The rain had just stopped when Abby parked her car in the basement parking area of SummitLine Engineering Solutions.

The city still looked gray after the storm.

Water dripped from the concrete pipes overhead while fluorescent lights reflected off the polished floor. Employees walked past her carrying coffee cups and laptops, exhausted before the workday had even started.

Abby turned off the engine and sat silently inside the car for a moment.

Her fingers remained wrapped tightly around the steering wheel.

She barely slept last night. Again.

Lately, work had become the only thing keeping her sane. Structural plans, meetings, deadlines-numbers made more sense than people did.

Numbers didn't betray you. People did.

She grabbed her bag from the passenger seat before stepping out of the car. The sharp sound of her heels echoed through the parking basement as she walked toward the elevator lobby. Calm and composed.

At least, that was the image she had carefully built over the last three years.

Most people inside the company described Abby as intimidating-brilliant but cold, professional but distant.

No one knew that before the betrayal, Abby used to laugh loudly. She used to trust easily. She used to believe love was enough to make people stay.

Now, she barely believed in anything outside of work.

The elevator opened with a soft ding.

A few employees greeted her nervously.

"Good morning, Engr. Valentino."

She gave them a small nod.

"Morning."

The moment the elevator reached the ground-floor lobby, Abby stepped out while checking her phone.

Then she froze. Her chest tightened instantly.

Outside the glass entrance doors, leaning against a black SUV as if he had all the time in the world, was Lucas Schneider.

Her ex-fiancé. Again.

Abby closed her eyes briefly in irritation.

Unbelievable.

Three years. Almost three fucking years.

And somehow, he still found ways to appear in her life like a ghost refusing to disappear.

Lucas noticed her immediately.

The moment their eyes met, he straightened away from the vehicle.

"Abby."

She ignored him and continued walking toward the entrance scanner.

"Abby, please."

He moved quickly, stepping in front of her before she could fully enter the building.

Employees nearby instantly slowed down-pretending not to stare, pretending not to listen, though it was obvious they were.

Abby hated scenes, and Lucas knew that.

"Move," she said coldly.

"Just listen to me for five minutes."

"I already wasted four years on you," Abby replied flatly. "I think that's enough listening for one lifetime."

The words visibly hit him.

Good. He deserved worse.

Lucas looked exhausted. Dark circles rested beneath his eyes, and his hair was slightly messy, like he hadn't slept properly in days. But despite everything, he still looked painfully familiar.

Painfully loved-and Abby hated herself for remembering.

"Abby..." His voice lowered. "I know I fucked up."

A humorless laugh escaped her.

"You think?"

"I've been trying to apologize for years."

"And I've been trying to forget you for years. Yet here you are."

Lucas swallowed hard.

"I never stopped loving you."

That almost made her angry enough to laugh in his face.

"You should've remembered that before sleeping with my best friend."

He froze. Guilt flashed across his face.

Even the nearby security guard looked uncomfortable.

Lucas rubbed a hand over his face.

"It wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did."

"I was drunk-"

"Oh, wow." Abby nodded slowly. "The classic excuse."

She let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

"It only happened once at first."

Her expression darkened instantly.

"At first? Then fuck you, Lucas."

He immediately realized his mistake.

Too late.

Abby stared at him as if he were something rotten.

"You know what's funny?" she whispered. "For almost three years, I blamed myself."

His face softened painfully.

"Abby-"

"I kept asking myself what was wrong with me," her voice trembled slightly despite her effort to stay calm. "I wondered if I wasn't pretty enough, smart enough. If I worked too much. If I loved you too much."

"You were never the problem."

"But you made me feel like I was."

Lucas looked completely shattered.

For a brief second, he looked like he wanted to reach for her.

Abby stepped back immediately.

That hurt him more than shouting ever could.

"You don't get to ruin my mornings because your conscience suddenly decided to wake up," she said coldly.

"I'm trying to fix things."

"There's nothing left to fix."

"Please, Abby..." His voice cracked.

And for one dangerous second, Abby saw the man she once loved.

The man who waited outside her university classes with coffee.

The man who kissed her forehead whenever she worked late.

The man who once got down on one knee and promised her forever with trembling hands.

But that man no longer existed.

Maybe he never did.

"You know what hurt the most?" Abby asked quietly.

Lucas looked at her helplessly.

"It wasn't even you."

His brows furrowed.

"It was Hannah."

And suddenly-

Everything came rushing back.

2 and half Years Ago...

"Abby! Open the door before I die carrying all this food!"

Abby laughed while unlocking the apartment door.

The second it opened, Hannah dramatically stumbled inside carrying three grocery bags and two boxes of pizza.

"Oh my God," Abby snorted. "You act like you climbed Mount Everest."

"I basically did. Your building elevator is so slow."

Lucas chuckled from the kitchen counter while pouring drinks into glasses.

"You're just weak."

Hannah gasped dramatically. "Excuse me? Abby, your fiancé is bullying me again."

Abby rolled her eyes fondly.

The three of them had been inseparable for years.

Hannah was Abby's best friend since college-loud, chaotic, dramatic-but always there when Abby needed someone. The type of person who could make an entire room laugh within seconds.

Lucas, meanwhile, balanced them both out.

"You two are impossible," Abby muttered while taking the grocery bags from Hannah.

Hannah grinned before walking toward the kitchen.

"Lucas, where are the plates?"

"In the cabinet above you."

Without even looking, Hannah reached directly for the correct cabinet.

Abby paused for a second.

Weird.

Then again, Hannah came over often.

So maybe it wasn't weird.

Right?

A few weeks later, Abby found herself sitting cross-legged on Hannah's couch while flipping absentmindedly through a bridal magazine.

Rain tapped softly against the apartment windows while a sitcom played in the background.

Hannah emerged from the kitchen carrying two bowls of ramen before dramatically collapsing beside her.

"You're lucky I love you," Hannah complained. "Do you know how hard it is to cook while emotionally suffering?"

Abby laughed softly. "Emotionally suffering from what exactly?"

"My nonexistent love life."

"You rejected three guys this month."

"Because they were ugly."

Abby rolled her eyes with a smile.

This was normal. Comfortable. Safe.

At least that was what Abby thought.

She reached for her phone when suddenly Hannah's phone vibrated beside her.

The screen lit up.

And Abby's smile slowly faded.

Lucas ❤️

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Why was he texting Hannah directly?

Before she could think further, another message preview appeared.

"Are you still with Abby? I'll come over when she leaves."

Abby froze.

Are you still with Abby?

I'll come over when she leaves.

Why would Lucas ask that?

And why did it sound so secretive?

Hannah noticed immediately.

"What happened?"

Abby slowly looked up. "Lucas texted you."

For a brief second, panic flashed across Hannah's face.

Tiny-but Abby saw it.

Then Hannah quickly grabbed the phone and laughed awkwardly.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"That idiot."

Abby stared at her carefully. "Why would he ask if I'm still here?"

Hannah unlocked her phone quickly, typing a reply before tossing it face-down onto the couch.

"He's asking about the anniversary surprise."

Abby blinked.

"...What?"

Hannah groaned.

"Your boyfriend is literally the worst liar alive."

She continued casually, "He asked me to help him plan something for your anniversary next month. I told him it was risky because you notice everything."

Abby frowned slightly. "Anniversary surprise?"

"Yes." Hannah snorted. "Apparently Mr. Future Husband wants to be romantic."

A small warmth spread through Abby's chest despite herself.

Lucas had been busy lately.

Distant sometimes.

But hearing that made her feel guilty for suspecting anything.

Still...

"That text sounded suspicious."

Hannah laughed.

"Because your fiancé has the subtlety of a criminal."

Abby laughed weakly too.

Maybe she was overthinking.

"He probably didn't want to ruin the surprise," Hannah added, handing her ramen. "Eat before it gets cold."

Abby nodded.

But something uneasy stayed.

Small.

Almost invisible.

But there.

Later that night, Abby stared at a photo on Hannah's shelf.

In it, she stood smiling while Lucas held her from behind.

But Hannah-

Hannah wasn't looking at the camera.

She was looking at Lucas.

And something inside Abby shifted.

Not enough.

But wrong.

And everything began from there.

The bathroom door opened.

"You're still awake?" Hannah asked while drying her hair with a towel.

Abby quickly looked away from the picture.

"Yeah."

Hannah flopped onto the couch beside her.

"Why are you staring at our ugly photos?"

Abby hesitated for a moment before quietly asking,

"Hannah..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think Lucas and I are really gonna last forever?"

Hannah went unusually quiet.

Abby noticed it immediately.

Normally, Hannah would've answered dramatically with something cheesy.

Instead, Hannah forced a small smile.

"You guys have survived four years already."

That wasn't an answer.

"Hannah."

"Hm?"

"If something was wrong..." Abby said slowly, "you'd tell me, right?"

For one painful second, genuine guilt flashed across Hannah's face.

Then it disappeared.

"Of course," Hannah answered softly.

And Abby believed her.

Because she loved her.

Because trusting them felt easier than accepting the possibility that the two people closest to her could destroy her completely.

---

Months passed.

Little things started happening.

Tiny details Abby barely noticed at first.

Hannah suddenly texting Lucas directly instead of messaging their group chat.

Lucas smiling at his phone late at night.

Hannah canceling plans with Abby but somehow still knowing exactly where Lucas was.

There was always an explanation.

Always.

Until one night-

"Can I borrow your charger?" Abby asked while entering the living room.

Lucas was sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone.

The second he heard her voice, he immediately locked the screen.

Too quickly.

Abby blinked.

"...Why are you acting suspicious?"

He laughed awkwardly. "What?"

"You hid your phone."

"I didn't."

"You literally did."

"It's work stuff."

Abby stared at him for a few seconds before sighing.

"Okay."

But later that night, while Lucas was showering, his phone lit up on the bedside table.

Hannah ❤️

Abby smiled faintly at first.

Probably nothing.

Then another message appeared.

> Miss you already.

Her smile disappeared.

The room suddenly felt too quiet.

Too small.

Her fingers trembled as she picked up the phone.

And maybe she should've stopped there.

Maybe ignorance would've hurt less.

But she unlocked the screen using Lucas' birthday.

Because he never changed his password.

Because he trusted her.

Or maybe because he never expected to get caught.

Abby's breathing became uneven as message after message appeared on the screen.

Photos.

Late-night conversations.

Flirting.

Inside jokes.

"I love you."

Her vision blurred.

No.

No no no.

This wasn't real.

This couldn't be real.

Then she saw the dates.

Four months.

Four whole months.

Four months while she planned their wedding.
Four months while Hannah helped her choose dresses.
Four months while Lucas kissed her goodnight and told her he loved her.

Abby covered her mouth as tears flooded her eyes. She felt sick. Actually sick. Like her body was rejecting the truth.

The bathroom door opened.

Lucas froze the moment he saw his phone in her hands.

And in that single second, everything shattered.

"Abby..." His voice came out terrified.

She looked at him with tears streaming silently down her face.

"How long?"

Silence. He didn't speak right away.

"How long, Lucas?"

"...Four months."

The answer destroyed her. Not because she didn't already know, but because hearing it out loud made it real.

Abby let out a weak, broken laugh through tears.

"You touched her?"

Lucas stepped forward immediately. "Baby, listen to me-"

"Don't call me that!"

Her scream echoed through the apartment. Lucas stopped moving. Abby's entire body shook violently.

"How could you do this to me?"

"It was a mistake."

"A mistake?" she cried. "You don't accidentally cheat on someone for four months!"

"I didn't mean for it to happen."

"But you kept doing it!" Tears streamed down Lucas' face now too.

"It's over," he said desperately. "I'll end it. I swear."

Abby stared at him in disbelief.

"You think that fixes this?"

"No, but-"

"You slept with my best friend!" Her voice cracked painfully. "The person I trusted most after you!"

Lucas looked completely broken. But Abby didn't care anymore. Because somehow... she felt even more broken.

Then came the worst part. The moment she called Hannah. Her hands were shaking so hard she almost dropped the phone.

Hannah answered after three rings.

"Hey, Abby-"

"Tell me it's not true."

Silence.

That silence said everything. Abby's heart shattered completely.

"Hannah..."

"I'm sorry."

A sob escaped Abby instantly. "You're sorry?"

"Abby, please-"

"You sat beside me while I planned my wedding."

"..."

"You helped me choose invitations."

Still silence.

"You hugged me while lying to my face."

Hannah started crying too. "I didn't mean to fall for him."

That sentence destroyed whatever remained inside Abby.

Fall for him without any guilt? That's what was running through Abby's mind. She couldn't believe her best friend had done that to her.

Abby ended the call immediately.

Then she looked at Lucas. Really looked at him.

And suddenly she didn't recognize him anymore.

The man standing in front of her was a stranger wearing the face of someone she loved.

"Get out."

"Abby-"

"GET OUT!"

That night ended with Abby collapsing on the apartment floor alone, surrounded by unfinished wedding invitations.

And somewhere between the crying and screaming and heartbreak- a part of her died too.

---

Present Day.

The elevator doors opened. Abby stepped inside quickly.

But before the doors could close, Lucas caught them with his hand.

"Please," he whispered.

Her eyes burned with emotion.

"You know what your problem is?" she said quietly.

Lucas stared at her.

"You miss me now because nobody loves you the way I did."

His face fell apart completely.

"And that's not my responsibility anymore."

The elevator doors closed between them, leaving Lucas outside.

Alone.

Exactly the way he left her three years ago.