Aiden POV

Twenty Minutes Ago

I'm a billionaire, a quarterback for one of the biggest American football teams, and one of the main investors in Pacific Wave FC.

Nick, the club manager, sits beside me. We came here to scout—check out Dylan's debut, see if the kid's worth signing for next season, maybe spot a few other recruits. That's why we slipped into these cheap seats instead of the VIP box. The plan was to stay unnoticed, avoid the players' eyes, and keep a low profile.

But now my mind keeps replaying the moment I saw Ella kissing him while her hand kept rubbing his arm as if it belongs there.

My chest tightens at the thought.

After all, she is still my wife. Even though we’ve been living apart for quite some time.

As if that weren't enough, some girl—barely more than a stranger—yanked me into a kiss, and of course the Kiss Cam caught it.

Now I'm supposed to be paying attention to the match, blending in with the crowd, but how can I?

The guy two rows down keeps sneaking glances, like he half-recognizes me from a sports headline or a highlight reel.

I sink lower in my seat, wishing to look normal.

"That girl could work in our favor," Nick says carefully, flipping through his clipboard. "If you're seen dating and kissing her, it might clean up your public image. People think you only go for blondes with trust funds. And that you don't respect poor people."

The girl’s face cuts through the noise in my head—dark hair tumbling in loose waves, skin with a sun kissed warmth that doesn't fade under stadium lights, eyes the color of strong coffee watching me like she already knew my secrets.

Even her mouth, the one I can still feel pressed to mine, held something defiant in it.

She looked nothing like the polished blondes I’ve been photographed beside. She looked real.

I glare at him. "I'm not even divorced yet. There's nothing to discuss."

"Deadline to sign the papers is this week. Ella's already moved on, Aiden.” He sighs, leaning back into his chair. "What's really stopping you?"

"What's stopping me?" I can't help but frown at the question. "I just don't want this."

Divorce feels like failure. Every woman I've ever dated was dazzling, the type who lit up magazine covers.

And yet, they all said the same thing to me when we broke up — that I couldn’t give them what they really wanted.

Love.

I need to talk to Ella. Now.

My phone feels heavy in my hand as I type out the word: We need to talk. I saw the kiss cam.

Then I hit send before I can even stop myself.

Taylor POV

"You never loved me! The only thing you ever loved was football!"

Ella's voice rips through the hallway loud and raw, shattering the quiet like glass underfoot.

Her voice trembles with fury and something sharper. It contains pain– hurt so deep it almost burns the air around it.

Pressing flat against the cold wall, my spine aching from the sudden tension.

My heart begins to hammer so violently. I could hardly hear the voices coming from further down the hall. I clutch my jacket so tight that my knuckles begin to turn white.

I should not be here. I should not be eavesdropping.

My mind is telling me to run away, but my feet won't listen while my eyes stay locked on them.

"That’s not true…" Aiden tries to explain.

But Ella cuts him off sharp before he can finish his sentence, her voice trembling. "You never loved me, Aiden. Not even when I was in the hospital… after the miscarriage."

My stomach drop. A miscarriage.

I have never known anyone to go through something so devastating and so achingly personal.

Aiden's voice cuts through the silence, soft, almost desperate. "Ella…I--I didn't get the message in time. I'm so sorry. I should have been there sooner I--"

"I waited," Ella whispers, voice cracking into a shuddering sob. "Three days. Three days, Aiden. And you couldn't even come then. Couldn't even be there when I needed you most."

Even though I saw her practically kissing off my boyfriend's face on the Kiss Cam, a stubborn part of me can't help but feel it for her.

And then there's him.

Aiden.

He should have been there for Ella, holding her hands and whispering to her that everything would be okay. But he didn't.

He is handsome, sure, jaw sharp enough to cut glass, voice smooth, words practiced, but beneath it all—he's a douchebag.

The kind of guy who makes it impossible not to notice him while simultaneously making you hate everything about him.

"I let you down in every way—" His words break apart thick with regret, trembling around the edges like it might crack entirely. "I would do anything to change that. Anything."

"Let me down? You think that's the word for it?" she spits, each syllable heavy with pain.

"You think an apology can undo the nights I spent crying alone? You think I can forget that you… you didn't care enough?" Her voice breaks at the end, lacing with anger but also with a hint of something almost softer, almost like the tremor of heartbreak hiding beneath the anger.

Aiden's voice drops to a lower tone while he speaks with greater caution.

"Ella… please let's not go through with the divorce. Can we… just try again? I want us to work."

The silence that follows is like ice. I can feel Ella's hesitation before I hear it.

"I… I have someone now," she says finally, steadier than I expected. "Someone who actually cares. Someone who would not leave me waiting when I needed them most. Unlike… you."

"The boy you kissed today? He is way too young to take any responsibility." Aiden's words falter, a stutter of disbelief.

"I trust him," Ella exhales, the sound sharp, resolute. "I will go public about my relationship with him after the divorce, his name is Dylan, he is not someone like you who hides, who avoids responsibility, who—"

I roll my eyes before she can finish.

Dylan? Please.

If she really believes that man will stand by her, she's in for a brutal wake-up call.

He only cares about her money.

I initially came here to warn her…but now I'm not sure about that.

Ella probably also saw the kiss between Dylan and me. I guess she won't trust what I'm going to tell her now.

Maybe another time. Another way.

I should have walk away the moment I heard the word “divorce”. Now I need to disappear before either of them becomes aware of my presence.

As I turn to leave, my foot nudges a metal trash can and a sharp clang rings out.

Where did that trash can come from?

I stumble back. My heart shoots up to my throat while my pulse creates a deafening sound in my ears.

"Oh shit," I whisper, my voice small, barely audible over the hammering of my own heart.

"Who's there?" Aiden's voice slicing through the silence, sharp and laced with irritation.

Taylor POV

The silence of the hallway makes my shoe squeak like a loud scream revealing my presence.

After taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I finally decide to step out, revealing myself.

My throat feels like fire as I try to speak, "Hi…I'm Taylor."

"Why are you here?" Aiden stares at me intensely with eyes that seem to cut through all my defenses to reveal my deepest truth.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop." My voice keeps trembling even though I try to steady it. "I was running away from the security. I somehow ended up here."

"I don't care who you are or why you are here. Just leave," Ella says without even sparing me a look, clearly impatient about my sudden interruption of their very private conversation.

"Actually…" My voice falters.

I wonder if I should just warn Ella about Dylan after I made the worst first impression.

"Actually, the real reason I'm here is because of you, Ella.” I decide to say it anyway. “I came to talk to you about Dylan."

I push my legs to move forward.

"Dylan is my ex," The words taste bitter on my tongue. "He used my credit card to bring you on dates. He thinks he can win you over with it, like he always does. And when I asked him to pay me back, he just—he refused. He laughed."

I swallow hard, my words coming out faster now. Thank God I got them out before I lost the courage to say them.

I glance over at Ella, she finally raises her eyes to look at me, her face full of judgment.

"He's not a good person. You should be careful around him. What he has for you isn't about feelings—it's about what he can take. He's probably just after your money. He did this to me too," I continued.

I know I sound like a crazy ex-girlfriend, but I just have to tell her the truth.

Ella doesn't hesitate. She rolls her eyes at me, slow and deliberate, like she doesn't give a flying shit about what I have to say.

Whatever broken, sad look she was portraying earlier when speaking to Aiden is now gone, wiped clean as if it never existed.

In its place is only arrogance, her chin is held high, her smile cold, like she's determined to show me just how little I matter.

"Your name's Taylor?" Her tone dripping with mockery.

I nod.

"Oh, so you're the ex-girlfriend Dylan mentioned— " Her voice is sharp, teasing. "He said he knew you'd come to accuse him. I won't fall for your tricks, though. I know you are just a gold digger trying to get more out of him after you guys broke up. He owes you NOTHING."

"By the way, are you the girl on the kiss cam today?" Ella smirks, tilting her head, as if she's studying a curious insect.

I blink, caught off guard.

"I didn't see your faces. But judging from your hair.... And the man seems to wear the same hat as you, Aiden." Ella turns to Aiden with a sneer.

"She grabbed and kissed me," Aiden answered immediately, trying to distance himself from me. "I just happen to sit next to her."

"Looks like Taylor got her new target. Just be careful."

Damn, Her words sting sharper than I expected.

Imagine I came here to warn her, to protect her from the same trap I fell into, and instead… she insults me.

Heat begins to rise in my chest. My jaw tightens. "I'm not lying," I snap, letting the anger rise through my words, "Dylan fooled me, and he'll fool you too."

Ella produces a brief dismissive laugh before she shakes her head. "Let's just stop it here. I don't want to continue our meaningless conversation anymore." She then turns around, about to leave.

"But we-," Aiden stops her by grabbing her arms.

"Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you either." Then Ella just walks away while her high heels produce a rhythmic sound on the wooden floor.

She doesn't believe me.

I look at Aiden, who remains completely silent after Ella left.

He doesn't even look angry—just… distant.

Maybe he's already made up his mind. Or maybe he's thinking about Ella. Does he actually not want to end their marriage?

Okay, Taylor, think. Maybe if I… butter him up a little. Make him think I'm on his side.

Make him feel like… maybe I can help.

"You seem… like a really nice guy," I say cautiously, forcing myself to smile.

"Maybe… we could team up? If you… if we could let Ella see the truth about Dylan, maybe she'd break up with him. And maybe you can take the change to win her back too," I rush out, the sentences awkward but desperate.

I know it's bold. I know it's asking a lot. But what choice do I have?

Aiden shifts his head to the side as his eyes grow darker. Then he shakes his head, and the coldness in his tone cuts like ice.

"I've seen women like you before," he says, his words deliberate, slow and sharp.

What does that even mean?

"Poor and greedy. When you realize you can no longer get more out of Dylan, you begin to trick me into your scheme. With the kiss and everything."

My stomach drops. I feel like I just got a punch in the gut.

This is probably the worst day in my life...

First cheated by Dylan. Then lost all my savings. Now this?

The burning sensation of humiliation spreads from my chest all the way to my feet.

My hands curl into fists, nails digging into my palms.

"Now I understand why Ella is divorcing you." The words come out sharp, unfiltered. I feel a tremor in my chest as I say them. "You're not poor. But so what?"

Aiden narrows his eyes.

"Actually, I bet you don't have any real friend or family." The words rip from my mouth before I can even stop them, sharp and venomous. "Your self-centered, toxic bias will make you die alone."

Taylor POV

Aiden's jaw tightens.

The corridor light reflects off his cheekbone to create a harsh expression, making his face appear unyielding and dark.

The heat inside me starts to fade after I finally lashed out.

I turn my back to him while my leather jacket swings behind me as I sprint down the corridor.

The night air outside slams against me, sharp and cool.

No security guards are searching for me anymore, but I still slip through the shadows carefully until the stadium noise fades behind me.

My lungs burn as I push into a run, sneakers slapping against the cracked pavement.

My legs are trembling, but I don't slow down—not until I spot a familiar figure standing by her car, her phone screencasting a blue light across her face.

"Kiera!"

"Taylor!" She waves at me.

Kiera lowers her phone, eyes searching mine as I stumble closer. "Did you find Ella?" she asks, her voice quick and anxious.

"I did," I admit, breath still ragged. "But it didn't go well. She—she wouldn't listen. I don't know how I'm supposed to get the money back now." My shoulders sag in disappointment.

Reaching out, she rests a hand on my arm. "Hey. We'll figure it out," she tells me.

"Yeah I know, it's not over, I'll find another way," I reply.

"That's my girl."

"By the way, the man you just kissed—people found him online! He is Aiden Kincaid! Billionaire! Quarterback! Every sport lover girl's wet dream!" Kiera thrusts her phone toward me.

The screen shows a grainy replay of the kiss cam. My back is front and center, hair spilling down my jacket, while Aiden shows his jawline only.

I'm not a sport lover, but I heard Aiden Kincaid's name from Dylan before.

"How could they know he is Aiden Kincaid from just a jawline and a hat?" I doubted.

Kiera has already searched him up online. Looking at the pictures on G****e, I realize that the guy I kissed is really Aiden Kincaid.

I start searching the video on my own phone.

Only the back of my head is visible, which is a small mercy.

But the comment section burns worse than any stadium spotlight.

"Lucky girl—where do I sign up?"

"I wish it was me kissing Aiden"

My stomach twists. I'm torn between horror and disbelief.

People are actually envious of me?

"The billionaire star player has haters too though" Kiera scrolls down and shows me more of the comment section.

"Aiden Kincaid is just an arrogant prick."

"He only dates white blonde and his whole family disrespects poor people. Gross."

"Isn't he married?"

I have to say I agree more with the haters.

My chest still echoes with his cold voice from earlier.

Poor and greedy, he said.

"He's got zero respect for anyone but himself." I start typing my comment and send it out without even hesitating for a second.

Then I tap likes on every insult aimed at him.

Arrogant. Heartless. Fake.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

"Oh, speaking of drama—I found Ella and Dylan too,"

"What?" My head jerks up.

Kiera shoves her phone back at me, scrolling to a different feed.

There is also a video of Dylan kissing Ella. Then they both expose their faces to the camera, looking panicked.

There aren't many posts yet, but the headlines are eye-catching:

Celebrity marriages in meltdown.

Ella spotted with Dylan.

Aiden rumored with a mystery woman. Divorce on the horizon.

"People are saying it's like some reality show," Kiera explains.

My throat tightens. "But none of it's true. At least—not like that."

"Truth doesn't matter online," she says with a shrug. "Only the story people want to believe."

I scroll through, and find a new statement on his official page — a polished and professional announcement that he and Ella are divorcing, and it will be finalized within a week.

"Rich people don't fight dirty online. They fight with lawyers and PR teams, "Kiera says.

And she's right. Because when we check again a few hours later, almost every post mentioning me, Aiden, Ella, or Dylan is gone.

Just like that. He erased all the noise about the four of us.

When I finally get home that day, I realize my apartment feels emptier than before.

The scent of Dylan's cologne is slowly fading. And I notice gaps where his sneakers used to line the door, a shelf missing his watch box, drawers that slide too easily now.

He has been peeling himself away piece by piece and I didn't even notice.

I sink into my pink furry couch, with a wave of sadness pooling in my chest.

Even though I'm really angry at him, his absence still hurts.

Then my mind starts to drift to things that are more urgent.

Not Aiden, not Ella, not Dylan.

But my rent. My bills. My future.

But then—finally—something breaks the storm. An email. A job offer.

I have been sending out my resume for over three months, trying to get a full-time job in a higher ranking and well-equipped sports team. I believed it would be a vital step in my career.

I probably lost a lot today, but I finally got a job offer.

Not glamorous, not permanent, but real. A well-known team wants me. An internship as a team physiotherapist.

Thank God.

I clutch my phone to my chest, I feel so relieved. For once, I feel like the universe is giving me something instead of taking it away from me today.

I was asked to join a week later.

When my first day for that team finally came, I wake up early and put on my most presentable blazer to get ready for my new job.

Walking into the training facility, I immediately like how the building itself has a vibrant atmosphere: a combination of squeaking sneakers on shiny floors, the strong scents of antiseptic and sweat, and the distant sounds of voices in the hallways.

With my clipboard in hand, I follow the staff coordinator into a room that smells faintly of muscle rub and laundry detergent.

"You'll be starting simple," she says, gesturing toward the table set in the middle. "Warm-ups, relaxation massages, that kind of thing. First player is waiting."

I nod, forcing confidence into my spine.

This is it. My fresh start.

Then the door opens. My breath catches.

Aiden Kincaid walks in.

How could I forget it's HIS team?

Great now.

I managed to piss off my first client and my big boss even before my very first day.