Chapter 1: The Night He Chose Her

Three years ago, I stood in the hallway outside his apartment, watching Ethan Brooks’ back. He didn’t even turn around when he said it: “I never thought of being with you, Mia.”

I remember every detail—the scratchy carpet under my shoes, the faint smell of old takeout in the air, and how Ethan wouldn’t even meet my eyes. The words hit harder than I expected—like a slap. Slicing through every little hope I’d nursed. My heart stuttered, trying to convince me I’d misheard. But I hadn’t.

The girl next to him—Jasmine Reed—gave me this tiny, triumphant smile. Like she knew she’d won.

She didn’t gloat, not outright, but her eyes said everything. Honestly, that hurt more. She leaned a little closer to Ethan, as if to stake her claim. In that moment, I felt invisible, like I’d been written out of my own story. It stung in a way I couldn’t put into words, as if the universe had drawn a line and I was suddenly on the wrong side of it.

That’s when I realized—I'd never really been the one. All that hope, all those late-night daydreams? Just wishful thinking. It hit me all at once.

It was like waking up from a dream I didn’t know I was having. Every memory—every text, every accidental touch—suddenly looked different, stripped of the meaning I’d given them. I saw myself, desperate and hopeful. God, it made me want to crawl out of my own skin.

Pride was all I had left. So I walked away from his world and never looked back.

I straightened my shoulders. Told myself I’d be damned if I let anyone see me cry. Then I left without another word. The hallway lights flickered overhead. For a second, I paused, letting the echo of my footsteps drown out the sound of my heart breaking. I took a shaky breath. I didn’t look back, not once—not even when I reached the elevator and heard the door close behind me for good.

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