Chapter 1

“Dorothea, Albert has a girlfriend p>

Dorothea woke up to the sharp smell of antiseptic stinging her nose. She had just had her appendix removed. Before going into surgery, she’d sent her boyfriend, Albert, a message, but he still hadn’t replied. Her phone had stayed silent, not even a single word from him.

Just then, her best friend Carmen called.

Dorothea’s grip on her phone tightened, her fingers turning pale. Her voice came out a little shaky. “So, you know p>

“What? You know too?” Carmen paused, then laughed a little. “Oh, right, you’re Albert’s secretary. Of course you’d know. I still can’t believe it, though. Albert’s been single for years. Turns out, he was just waiting for her p>

Her? Dorothea’s heart skipped.

“But honestly, I can’t stand Carola,” Carmen went on. “She’s so fake, always making her voice all cutesy. I have no idea what Albert sees in her p>

Dorothea had been worried that Carmen had found out about her and Albert, but now she realized Carmen wasn’t talking about her at all.

The pain in her side flared up. She bit her lip and tried to ignore it. “Carmen, are you sure you’re not mistaken p>

Before leaving for his trip, Albert used to hold her every night until she fell asleep. How could he suddenly fall for someone else?

Carmen clicked her tongue. “No way I’m wrong. Hold on, I’ll show you p>

The call switched to video.

“Dorothea, see? The one in the pink ski jacket is Carola. The one in black-that’s Albert p>

“They’re so lovey-dovey. Albert’s warming her hands, and he even kissed her right in front of me. It’s gross p>

Even though the camera was far away, Dorothea recognized Albert instantly.

He had promised her, on her twenty-fifth birthday, they’d tell the world about their relationship.

Her birthday was just five days away.

Instead of the big reveal she’d been waiting for, she got this. Lying in a hospital bed, watching Albert treat someone else like she never even existed.

A nurse came in, flipping through her chart. “Time to change your bandage p>

“Dorothea, are you in the hospital?” Carmen’s voice came through the phone.

Dorothea swallowed her tears. “No, I’m just visiting someone. Carmen, I have to go. Let’s talk later, okay p>

“Okay, I’ll text you p>

Her phone buzzed a second later.

She picked it up automatically, hoping for a message from Albert. It was Carmen again.

[Dorothea, I always thought Albert was into guys. Didn’t expect him to go for Carola p>

[I mean, Carola kind of looks like you, though p>

She’d heard that comparison for years.

She and Carola weren’t even related

by blood. After her dad died, her

mom had married into the Brown family. Carola was her stepsister, nothing more.

Dorothea closed her eyes, exited the chat, and saw a new notification pop up from Twitter.

It was Carola.

[My personal coach p>

Attached was a photo—Carola and Albert, side by side, looking every bit the perfect couple.

Three years. Dorothea and Albert

had been together in secret for three

years. No matter how much she

begged, he’d never let their relationship go publie Now she finally understood it wasnt that he hated photos. He just didn’t want

anyone to know about her.

In the picture, Albert wasn’t even looking at the camera. He was staring at Carola,

his eyes soft and full of her.

A new comment popped up under the photo.

[A.C.: My princess p>

Dorothea’s nails dug into her palm

as she clicked on that familiar profile picture. She knew what she’d see,

but still hurt. It was Albert’s

account, content belongs.