store. A large box of Legos sat in the passenger sea

ownloaded Instagram. She had avoided social media for years, part

ria Chase into

A grid of perfectly curated moments. Victoria on red

ooking for the recent photos.

"Memories Unlocked." It had b

on a balcony in Paris. The Eiffel Tower was in the background, glittering in the

flection, there was a man. He was blurry, but the silhouette

as J

for a merger with a French luxury brand. He had called her every night, his voice tired, comp

d deliberately unarchived these p

at break out on her ne

oria in a white ski suit,

ion showed a man in a black ski jacket. Juli

a blizzard had grounded his flight in Chicago. He hadn't

complete parallel life. He hadn't met Victoria

riage, her entire sacrifice, had been a lie. He hadn't married her because he needed a wife for business. He had ma

warm body. A nanny with

f Victoria trying on wedding dresses. The caption read:

e y

ngth of Sere

passenger seat. It bounced off t

A scream built in her chest, raw and jagged, but she swall

k. It was a deep, blood red. Julian hated red lipstick. He said it was

o apply the color. Her hand was steady now. The red look

car. The engin

ns to serve them. She wasn't g

gan to set, casting long shadows across the highway. By the time she re

f the mansion glowed with golden light. She could hear

n between a Bentley and a Fer

t time. The red lips curved into a

ned the door, his eyes widening slightly when he saw her. He opened his mouth to spea

ight. She was a woman wi