Chapter 1

On the way to our holiday trip, I broke up with Rhys in the airport departure lounge.

"You're dumping me just because she got the seat next to mine instead of you?" He laughed.

"Yes."

He smirked and tapped the voice memo app on his phone.

"Fine. You chose it. Don't regret it."

We'd known each other since we were seven, and started dating at eighteen.

He thought this was another one of my dramatic episodes. He was so sure I'd never actually walk away from him.

What he didn't know was that the seat assignment was just the excuse.

I'd already canceled the ticket he booked for me and changed my destination.

And in a few hours, we'd be flying to different cities, starting different lives.

............................

Rhys held the phone up between us. He was indicating to me that he was recording.

I kept my voice flat. "May 1st, 2026. Day 2,591 together. Liora is breaking up with Rhys."

He paused for a second, then shook his head like I was being ridiculous.

"Okay, how long are we breaking up for this time? What's our record, three days? Four?"

He scrolled through his phone and tapped on another recording.

"Rhys, I miss you so much. I take it back, please don't break up with me."

My own drunk, sobbing voice cut through. A few travelers turned to stare.

He grinned. "That one's from three months ago."

His finger kept scrolling, looking for more.

I shoved the phone away from my face.

"I mean it this time."

The smile dropped off his face. His eyes hardened.

"You're seriously breaking up with me over a seat assignment? Babe, come on. Aren't you better than that?"

"No. I'm not."

We'd planned this holiday trip to Miami with his friends months ago.

Then his intern, Talia, decided she just had to come along.

To make it work, Rhys canceled the original tickets and rebooked the whole group on a different flight.

Somehow, he and all his friends ended up in Rows 3 and 4. I was the only one stuck back in Row 35.

The seat next to him? Saved for Talia.

He'd even posted a screenshot of the seat map on his Instagram Story.

[Who's coming on a spontaneous trip with you?]

Their two seat numbers, side by side, were impossible to miss.

"Liora, don't be like this."

"I already explained. I forgot to add you when I booked the first time. By the next morning, the only seats left were in the back."

"It's a four-hour flight. You're really gonna get jealous over four hours?"

He said it like forgetting to book his girlfriend's seat was nothing.

Like I was the crazy one.

I took a deep breath.

"You don't get it. This isn't about who's sitting next to you for four hours."

"Okay, okay. I'll buy us first-class tickets right now, just the two of us. Happy?"

I just stared at him. I was so tired.

"Are you guys upgrading? Rhysie, can I come too? I've never flown first class before."

Talia popped up out of nowhere.

She slid an iced Americano into Rhys's hand and started sipping from her own iced latte like she belonged there.

She caught the tension and tilted her head at me.

"Oh, sweetie, I didn't know what you liked. I always grab them an Americano and a latte, total habit. I totally spaced on getting you one."

I turned to leave. Talia grabbed my arm.

"Liora, please don't get the wrong idea. Rhysie and I are just friends."

"I'm just an intern, you know? Graduation's coming up and I'm honestly so stressed out. That's the reason he lets me tag along when you guys do stuff."

"Don't let little things mess up what you two have, please."

"Little things?" I laughed in her face.

"Asking my boyfriend to a movie alone is a little thing? Sending him pics of you in dressing room outfits is a little thing? Crashing our couples' trip is a little thing?"

"You're not stressed. You're just blind. You don't see a single line you shouldn't cross."

"You want him so bad? Take him."

Talia's eyes welled up instantly. She bit her lip and looked down at the floor.

"Liora, that's enough!"

Rhys grabbed a napkin and handed it to her.

"I get that you're pissed, but take it out on me. Why are you screaming at her?"

A tear rolled down Talia's cheek.

"Rhysie, please don't fight. This is my fault. I shouldn't have come."

She turned and hurried toward the exit.

Rhys sighed and went after her.

The crowded terminal felt thick and suffocating, like I couldn't get a full breath.