"Of course not. Why would I be mad? Elsie's just your student, not your girlfriend," I responded with a tone dripping with sarcasm.

The silence stretched, thick and tense.

Jared finally exhaled, like he'd been holding his breath. "Don't worry, Willow. Once this is all over, I'll make it up to you."

Make it up to me? I let out a laugh, cold and amused. Too bad I no longer needed anything from him.

"Professor Hammond!" Elsie's voice suddenly rang out from the bathroom.

Jared bolted toward the door, panic written all over his face. "Elsie? What happened? Did you fall? Elsie?"

He kept calling, but there was no answer.

I couldn't take my eyes off the frosted glass. Jared was too rattled to notice the faint shadow moving just behind the door.

He called her name a few more times, but still got no answer. After a beat of hesitation, he pushed open the unlocked door.

Almost at the same moment, Elsie, barely dressed, threw herself at Jared. She let out a soft, breathy moan, her voice syrupy sweet. "Professor Hammond, why don't you just pretend I'm Eleanor?"

"Stop this," he said. He tried to push her away, but his hand brushed against something soft, and he froze.

That hesitation was all she needed. She pressed herself against him fully, emboldened by his silence. "Why? Am I not good enough compared to Eleanor? Or even Willow?"

Defeated, Jared softened his voice. "Be good, okay? We'll talk tomorrow."

I stared at the two tangled shadows on the wall, my fingers drifting instinctively to my right elbow, the same spot I'd fractured when I slipped in that bathroom. It still ached faintly.

Jared left me alone that day. If I hadn't left my phone within reach, I never would've been able to call for help.

The cruel twist? Watching something eerily similar unfold with Elsie now showed me how easily it could've ended another way.

A wry smile tugged at my lips as I pulled the door shut again.

The next morning, when I woke up, the house was quiet and empty.

On the dining table, Jared had left me breakfast—a hand pie and some hash browns. Beside it was a note, written in his handwriting. "I'm taking Elsie to college. Wait for me."

I grabbed my suitcase and tossed the cold hand pie and hash browns straight into the trash, along with the bracelet I'd worn on my wrist for the past two years.

It was the only thing Jared had ever given me. Even if it was just something someone else had handed off to him, I used to treat it like it was worth everything. Now, it doesn't mean a damn thing anymore.

When I got home, Mom greeted me with a beaming smile as she took my suitcase. "We were just talking about booking the wedding venue with the Lennons."

I glanced around the familiar house, and a lump rose in my throat. "Everything's booked already?"

"All set. This afternoon, we're going to pick out your wedding dress. My daughter's finally getting married." Her eyes shimmered with tears.

I was an only child, spoiled with love and attention from the moment I was born. Before Jared came into my life, everything had been easy and smooth. However, I'd let someone like him tear me to pieces.

Mom and Dad were probably hurting even more than I was.

I reached up and wiped the tears from her face. "What's with the waterworks? It's not like I'm getting married today."

…

The bridal shop was only a short walk from our house, just over ten minutes.

We were almost there when Mom suddenly remembered that we still needed to pick up the invitations. I told her to go ahead, and that I'd wait at the shop.

However, before I even stepped inside, I froze. There was Elsie, glowing in a white wedding dress, clinging to Jared with a happy smile on her face. The bridal consultant beside them wouldn't stop gushing about how perfect they were for each other.

Through the mirror, Jared immediately spotted me standing at the entrance. "Willow, why did you follow us here? Don't get the wrong idea. Elsie and I are just taking some wedding photos to make up for a missed moment."

I walked right in, feeling nothing.

Elsie saw me and gave me a look that looked like she could spit nails. "Exactly, Ms. Clarke. Professor Hammond is simply trying to come to terms with the past. And if I'm fine stepping in for Eleanor, surely you're not going to get all worked up about it, right?"

A group of bridal consultants lingered nearby, their faces bright with curiosity.

I kept my face neutral. "Of course. Don't let me get in your way."

I ignored them and turned my attention to the dresses instead.

Jared went still. From behind me, I could feel his panic rising. "Willow, why are you here?"