Chapter 2 Storm

Olivia Fernandes

Bathed in hues of soft blue and pink light, he stood tall and radiant, surrounded by a few familiar faces from college. Lucas smiled, easy and content in his own skin, just as he always seemed to be.

Even the way he moved felt perfect. Or maybe that was just me. Everything about him was magnetic.

He turned under my intense gaze, and when our eyes met, his smile deepened, his expression mirroring the intensity of mine. His brows lifted in surprise, and he immediately started walking toward me.

My entire body trembled, as if I might collapse under the weight of anticipation. My fingers clutched the small clutch in my hands, the sweat on my palms making the fabric slippery.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay grounded as he approached-gorgeous, effortless, like a mirage in slow motion.

"Olivia Fernandes!" he beamed, gently taking my hand and spinning me around. "Black looks incredible on you, Liv. Seriously-wow."

The words formed in my throat, but the air just wouldn't leave my lungs. I was entranced by that perfect smile-his dazzling white teeth, the way they contrasted against his tanned skin. My gaze dropped for a moment, catching the outline of his sculpted abs beneath his fitted shirt. I swear I forgot how to breathe.

It felt like one of those dreams I'd been having.

But not every dream is sweet. Some shift-subtly, suddenly-into nightmares. And right then, everything shifted.

She appeared. A stunning woman slicing through the crowd like she belonged to another world. Her fiery red waves cascaded over a generous chest, her crimson lipstick perfectly matching the striking red of her dress.

It was like Jessica Rabbit had stepped out of a screen and taken over the room. Including his attention.

Lucas froze, eyes locked on her, lips slightly parted, blinking slowly-if at all.

And then, just when I thought it couldn't get worse, he smiled. That familiar, beautiful smile. For her. She wrapped her entire body around him in a full-bodied hug and kissed him-deeply, if briefly.

A thunderclap rumbled outside, loud and violent, like the storm was echoing the turmoil inside me. Startled gasps rose all around, but I barely registered them.

"Lucas?" I managed, barely more than a whisper. The disappointment in my voice was unmistakable.

He glanced at me with a sheepish smile, his arm still wrapped firmly around the redhead's waist.

"Olivia, this is Luara. My ex-well, I guess I can say girlfriend now, right?" he said, then kissed her again.

It had to be a nightmare.

That word-nightmare-thundered through my mind, over and over again. I'd never even heard of this woman. I didn't know he'd ever had a girlfriend.

Something felt off, but none of that mattered now. My heart had shattered into a thousand pieces, and all my carefully laid plans were crumbling with it-washed away like the rain outside, relentless and cold.

"Nice to meet you, Luara," I murmured, forcing a polite smile as some friends called Lucas over. The couple excused themselves and disappeared into the crowd.

The sounds around me turned to static. Muffled voices, distant music, blurred laughter-all of it faded as I fought back the tears stinging behind my eyes. It was a mess of shame and humiliation. I felt like everyone had seen it. Like the universe had chosen this exact moment to tear everything apart.

And all I could think of was escape. I couldn't yell. I couldn't curse. I couldn't break down like I wanted to. All I could do was run.

I stormed toward the exit, dodging drunken bodies that only made my chest tighten with suffocating anxiety. That image-him, kissing her-looped in my mind on repeat.

When I finally reached the door, I ignored the worried glances from the staff as I stepped into the torrential rain without hesitation.

I didn't care. I didn't care about my hair or the makeup that had taken hours. I didn't care about the perfect dress or my ruined shoes or the handbag failing to shield my belongings.

All I heard was the sharp click of my heels against the stone path as I made my way across what felt like miles to the estate's massive gates.

But before I could get there, a car pulled up beside me, matching my pace.

My heart jumped. For a split second, I thought it was Lucas.

The rain was so heavy I could barely see, but that car-it looked just like his. Identical, even. Despite the storm, I was sure it had to be him.

For a brief moment, hope flared inside me. Maybe he'd noticed I left. Maybe he was coming after me, ready to apologize, ready to fix everything.

I clung to that thought.

Of course it was him. Who else would it be?

Without thinking twice, I dashed toward the car and pulled the door open, desperate to escape the downpour-and desperate to hear the words I needed to hear.

But the moment I slid inside and looked up...

My world collapsed all over again.

It wasn't Lucas.