Chapter 1

I'm playing hide-and-seek with my little niece. I close my eyes, count to 20, and head up to the attic, only to find the door padlocked shut. I turn to leave, but then I hear rustling on the other side.

I tiptoe closer and press my ear against the wooden door. I'm about to shout, "Found you!" when I catch the sound of my buddy Alec Redmond's breathless breathing.

"Cassidy, you think anyone's going to come up here?"

My girlfriend, Cassidy Brennan, laughs softly. "Don't worry. I promised Cora I'd buy her that Barbie she's been wanting. She locked the door, so no one's going to find us."

I freeze outside the door. My blood runs cold.

This morning, Cassidy and Alec tell me they have a surprise planned for me. Then the two of them drive off together.

I clench my fists until my knuckles go white.

So, this is the real surprise.

Chapter 1

The sun was low by the time Cassidy Brennan and Alec Redmond showed up at the door, all smiles. They exchanged a look, then held out a beautifully wrapped gift box together.

Inside was something I'd been searching for everywhere for months. It was a rare vinyl pressing from my favorite pianist, long out of print.

Alec slung an arm around my shoulders. "See how good your buddy treats you? I had someone track this down overseas. It wasn't easy, either."

He glanced at Cassidy and nudged me. "And Cassidy here shelled out serious money to buy it back from a collector. Your girlfriend's a keeper, man."

He elbowed me playfully. Cassidy watched me with soft, expectant eyes, waiting for me to pull her close the way I always did.

I gave the two of them a flat look and shrugged Alec's arm off my shoulder. "I'm a little tired. I want to head home. Let's pack up and drive back to the city."

They both froze, exchanging confused glances. The mood dropped instantly.

My little niece, Cora Callahan, tugged at my sleeve, tipping her face up with wide, innocent eyes. "Uncle Rhett, you're not gonna play hide-and-seek with me anymore?"

I looked at the brand-new Barbie in her arms, and a dull ache spread through my chest. "Be good, sweetheart. I'll come play with you next time I'm off."

Then I went inside to say goodbye to the family.

On the drive back, I chose the backseat. The moment I got in, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. The car was dead quiet, and nobody spoke.

Halfway into the drive, Alec turned around from the passenger seat, testing the waters. "Rhett, what's going on with you today? You feeling alright?"

I cracked my eyes open. "I figured some things out today. Just drained, that's all."

Alec let out a relieved breath. "Man, you scared me. I thought Cassidy and I did something to tick you off."

I managed a thin smile but didn't answer. I just looked at him.

My stare made him uneasy. He averted his eyes guiltily and turned back around, then glanced at Cassidy.

"Hey, once we're back in the city, we should still find somewhere to celebrate Rhett's birthday. We've spent every one together for the past six years and can't break the streak now."

Every moment the three of us had shared came rushing back, and my eyes grew damp. But I kept my voice cold. "No thanks. I just want to go home and sleep."

After all, once today was over, I wouldn't have a girlfriend or a best friend anymore.

Cassidy, who'd been silent the entire ride, pulled over and hit the brakes. Her tone turned sharp.

"Rhett, there's a limit to how much of this bratty attitude I'll put up with. Alec and I came all the way out here to celebrate your birthday with you, and you've had that sour look on your face the entire time. What exactly did we do wrong?"

Seeing that self-righteous look on Cassidy's face, I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "You're right. I'm the moody one.

"Cassidy, let's break up."

I opened the door, got out, and then grabbed my suitcase from the trunk. Cassidy shoved her door open and followed me.

"Rhett Callahan, you think I can't live without you? That you can just throw 'breakup' around whenever things don't go your way?"

She pulled a small box from her pocket and hurled it at the ground. A platinum band tumbled out, glinting cold in the fading light. "If you walk away today, we're done for good."

Alec rushed over and grabbed my arm. "Rhett, don't do this. Cassidy was going to pop the question tonight. She wanted to be the one to ask you."

Cassidy turned away, her eyes rimmed red, looking for all the world like she was the one who'd been wronged.

My throat tightened, but I forced the bitterness down. I looked at the two of them one last time. I wanted to at least let us part with some dignity.

I gently pulled free of Alec's grip, bent down to grab the handle of my suitcase, and walked away without looking back.

Chapter 2

That night, I lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I picked up my phone and started scrolling, then stumbled across a post on a local forum.

"SOS: I fell in love with my buddy's girlfriend, and I don't know what to do."

The poster's profile picture was a piano album cover. My heart lurched, and before I knew what I was doing, I'd clicked on it.

"I love my buddy like a brother. We grew up learning to play the piano together and even made plans to study abroad together someday.

"At one point, I almost gave up on playing the piano, but he was there every single day, pushing me to keep going. I gritted my teeth and stuck with it, and I ended up getting into my dream school. Then he got a girlfriend.

"At first, I was just jealous that she was taking up all the time that used to be mine."

My phone buzzed. A message from Cassidy popped up. "Come out. I'll celebrate your birthday, just the two of us."

I turned off the screen, planning to keep reading the post. But Cassidy fired off another barrage.

"All you ever do is throw tantrums! Don't think I can't tell. You're just jealous that Alec's doing better than you now.

"After you left, he beat himself up all night. He was a mess. He's your best friend, and you're making that my problem?"

Something twisted in my chest, and my vision blurred.

Back then, I'd graduated top of my class at the conservatory and earned the only spot for a year-long program overseas. But I couldn't bear the thought of being apart from Cassidy, and I couldn't stand seeing the disappointment in Alec's eyes.

I'd thought I already had everything I could want, Cassidy and Alec both. So, I gave my spot to Alec instead.

I wiped the corner of my eye and picked up my phone. "You're right. You two really are perfect for each other."

Then I blocked her.

Alec's post was still updating.

"Last year, my buddy gave up his chance to study abroad so I could go instead. What he doesn't know is that I actually envied him more. He had this girlfriend who adored him, and being alone in a foreign country was brutal.

"After I came back, my apartment flooded in the middle of the night one time, and I had no choice but to call his girlfriend for help. We crossed a line that night. And after that, we couldn't stop."

The last part of the post sounded almost conflicted.

"His girlfriend was planning to propose to him today, but he blew up out of nowhere and broke things off. Should I make my move now, or try to get them back together..."

The comments were merciless. People tore him apart.

"Let me get this straight. Your apartment floods in the middle of the night and you call your buddy's girlfriend?"

"You said you wouldn't be where you are without him, and then you go behind his back and sleep with his girl?"

"The audacity is genuinely breathtaking."

Scattered memories suddenly clicked into place. The last time I'd seen them, Cassidy had been wearing a blue-gray headband, and Alec had shown up in a sweater the exact same shade.

I'd even joked about it. "You two are way too in sync. Looks like a couples' outfit."

Neither of them had denied it. They'd just shared a knowing smile.

Not long after that, Cassidy had given me a limited-edition designer keychain as a gift. A few weeks later, I went over to Alec's place and spotted the full collector's box set sitting on his desk.

It all made sense now. I grabbed my phone and looked it up. Sure enough, the keychain I'd gotten was just the freebie that came with the set.

My girlfriend and my best friend had been going behind my back for a long time.

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling with a weight on my chest that wouldn't let up. I didn't sleep at all that night.

The moment the sun came up, I hauled myself out of bed and tore through every drawer and closet in the apartment, pulling out everything connected to Cassidy and Alec. It took me until sundown to get it all packed up, and I hauled every last box down to the dumpster.

I'd barely caught my breath when my phone buzzed. It was a text from an old classmate.

"Rhett, what the hell is going on with you three? Cassidy and Alec just went official on social media."

Chapter 3

My hands trembled as I opened Alec's post. In the photo, he had his arms around Cassidy, the two of them leaning against the art wall at school with their foreheads touching, lips almost meeting.

The platinum band Cassidy had hurled at the ground was now on Alec's ring finger, catching the light. And right behind them, hanging on the wall, was my oversized honor student portrait.

The caption read, "Some things are worth the wait. The best always comes to those who hold on."

Seeing my own photo reduced to a backdrop for their announcement made my stomach turn. I couldn't stop myself and left a comment.

"A cheater and a backstabber. What a perfect match."

The comment section exploded.

"Wait, what? Somebody spill."

"Your whole trio fell apart? Did they seriously cheat on you?"

I went through every disbelieving comment and liked them one by one.

The next second, I accidentally picked up an incoming call from Cassidy. Her voice barely contained her fury.

"Rhett, you need to stop. The school already reached out to Alec asking about the whole thing. Do you really have to humiliate everyone like this?"

Alec took the phone. "Rhett... I'm sorry. I really didn't mean for any of this to happen. We were just worried because you cut us off out of nowhere, and we panicked and made a stupid call.

"I'll delete the post right now. Just tell everyone it was a misunderstanding, please!"

I let out a cold laugh. "That's rich, Alec. You didn't mean it. You just accidentally slept with my girlfriend.

"You didn't mean it. You just happened to use my picture as the backdrop for your little affair announcement."

It was dead silence on the other end.

Cassidy, who'd been so righteous a moment ago, went quiet for a long time before letting out a soft sigh. "Rhett, since you already know, I'm not going to hide it anymore. So, this is what you've been throwing a fit about these past few days."

She paused, her tone going flat. "What happened between Alec and me was just a moment of weakness. We both still care about you. If it bothers you, we can end it right now. I'll explain everything when I see you."

Then she hung up.

I stood there, frozen, my mind blank. In a handful of sentences, she'd made the betrayal sound like nothing. My heartbreak was the overreaction.

But the Cassidy I knew had once stepped in front of me in an alley when I was 16 and cornered by a group of thugs. She'd gotten stabbed shielding me.

When college meant going long-distance at 18, she gave up her own dream school without a second thought just to be in the same city as me. How had the girl who'd loved that fiercely, that recklessly, turned so cold?

I could accept her falling out of love with me, even falling for someone else. What I couldn't stomach was how she treated cheating like it was nothing, as casual as deciding what to have for dinner.

For the next month, I turned off my phone and stayed home working on my thesis.

Then one evening, the doorbell rang. Cassidy was standing in the hallway with bags full of groceries. Alec hovered behind her, looking sheepish.

I moved to close the door, but Cassidy caught it with her hand. "Rhett, let me cook a few of your favorites tonight. The three of us should sit down and really talk."

I looked at them, and a tangle of emotions hit me all at once. I stepped aside and let them in.

Maybe it was fitting. The three of us had shared a lot of good times in this apartment. What started here could end here too.

Chapter 4

Cassidy busied herself in the kitchen while Alec and I stood in the living room in silence. He suddenly reached for my arm, his voice cold with a testing edge. "Rhett."

I jerked away from him without a word. His jaw tightened, a flash of resentment crossing his eyes. He glanced toward the kitchen, then slowly stepped closer.

He stared at me, and every trace of vulnerability dropped from his face. What surfaced in its place was raw, undisguised spite.

"I really don't get it, Rhett. How can you still stand living here? This place is covered in memories of Cassidy and me.

"She's the one who insisted we come here. She said it made things more exciting. We did it everywhere—the couch, the balcony, the kitchen..."

He paused, his expression twisting into something unhinged. "Oh, right. She also said you're a dead fish in bed. Boring and uptight."

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, deliberate and taunting.

I stood there, stunned, staring at him in disbelief. My stomach churned, and my lips wouldn't stop trembling.

Every ounce of restraint I had left went into the scream that ripped out of me. "Get the hell out of my house!"

Cassidy came running out of the kitchen at the noise and immediately pulled Alec behind her. "Enough! If you have a problem, take it up with me.

"I'm the one who thought he was more caring and considerate than you, that's why I—"

I slapped her across the face.

A red handprint bloomed across her cheek. She stared at me with bloodshot eyes, neither of us moving, until finally she let out a low, bitter laugh.

"That slap makes us even, Rhett. I'll be waiting for you to come crawling back."

Then she left, one arm around Alec, who was still shaking, and walked out without looking back.

It didn't take long. Within days, a headline started making the rounds online.

"Young Pianist Accused of Thesis Plagiarism."

Cassidy had reported me by name, accusing me of plagiarizing Alec's thesis. I stared at the headline, my jaw locked.

This was the critical stage of the International Young Artists competition, and the timing was no accident. That night, while Alec and I had been in the living room, she'd slipped away and stolen every one of my original drafts.

She knew I'd have no way to prove my innocence. A lie that blatant was enough to destroy my entire career.

My phone rang not long after.

"Apologize to Alec, and I'll tell everyone publicly it was all a misunderstanding."

Cassidy paused, softening her tone. "I just want you to back down. It's not too late to fix this."

She hung up, sounding completely sure of herself, convinced I'd give in and go begging.

The next day, the school issued a formal notice requiring all three of us to appear for a public hearing.

On the day of the hearing, Cassidy and Alec walked in looking completely confident and presented their "evidence" of my plagiarism to the faculty panel. Whispers rippled through the audience.

"The proof is airtight."

"Maybe those rumors about Rhett bullying Alec were true after all."

I sat there listening to the murmurs closing in from every direction and clenched my teeth.

"Mr. Callahan, it's your turn to present your defense. Regarding the plagiarism accusation, is there anything you'd like to say?"

I raised my head slowly and looked around the room. The faces of the professors and students were barely concealing their contempt. The "ironclad evidence" in Cassidy's hands seemed to have already nailed me to the wall.

I dropped my gaze and let out a quiet, cold laugh. Then I pulled up one of the obscure compositions cited in the paper.

"Alec, you're claiming I plagiarized your work. Then I'm sure you must be very familiar with this piece referenced throughout the thesis."

The moment he heard my question, Alec went rigid.

Cassidy immediately objected. "Professors, theory and practice are two different things. Being able to write a theoretical analysis doesn't mean someone has to be able to perform the piece."

A few of the professors on the panel nodded slightly.

I looked at the two of them with open contempt, then walked straight to the piano. My fingers moved across the keys, fluid and precise, playing the obscure piece from start to finish. When I was done, I held up the rare collector's vinyl.

"This piece is a private demo recorded by Maestro Aldric in his later years. It was never publicly released and exists only on this record.

"When you two gave it to me, the packaging was still sealed. If Alec has never even heard the piece, how could he have written a thesis built around it?"