear voices.

Muffled voices. Too intimate sort of.

I froze as I realised who had the voices.

Camilla's laugh floated through the corridor to me in a soft and breathy manner.

My stomach twisted immediately.

No. Not twisted.

Dropped.

I tightened my grip on the ring box until my knuckles ached.

I tried to talk myself out of it.

Maybe they were talking about the pitch.

Maybe he said something funny.

Maybe I was being paranoid because Ava's words were still in my head.

Maybe...

But then my heart didn't believe that word anymore.

So, I took one more step. Then another. The closer I got, the clearer the sounds became which were the voices of Camilla and Ethan blending into something unmistakably intimate.

I reached the door.

My hand shook as I grabbed the handle.

"Ethan..." Camilla breathed just then in a moan.

My blood froze.

I didn't wait to hear more.

I didn't need to.

I pushed the door open.

And there they were.

Ethan.

Camilla.

Her hands in his hair.

His mouth on hers.