Chapter3

Julian’s Maybach pulled up to the gated driveway of my family’s townhouse. He stepped out, handing my suitcase to a waiting porter.

"I need to head to the firm to finalize our engagement announcement," Julian said, his eyes steady on mine. "Take a few hours to rest, Briar."

"Thank you, Julian."

After he drove away, I walked into the house, the heavy mahogany doors sealing shut behind me. I let out a long, shuddering breath, finally letting my shoulders drop. The quiet emptiness of the living room was exactly what I needed to clear my head.

Then, the heavy, metallic click of the front door lock abruptly shattered the silence.

I froze, a frown creasing my forehead. My parents were in London, and the estate’s security system was practically impenetrable. Who could possibly have the clearance to just waltz in?

"I know the cabin got canceled, but my parents said we could just stay at our townhouse for the weekend," a sickeningly familiar voice echoed from the hallway.

Mia strolled into the grand living room, casually dropping a staff master-access card into her designer bag—her mother's card, I realized with a sudden, sharp jolt. Grayson walked in right behind her, looking around the multi-million-dollar space with sheer awe.

"Mia, this place is incredible," Grayson breathed, his eyes wide as he took in the imported marble floors and the towering Chihuly chandelier. "I knew your family was connected, but I had no idea you lived like this."

Mia beamed, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Well, I don't like to brag—"

Her voice died instantly as she turned and saw me standing by the fireplace.

All the color drained from Mia’s face. The designer bag slipped from her grip, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

Grayson followed her gaze. When he saw me, his awe melted into furious disbelief.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Grayson exploded, aggressively stepping in front of Mia. "Did you follow us here? How did you even get past the gate?"

I stared at them, my mind rapidly processing his ridiculous accusations. "I think the better question is, what are you doing here?"

"What are we doing here?" Grayson shouted. "This is Mia’s family home! You broke in! I knew you were jealous, Briar, but I didn't think you were an actual psycho!"

I stood entirely still. My eyes locked onto Mia. She was trembling, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of Grayson's coat.

Grayson immediately stepped up and wrapped a protective arm around Mia's waist, glaring at me. "Briar, what is wrong with you?" he snapped, his voice laced with absolute disgust.

My eyes dropped to the collar of Mia's sweater, catching sight of fresh, poorly concealed red marks trailing down her neck.

The fury and heartbreak I had been suffocating for days violently boiled over. I stepped forward, my voice echoing sharply off the marble walls.

"You two are sickening," I spat. "Coming straight from a hotel to parade your cheap affair right in front of me? Did you really think I’d just play the idiot for you to toy with, like I have for the last four years?"

Grayson took a menacing step toward me, lifting his chin in arrogant defiance.

"Fine. You want the truth?" he fired back coldly. "For the past four years, I've been with Mia behind your back—"

"Grayson, stop!" Mia frantically reached up, covering his mouth in a blind panic. "Don't say it! Briar won't be able to handle it..."

He gently pulled Mia's hand away, clasping it tightly against his chest as if she were a fragile saint.

"Briar, you are completely dull, utterly ordinary, and suffocatingly paranoid," Grayson spat, every syllable designed to dismantle me. "If Mia wasn't so terrified of hurting your fragile feelings, I would have dumped you ages ago."

Hearing his venomous words, my entire body began to tremble.

I still remembered our very first meeting freshman year, four years ago. I had slipped and fallen into the freezing campus pond trying to rescue a stray cat in the dead of winter. He was just passing by, a stranger in a heavy coat, but he didn't hesitate to jump into the icy water to pull me out.

I remembered how his eyes shone like stars as he laughed, wrapping his own dry scarf around my shivering shoulders. "How can someone so brave be so clumsy? You're actually pretty cute."

That memory, once my most treasured possession, now felt like a rusty knife twisting in my gut. The accumulated grief, betrayal, and rage violently erupted. I turned and pointed a shaking finger toward the grand double doors of the foyer.

"Get out!" I screamed, my vision blurring with furious tears. "Both of you, get out of my house!"

Grayson didn't flinch. He wasn't angry anymore. Instead, he let out a cold, mocking laugh. He crossed his arms, staring down at me with pure disdain.

"Your house?" he mocked, his tone laced with heavy pity. "Briar, this is Mia’s house. The only one who needs to get the hell out of here is you."

I turned my piercing gaze to my roommate. "Aren't you going to tell him the truth, Mia? Don't forget who you really are."

Mia’s eyes darted wildly, refusing to meet mine. She immediately stepped between us, acting as a human shield, staring at me with a pathetic, desperate plea in her eyes.

"Briar..." Mia whispered, her voice trembling as she frantically tried to manage the collapsing lie. "Why don't you... why don't you just go back to the maid's quarters to calm down?"

Grayson stepped forward and hugged her, complaining in a dissatisfied, doting tone. "You just have too good of a heart, Mia. She is just a maid's daughter, a charity case you took pity on. Why should the Sinclair heiress have to speak so humbly to someone like her?"

Suddenly, the suffocating confusion vanished. The final, horrifying puzzle piece clicked violently into place.

I stood there in the dead silence of the living room, and I suddenly laughed.

He cheated on me because Mia had convinced him that she was the Sinclair heiress. She had stolen my literal identity—my name, my house, my background—just to buy his affection.

Looking at them clutching each other, firmly believing they had won, I realized how ridiculous this all was.

"Mrs. Harper!" I suddenly yelled toward the staff hallway, my voice slicing through the air like a blade.