Applause ripples through the room as Henry finishes his speech. Glasses clink. People smile, laugh, lean into one another. It's warm and celebratory and full of that soft energy that only comes from people who traveled far on purpose.

Maya turns to me slowly.

"So," she says, voice light but eyes sharp, "you're really saying you wouldn't be mad if your ex-boyfriend showed up here with someone else?"

"No," I say immediately. "I wouldn't."

She hums. "Okay. First of all, we don't even know if it's a girl."

"Exactly," I say. "And if it is, good for him. Truly."

Maya squints at me. "Sure."

"Sure," I repeat.

"Let's say," she continues, "that it is a girl. A very much girl. And not just a plus one—someone he's actually dating."

"It is what it is," I say. "I'm happy for him."

"So you wouldn't care?"

"Nope. Not at all."

She tilts her head. "Are you trying to convince me... or yourself?"

I shrug. "Is it working?"

"You tell me," she says. "Because imagine this: Dylan shows up with someone you know. Someone we all know."

I frown. "Why are you being so specific?"

"I'm just exploring hypotheticals," she says sweetly.

"I wouldn't care," I repeat, slower this time.

"Oh, really?" Maya presses. "What if he showed up with his girl best friend? You know. The one who always somehow ended up in the middle of your relationship."

I stiffen.

"I wouldn't care," I say.

Maya's mouth twitches.

"Oh good," she says. "Then don't."

My stomach drops.

"Because they're coming this way," she adds quietly. "And they look very happy."

"What?" I say.

Sophia sucks in a sharp breath. "Oh shit."

All three of us turn.

Dylan steps through the open doors of the villa, sunlight spilling in behind him like a dramatic entrance he absolutely did not earn.

And there she is.

Lauren.

Hand in hand.

Smiling.

They look... good. Effortlessly so. Like the universe personally styled them and approved the pairing. Even the light seems brighter around them, catching her hair, warming his smile, as if this moment was meant to be seen.

Eight years.

Eight years with Dylan. And all that time, Lauren was there. The girl best friend. The one I told myself not to worry about because I wasn't that girl. Because I trusted him. Because I trusted myself.

Because I didn't want to be jealous.

And now here they are.

Together.

My grip tightens around my champagne glass. Too tight. My knuckles ache. For a second, I think it might actually shatter.

Sophia gently takes it from my hand. "Okay," she mutters. "This is not going to end well."

She turns sharply. "Henry—come here. We need to talk."

But before she can reach him, Dylan and Lauren are already there, smiling, apologizing, saying how happy they are to be here, how sorry they are for the delay, something about the flight.

Maya leans in, her voice barely above a whisper. "Well. This just got interesting."

"I want to scream," I whisper back.

"No," she says firmly. "You want to look unbothered."

I laugh under my breath, hollow. "I'm not unbothered. I'm in deep trouble."

She glances at me. "You have a great job."

"So?" I snap quietly. "He got a girlfriend three months after we broke up."

"Ah," Maya says. "Three months."

"Okay, fine," I hiss. "Maybe four. Or five. Does that really make this better?"

She raises an eyebrow. "You're spiraling."

"I'm furious," I say. "Why her? Why now?"

Maya places a steadying hand on my arm. "Breathe. Just breathe."

Dylan laughs at something Henry says. Lauren leans closer to him, familiar, comfortable. Like she's always been there.

My chest feels tight. My smile feels glued on.

"Deep breaths," Maya murmurs again.

I inhale.

Exhale.

And tell myself—over and over—that I don't care.

That I'm fine.

That this doesn't hurt.

Even as every part of me knows that's a lie.

Maya squeezes my arm like she's holding onto a lifeline.

"Deep breath in," she murmurs.
"Breath out."
"Breath in."
"Breath out."

I inhale shakily. "This is not helping. Why is it so hot in here?"

She glances around. "It's literally Italy. What did you expect? You booked this place."

"You're not helping," I hiss. "You are actively making it worse."

"Okay, okay," she says. "Deep breath in—oh shit."

I freeze. "What shit?"

She doesn't look at me. "Oh my God."

"Maya," I whisper, panic rising. "Why are you freaking out? I thought you were helping."

"They're coming this way," she says quickly. "Oh my God. He wants to talk to you. Oh my God, Mads."

"No," I mouth, lifting my hand in a weak stop motion. "No, no, no."

Maya grins, completely unhinged. "Showtime. Your perfect date in—one, two—"

She turns me.

Physically turns me.

And suddenly Dylan is standing right in front of me.

Lauren is tucked into his side, her hand looped comfortably around his arm like it belongs there. Like it's always belonged there.

I paste on a smile so fast it almost hurts.

"Hey," Dylan says.

"Hi," I reply, nodding far too many times, like a malfunctioning doll. My smile stretches, brittle. Controlled. Terrified.

"You look great," he says.

"Thank you," I blurt out. "You too. I mean—" I gesture vaguely between the two of them. "You both look... great. Together."

Lauren lets out a small, shy laugh.

"Yeah," Dylan says. "This just... happened."

"Just happened," Maya echoes under her breath.

Everyone hears it.

Dylan nods anyway. "I was in a really bad place after we broke up. And Lauren was there. And we realized we were actually really great together."

Lauren beams up at him. "Meant to be," she says softly. "That's the best way to describe it, baby."

"Yeah," Dylan agrees. "Meant to be."

"Is cheating also meant to be?" Maya mutters.

I elbow her lightly. "Shut up."

"Oh, now you want me to shut up," she whispers back.

Dylan clears his throat. "I just wanted to say—I hope we can put everything behind us and have a nice three days. Celebrate Sophia and Henry. No awkwardness."

"Oh, absolutely," I say quickly. "Amazing. This will be the best three days ever."

He smiles, relieved. "Good. I also wanted to thank you."

I blink. "Me?"

"If we hadn't broken up," he continues, "I would've never had the closure I needed. I would've never found what I have with Lauren now. So... thank you. For helping me find the love of my life."

Something in my head short-circuits.

Maya's nails dig into my arm.

"You're welcome," I hear myself say. "Happy to help."

Dylan's smile softens, that familiar look he always had when he thought he was being kind. "I know this might feel quick. And I don't want you to be hurt. I know you're sensitive about these things. I'm sorry if seeing this is hard for you."

Sensitive.

"I just really hope you wish us the best," he adds. "That you can be okay with this."

Permission.
Blessing.
Closure—his.

I feel lightheaded.

"Well," Maya cuts in brightly, "that's very considerate of you, Dylan. But Maddie doesn't need to be hurt."

I blink at her.

"She's moved on," Maya continues. "She's dating too."

"I have," I say faintly.

Maya grins. "See?"

Dylan looks confused. "You're dating?"

"Yes," I say. "I am."

"Okay," he says slowly. "I don't want you to lie just because I've moved on. It's okay to be hurt, Maddie."

"Oh no," Maya says sweetly. "She's not lying. In fact, you know him."

"I do?" Dylan asks.

"Yes," Maya says. "You know him very well."

I nod. "You know him."

Dylan squints. "So... who is it?"

Maya doesn't hesitate.

"Luke," she says. "She's dating Luke."

My head snaps toward her.

Dylan's eyes widen. "Luke? Luke who?"

"Luke Parker," Maya says easily. "You remember him."

Lauren's eyebrows shoot up. "Wait—you're dating Luke Parker? Weren't you two... a thing in high school? Everyone thought you'd end up together."

"This is unbelievable," Dylan mutters.

Maya plows ahead. "They reconnected. Traveled. It was perfect."

I nod along helplessly.

"So you've moved on," Dylan says slowly.

"Seems like it," I reply.

He exhales. "Well. Then I guess I'll need to have a word with Luke."

"No," Maya says instantly. "You really don't."

"We're all here to have fun," I add quickly.

"And trust me," Maya says, squeezing my arm, "they are very much in love."

Dylan studies me, searching for cracks.

I smile.

Hold it.

Dylan and Lauren drift away into the crowd, smiling, greeting people, blending seamlessly back into the version of history they've apparently rewritten.

The second they're out of earshot, I turn on Maya.

"I'm going to end you," I say calmly.

She flashes me a tight, please-don't-murder-me smile. "I tried to help."

"Oh, you helped," I say. "You helped me lie to half my high school class about dating a man I haven't seen in ten years."

She winces. "When you say it like that, it sounds bad."

"It is bad."

"Oh please," she says. "It's not like he's actually coming."

I stare at her. "I don't know that. And honestly? Dylan showing up with Lauren was already enough emotional damage for one lifetime. Adding a fake relationship on top of that? That's advanced-level chaos."

"Okay," Maya says, holding up her hands. "Let's breathe. First—we don't know if Luke will show up. Second—if he does, he's a decent human being. He won't throw you under the bus."

I look at her like I'm watching someone light a match next to gasoline.

"You just fake-dated me to Luke Parker," I whisper. "Luke. Parker. What was going through your mind?"

She shrugs. "He was the only believable option."

"That is not reassuring."

"I'm saying it made sense."

"It makes me want to evaporate."

"I swear," she says, "if he shows up, we'll figure it out."

"I am not doing this," I say quickly. "I'll just tell people it was a lie."

"You will absolutely not," Maya says. "You'll be mocked until the end of time."

"That's better than Luke finding out I used him as a coping mechanism."

Before she can respond, Sophia reappears, eyebrows already furrowed.

"Okay," she says slowly. "What is going on?"

"Everything's fine," Maya says immediately.

"Oh yeah," I add. "Perfect. Amazing. Does this villa happen to have a wine cellar I can fall into?"

Sophia stares at me. "You're spiraling."

"I prefer the term processing."

She hesitates. "Okay, you're not going to believe this, but there's a... rumor."

Maya turns toward her. "You walked all the way over here. You have to say it now."

Sophia laughs nervously. "It's stupid. I'm sure Jack started it. Or Tyler. Or someone with very few thoughts."

"Say it," Maya insists.

Sophia sighs. "People are saying you and Luke are dating."

The room tilts.

I inhale. Slowly. Deeply.

"Great," I say faintly. "That's great."

Maya nods. "Very cool. Very chill."

Sophia looks between us. "Why are you both reacting like this?"

I open my mouth. Maya opens hers at the same time.

"I'm not dating him," I say.

"She is," Maya says.

"I am not."

"She is. Just for three days."

Sophia's eyes widen. "Oh shit."

She looks at me. "What did you do?"

"I did nothing," I say quickly.

Sophia squints. "You panic and say things."

"This time it wasn't me."

Maya raises her hand. "This one's on me."

Sophia turns slowly. "You?"

"I told Dylan she'd moved on. With someone he knew. I said Luke."

Sophia blinks. "Out of everyone you chose Luke?"

"That's what I said," I add weakly.

Maya shrugs. "You're all overreacting."

Sophia points at her glass. "How much champagne have you had?"

Maya looks down. "This is my fifth."

Sophia sighs. "Add ten to that."

I walk to the nearest table and grab whatever's closest—mozzarella, bread, pastries—shoving food into my mouth like it might solve something.

"You're stress eating," Sophia says.

"Oh, absolutely," I mumble around bread. "I'm thriving."

Maya grimaces. "I didn't think this far ahead."

Sophia pinches the bridge of her nose. "Okay. We tell Dylan it was a joke."

"No," Maya says immediately. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"He guilt-tripped her. Asked for her blessing. Called her sensitive."

Sophia's head snaps up. "He did what?"

I nod, mouth still full.

Sophia exhales sharply. "That man is dead."

Maya grabs her arm. "Not today. It's your wedding."

Sophia glares. "You might be drunk."

Maya considers this. "Undetermined."

I keep eating.

Because if I stop, I might actually scream.