Chapter 1 Shattered Trust, New Beginnings

Nancy's fingers trembled as she tapped the volume button on her phone, the deep, familiar rhythm of his voice filling her ears. The world knew him as Jackson Woods-chart-topping singer, heartthrob of millions, and social media's golden boy. But to her, he was simply Jay-the man who used to whisper forever into her ear when the lights were off and no one else was watching.

Their relationship was a secret. For him, it was "image management." For her, it was "protection." Protection from judgment, from exposure, from heartbreak.

Funny how the very thing meant to protect her ended up wounding her the most.

She was lounging on her bed, scrolling mindlessly through her social feed, waiting for Jackson's promised goodnight call. It had been over a week since she last heard his voice-"tour rehearsals," he said. "No time, babe, I'll make it up to you."

But then, she saw it.

A video. No caption. Just the flashing of cameras, laughter, and a very familiar laugh that used to belong only to her.

Jackson Woods.

And the girl he had his arm around?

Tasha.

Her best friend. Her sister. The one who cried with her during fights, who helped her plan secret meetups with Jackson, who swore she'd never betray her.

Nancy's heart plummeted.

The video continued: Jackson pulling Tasha into a tight embrace, then kissing her like she was the only girl in the world. Like Nancy didn't exist. Like the months of late-night phone calls, hotel rendezvous, and whispered dreams had all been fiction.

Her phone slipped from her hand and landed on the sheets beside her, but she didn't move. Her mind screamed, her heart cracked, but her body refused to react. The betrayal felt too deep for tears, too sharp for words.

Then came the knock.

Three soft taps. Then a pause. Then again.

"Nancy!" Tasha's voice chirped through the door. "Open up! I brought ice cream. Let's have a girl's night!"

Nancy's body moved on its own as she walked to the door, the numbness giving her just enough strength to turn the handle.

Tasha stood there, radiant and casual in a hoodie that didn't belong to her-it belonged to him. Jackson's hoodie. The same one he'd let Nancy wear the night he told her she was "different."

Their eyes locked.

Nancy didn't speak at first. She just stared, her gaze hard and hollow.

"I saw it," she said softly. "The video."

Tasha's smile dropped. Her eyes widened. "Nancy, I... I was going to tell you."

Nancy laughed-a bitter, breathless laugh that didn't reach her eyes. "Were you? Before or after you let him undress you?"

Tasha stepped forward. "It wasn't planned. We were just... close for a while and then-"

"Don't," Nancy cut her off, voice trembling. "Don't stand there and feed me lies. I told you everything, Tasha. You knew how much I loved him. And you-" she swallowed, blinking back tears, "you stood beside me, nodding, pretending. All while sneaking around with him."

"It just happened," Tasha whispered.

Nancy stared at her-this stranger in familiar skin. "No. You made it happen. You both did."

And without another word, she shut the door. Slowly. Quietly. Firmly.

She stood behind it, hands pressed against the wood, heart breaking in real time.

That night, Nancy didn't cry for Jackson Woods.

She cried for the girl she used to be-hopeful, trusting, foolish.

And with each tear, she made a silent vow:

Never again.

No more secrets. No more lies.

And definitely, no more love.

The city outside her window didn't sleep - and neither did she.

It had been a week since the betrayal, yet Nancy still felt like she was stuck inside that moment. A loop of heartbreak. A wound that refused to scab over. Jackson Woods' name still echoed on blogs, trending online with captions like "New Power Couple?" and "Jackson & Tasha - Secret Love Revealed."

Nancy didn't open any of the articles.

She didn't need to.

She had lived the headline.

The ache wasn't just emotional - it was physical. Her chest felt bruised, like grief had made a home there. And despite the silence between her and Tasha, the tension in their once-shared apartment had become unbearable.

Every room whispered memories. Every object, every scent, every shadow reminded her of what she had lost - and worse, who had taken it from her.

She couldn't breathe here anymore.

So, she made the decision. Quietly. With no drama. No announcements.

Just a box. Then another. And another.

Her things packed slowly, like each item was a memory she had to untangle herself from. The dress she wore to Jackson's first private show. The scented candle Tasha bought during their spa night. Even the cheap ceramic mug with "Heart First" scribbled in gold - all reminders of a life that no longer belonged to her.

She booked a one-way ride to Elite State - the city of the rich, the ruthless, and the emotionally bulletproof.

She didn't have a plan.

All she knew was that she needed to get out. To breathe. To put as much distance as possible between herself and the two people who had torn her apart.

Elite State was overwhelming at first.

A different kind of world - all sharp edges and polished surfaces. Everything sparkled here, from the tinted glass towers to the silent, endless streets of wealth. No one made eye contact. No one smiled. Everyone walked like they had somewhere important to be and no time for anyone else's story.

And maybe that's what she wanted - to blend into a place where no one knew her. No one pitied her. No one looked at her and thought, "That's the girl who got cheated on by a celebrity and her best friend."

Nancy found a small, modern apartment on the edge of the city - high up, quiet, and far away from the noise of her past. It wasn't luxurious, but it was hers.

She unpacked her bags slowly, taking deep breaths as she folded away the last pieces of her old life.

And that night, for the first time in weeks, she stood by the window, staring out at the glowing skyline of Elite State. She wasn't healed. Not even close. The pain was still there, lingering beneath her skin like frostbite.

But she was no longer stuck.

She had moved. She had left.

And that was a start.

Nancy whispered to the night sky, voice steady and small:

"No more begging to be loved. No more being second. From now on... I choose me."

The days blurred together in Elite State.

Nancy had traded in heartbreak for hustle, but the city wasn't making it easy.

Her mornings began with hopeful determination. Her nights ended in quiet frustration. Every email sent, every job portal refreshed, every polite rejection - it all added another brick to the wall she was slowly building around her spirit.

She had experience. A degree. A solid portfolio in accounting. But here in Elite State, experience wasn't enough - connections were currency, and Nancy had none.

Some companies didn't bother replying. Others gave her the same lifeless response: "We've moved forward with another candidate."

She began to wonder if her decision to move here had been a mistake. The city of the rich didn't open doors easily. It watched you struggle from behind tinted windows and gold-trimmed gates.

One night, curled up on her couch with a mug of instant coffee and swollen eyes, Nancy scrolled through job listings like she was looking for a miracle.

Then she saw it.

Cole Industries.

The name alone pulsed with power. The #1 ranked company in Elite State - tech, finance, media, real estate - they had their hands in everything. Getting a job there was almost impossible.

But something in her - maybe stubbornness, maybe a last flicker of foolish hope - made her do it.

She opened the site. Found an opening for a junior accountant.

She clicked Apply.

As her fingers hovered over the submit button, she let out a soft laugh.

"This'll never happen," she whispered to herself.

But she sent it anyway. Closed her laptop. And let it go.

Three days passed.

Nothing.

Four days.

Still nothing.

By the fifth day, she stopped checking her email. Rejection had a way of numbing you, dulling your expectations until hope felt like a liability.

She was halfway through microwaving noodles when her phone buzzed sharply on the counter.

Nancy barely glanced at the screen - Unknown Number.

She almost didn't answer.

But something made her pick up.

"Hello?" she said, trying to keep her voice even.

A woman's voice came through, smooth and controlled.

"Good afternoon. Is this Miss Nancy Williams?"

"Yes," Nancy said, wary. "Speaking."

"This is Nathasha from Cole Industries."

Nancy's heart missed a beat.

She blinked, breath caught in her throat. "I-yes. Hi."

"We've reviewed your resume. You submitted an application for an accounting position earlier this week."

"Yes, I did," she said, trying not to sound overly eager.

Another pause.

"We'd like to invite you for an interview at our headquarters. Tomorrow, 9 a.m. sharp. Please bring a valid ID."

Nancy sat up straighter on the couch. "Oh-thank you! I mean, yes, I'll be there."

Nathasha's tone stayed perfectly neutral. "Just to confirm... you will be interviewing for the position of personal assistant to the CEO."

Nancy's stomach flipped.

"I... didn't apply for that role," she said, hesitating.

"No, you didn't," Nathasha replied calmly. "But your file was flagged by upper HR. We believe your background, adaptability, and qualifications could be a match. Of course, the final decision rests with the CEO himself."

"The CEO?" Nancy echoed.

"Yes," Nathasha said, her voice dipping just enough to be unsettling. "You'll be meeting him directly."

Nancy didn't respond for a moment. Her hands had gone cold. This was not what she expected.

"I understand," she finally said, her voice smaller than she liked.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Miss Williams," Nathasha said, then ended the call without another word.

Nancy stared at her phone.

What just happened?

She was still unemployed. Still heartbroken. Still barely sleeping. And now, she was being called in for an interview for the most high-pressure position in the most powerful company in the city?

Nothing about it made sense.

And yet... something inside her stirred.

Fear? Excitement? Or something darker?

This wasn't just another job.

It felt like the start of something she wasn't ready for...

And maybe that's exactly why it was meant to happen.