Chapter 1

On the fifth anniversary of my relationship with Chris, he canceled on me at the last minute—claimed there was an emergency at the company. Some kind of security incident.

When he saw how dejected I was, my best friend Becky and my sister Lori volunteered to take me to the amusement park.

All day long, they were impossibly sweet—buying me ice cream, standing in line with me for the roller coaster.

I assumed they just didn't want me to be sad.

Until I went to buy a Coke and overheard them talking in low voices.

Becky's whisper was barely audible: "Chris ditched Annie on their fifth anniversary just to take Susan to see the northern lights?"

Lori looked completely unbothered. "He just wants to fulfill his first love's little wish. He's still going to marry Annie anyway."

Becky laughed softly. "We just have to keep her busy until tonight. As long as she doesn't find out, we're fine."

I stood behind the vending machine, struck by how absurd it all was.

What I'd mistaken for comfort was actually my most trusted people running interference for Chris.

All so he could spend our anniversary with another woman.

I tossed the Coke into the trash, walked out of the amusement park, and sent Chris one final text:

*"Keep the northern lights. And keep yourself. I don't want either anymore."*

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Then I blocked him and deleted Becky and Lori from all my social accounts.

Less than ten minutes after I left the park, Lori caught up to me.

She grabbed my wrist, her face radiating impatience.

"Annie, what do you mean just leaving like that? Becky waited an hour to get VIP tickets for the fireworks show."

Becky hurried over right behind her, stuffing her phone back into her bag.

"We were just making small talk. Why do you always only hear half of a conversation?"

I looked at them.

"What's the other half?"

Lori paused, then frowned. "Susan developed severe PTSD after getting caught in an avalanche two years ago. Her doctor said returning to the aurora observation site could help her recovery. What's wrong with Chris keeping her company?"

"So there was no company emergency."

"Chris was afraid you'd overthink it." Becky softened her tone. "Annie, he's planning to propose to you the moment he gets back from this trip. Why make things awkward over something so small?"

I laughed suddenly.

They'd planned my entire day down to the minute—what time I'd eat dessert, what time I'd watch fireworks.

They just hadn't planned on me hearing the truth early.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

Chris was calling from an unfamiliar number.

When I answered, his first words were: "Take me off the blacklist."

Behind him, I could hear the howling wind of Iceland.

And Susan's excited voice.

"Chris, look! The sky's lighting up!"

Chris covered the receiver. His voice faded for a moment, then returned to the call, steady as ever.

"The security incident was real. I just happened to fly her out here after I handled it."

"You just *happened* to fly from Manhattan to Reykjavik?"

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

"Annie, why do you always have to fixate on other people's mistakes?"

"I'm not fixating. I've already let go."

"I saw the iMessage you sent." His tone cooled. "You can be disappointed. You can be angry. But don't test my limits with a breakup."

Becky immediately jumped in: "Annie, just let him help Susan through her treatment first. Whatever issues you have, wait until he's back in New York."

Lori chimed in beside her: "If Chris really liked Susan better, do you think you'd have had him for five whole years?"

That sentence pierced my eardrums like a needle.

Chris must have heard it, because his voice softened slightly.

"I'll be back in Manhattan in three days. The Polaris system launch is the same day. Have the final presentation deck ready."

The Polaris system was a risk-warning program I'd spent four years building.

During the hardest stretch, I slept in the lab for three months straight.

Chris had once placed a little aurora snow globe on my desk and told me that once the system officially launched, he'd take me to see the real northern lights.

Now the system was about to launch, and he'd taken someone else first.

"Chris, we're already broken up."

He let out a quiet sigh.

"Annie, act your age. Don't make me fly back and deal with your emotions on top of everything else."

The call disconnected.

Lori touched her nose and reached out to link her arm with mine.

"Come on, Chris already explained. Let's go—the fireworks are about to start."

I dodged her hand and hailed an Uber home.

In the entryway sat the wedding shoes Chris had ordered two months ago. Under the box was a brochure for a luxury Iceland tour.

I used to think it was a romantic Easter egg for the proposal.

Now I realized it was just a page that had slipped out of Susan's itinerary.

The computer screen in the study was still on.

Chris's company Google account was still logged in, and a trip confirmation email sat in the center of the screen.

The flights had been booked two weeks ago.

The hotel was an aurora-viewing suite.

Guests listed: Chris and Susan.

The so-called emergency had been a lie prepared for me from the very beginning.

I was about to close the page when a new email popped up.

Sender: Becky.

Subject line: **[Contingency Plan Re: Annie's Exit from the Polaris Project.]**

Sent three days ago.

I opened the attachment.

The first line read:

*If Annie discovers the Iceland itinerary, Lori handles emotional containment. Becky handles delay tactics.*

And on the last page, in Chris's handwriting:

**Approve.**

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