The Girl He Called Practice

Case

, the dampness of tears still clinging to my cheeks. My phone lay where it had fallen, unnoticed until a notification flashed ac

ion that twisted the knife. "First morning coffee in Paris with my amazing Felix! So glad he arranged this little g

year, because he'd mentioned wanting to learn to make "proper coffee." And the "little getaway," which was obviously a lie, given he' d o

e effortless cruelty of it, stole my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut, a fresh wave of tears blurring the screen. I closed my phone, the

me grow up. Her eyes, usually warm, widened slightly at the sight of the spilled juice and my tear-streaked face. She didn' t

anything else he might have left here?" My gaze swept over the kitchen, suddenly seeing all the small

ourse, dear. Consider it done." Her gaze lingered on me for a momen

racelet, a ridiculously fluffy bathrobe, a collection of first-edition architecture books he' d bought for my birthday. Each item held a memory, a whisper of

t once. The Kiera of old would have been frantic, would have convinced herself it was her fault, would have found a way to bridge the silence,

dia platforms. I even changed the access code to the guest house, a symbolic gesture of

e letting me take their private jet to our villa in Tuscany. Yo

yself and Felix' s ghost, was intoxicating. "Yes,"

e canceling Columbia. But they also saw the haunted look in my eyes, the quiet devastation I was trying to

them, my voice firm. "I' ll fly directly from Tuscany to Sta

her, tending to her rose garden. She looked up, her smile warm. "Kiera, dear! Such a surprise! Felix told

n, not a desperate escape. He' d spun a narrative where I was still his, still going to his university. It was a bitter pill to swallow

ith excitement. As we walked towards the gate, a sudden flash of movement caught my eye. My breath hi

nd resting on the small of her back. She was pouting, then smiling, then playfu

perfectly capable, Kiera. Independence, right?" He'd called it fostering my independence. Now I saw it for what it was: a lack of care, a blatant disreg

t. The final, undeniable proof. He wasn' t just dismissive; he was indiffer

g. Her eyes followed my gaze, and she stiffened, her jaw

engrossed. He was checking his phone every few seconds, his brow furrowed, then he' d turn back to Bella with a forced smile. He see

er me, a fragile wave. Just as I was about to board, my phone rang. A blocked

my voice tig

aren' t you answering my calls? Why did you block me?" His voice grew louder, laced with an un

. "I' m going on a trip, Felix," I said, my voice d

ning our life together, Kiera! Don' t tell me you' re going to run off with some... some random guy from your architecture class. Don't thi

"My plans are my own, Felix," I stated, finding a surprisin

w! I' m going to be gone for a few days for the Ramsey deal

ill trembling, hovered over the screen. Then,

in his hand, his face a mask of furious disbelief. Our eyes met across the terminal. His

aking my hand and pulling me toward the pr