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Rain hammered down in sheets, drowning the city of Eqralo in gray.
Daniela Stewart arrived at a club, led to a private room. She was soaked to the bone on the doorstep, but the birthday cake she carried—perfectly boxed, carefully protected—remained pristine.
In just two weeks, she was supposed to marry Joshua Clark. Today was his birthday.
She mustered a smile and reached for the private room's door, excitement fluttering in her chest. But as the door cracked open, the sight inside slammed all the air from her lungs. Joshua lounged on the velvet sofa, arms draped around a glamorous woman with movie-star curves and a face painted to perfection.
"Kiss him! Kiss him!"
Laughter and chanting filled the air, urging them on.
The woman locked eyes with Joshua, blushing.
Daniela's heart twisted, sinking lower with each cheer. As the crowd's voices swelled, the woman leaned in, their lips nearly brushing.
Without thinking, Daniela shoved the door wide open with a thunderous crash.
Every head in the room snapped toward her.
Bella Brooks, the woman in Joshua's arms, immediately shrank back, pressing herself against his side.
Daniela stepped forward, summoning a smile as she offered the cake to Joshua. "I picked this up from your favorite bakery downtown," she remarked, her voice bright but strained.
Joshua took the box with a distracted air, barely glancing at her. In the next second, the cake slipped from his limp fingers and hit the floor with a sickening splatter, icing and crumbs spraying across the polished tiles.
He didn't even flinch. His gaze was empty, unfazed.
A knot twisted in Daniela's chest.
That cake had been a small masterpiece—she had begged the head baker for days, trading on every favor she had just to get it made.
Bella's syrupy voice drifted in, too soft and too smug. "Don't take it the wrong way, Daniela. Joshua didn't do it on purpose."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and slid closer to Joshua. "I brought a cake too. Why don't we all have mine instead?"
Daniela's eyes flicked to the table. Bella's cake was an off-the-shelf fruit concoction, the kind anyone could grab last minute. Mango slices gleamed on top—a careless, dangerous choice.
Joshua's allergy flashed through Daniela's mind, but before she could speak, he turned to Bella with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Bella. That's really considerate."
Daniela's eyes locked onto the slender silver cross hanging at Bella's neck. She had given Joshua that necklace and told him it was for luck and protection.
A tremor caught in her voice as Daniela probed. "Why are you wearing that?"
She surged forward, intent on an answer, but Joshua shoved her aside. "Enough, Daniela." His words sliced through the air, cold and impatient. "What's your problem? I gave it to Bella. It's just a stupid necklace—why can't you let it go?"
The force of his push sent her stumbling to the floor.
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