Left for Dead, Found by Love

k me to the city's most exclusive rest

sia. To help her "recover," Cohen started a viral "100 Dates Chal

knowing my severe claustrophobia. He let Kiera wear my deceased mother's priceless dress, and

marry me for my family's status, but keep Kiera as his mistress. I wa

oom on fire and framed me. Cohen screa

wn the door. He carried me from the inferno

pte

d the most exclusive restaurant in the city, the kind with a three-month waitlist he' d bypassed with a single phone call. The crys

ect until a woman a

fragile, broken way,

whispered, her

way to his lips. I' d seen that look on his face onl

he brea

n vanished five years ago. He' d told me the story once, a tale of dramatic, youthful

t. She said she had amnesia, that seeing his face in a magaz

guilt was a raw, open wound. He' d become a tech CEO, a titan of industry, but in that

o my gut. They would complete the viral "100 Dates Challenge" on TikTok. It was mea

. Their first date, a simple coffee shop visit,

rytale! He' s helping his

never dies.

ent girlfriend, t

hy girlfriend who stood in the way of a great roman

ice, the TikTok videos of him and Kiera

as to stop. It'

pologetic, but annoyed. It was a look

nding. Can' t you see how much she' s

cracked. "She' s your ex-girlfriend, Cohe

ectly styled hair. The gesture was meant t

detour. Once Kiera' s memories are back, every

feed. I saw him hold her hand, wipe a tear from her eye, and look at her with an

hone call from my adoptive mother, Eleanor Wright

a, it'

ld, transactiona

what sh

she continued, not waiting for my respo

r forgot. I was their beautiful, poised, well-educated placeholder. A social asset

family to solidify some old family alliance. For years, the Wrights had held onto it, and by extension, me, for the status it afforded them. Now, it was

en was a wreck, and my family saw me as a commodity. Marrying a stranger

itated to tell him about the pact, clinging to the hope that our

felt like the only path left. I decided to tell Co

about to call his name when I heard voices from the

wall, my hand sti

ed. His voice was laced with disbelief. "The 100 Dat

s voice firm. "It' s my fault she

shot back. "Aurora is a Wright. You know what her family means i

words that sto

a is perfect. Beautiful, high-class, from the right family. She' s the perfect wife. Once Kiera is s

t for a moment

be my mistress. I' ll have both. The perfect wife an

ouse turning into a cage. He didn' t love me. He had never l

. I didn' t need a final conversation. I didn' t

atever it was,

was a new TikTok from Kiera' s account. She was standing in a field

was allergic to roses and found me these inste

t and innocent. A

empty street. I clicked the "block" but

irytale. I was done be