Julie and her wife

Emilia POV:

The single candle flame flickered, dancing in my eyes.

On the table sat a perfectly cooked steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus. A bottle of expensive red wine I couldn't really afford was breathing on the counter.

Three years.

Our third wedding anniversary.

I glanced at my phone. Blank screen. No messages. No missed calls.

In three years of a PR contract marriage to Blake Sterling, captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, I should have been used to the silence. But a stupid, stubborn part of me still hoped.

My phone lit up, and my heart jumped into my throat. An unknown number. Maybe this was it. A surprise he'd arranged.

I swiped to answer, my voice a little too breathless. "Hello?"

"Is this Ms. Emilia Hayes?" a cold, professional voice asked. "This is Chicago General Hospital. Your grandmother, Eleanor Hayes, is in critical condition. We need you to come immediately."

My fork slipped from my fingers, landing on the plush rug with a dull thud.

I grabbed my keys, my purse, and ran.

The drive was a blur. The city lights smeared across my windshield like wet paint. I turned on the radio, needing a distraction from the panic clawing at my throat.

"... exclusive! Chicago Blackhawks captain Blake spotted tonight at Gibson's, dining with his former flame, model Sophie Price. Sources say the two were incredibly close, sparking rumors that the old romance is back on..."

My hand flew from the wheel and slammed into the dashboard. Pain shot up my arm, but it was nothing compared to the ice flooding my veins.

My husband.

On our anniversary.

While my grandmother was dying, he was with his "true love."

I burst through the emergency room doors, the scent of antiseptic and fear making my stomach clench. Maria White, the nurse who cared for my grandma, was pacing near the entrance, her face streaked with tears.

"Emilia, you're finally here!" She grabbed my arm, her hands trembling. "About an hour ago, a Miss Sophie came to visit. She and Eleanor were in the room and they argued..."

Before she could finish, the doors to the trauma unit swung open. Dr. Wright emerged, pulling off his surgical mask with a weary sigh.

He looked at me and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hayes. We did everything we could. The patient suffered a massive, sudden cerebral hemorrhage. We were unable to revive her."

The sounds of the hospital faded into a dull, buzzing hum. My grandmother. The only family I had. The person who adopted me and gave me life.