Ellie stood in the living room of her new place, barefoot on the cold marble floor, surveying the space. She got this house in her inheritance alongside with other things. She got it rather quickly, guess her parents wanted to get this over with before the wedding. She scoffed at that thought.
The boxes were almost unpacked. The windows let in warm evening light. The city was closer now, just like her office.
It was a clean slate.
Kara plopped down on the couch with her phone and let out a dramatic groan.
"Okay, so you are all over the forums."
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "What kind of forums?"
Kara wiggled her phone. "Social gossip pages. Business whisper circles. Even wedding blogs, weirdly."
She opened one page and held it up for Ellie to see. "Here. Just read."
@CaffeineOverdose:
"Sad to see the engagement fall apart, but Lily really stepped up. Some people are just built for family duty."
@BossHater69:
"People like Ellie are never satisfied. Probably too career-focused to be a good partner."
@DramaLlama00:
"There's no way she gave him up willingly. I heard SHE was cheating and Lily just saved face for the family."
@TooQuietToTrust:
"We don't know the full story. Feels off. No one drops a fiancé just like that."
@ThirdCousinMaybe:
"I heard Jake was already sleeping with Lily before the breakup. Supposedly went on for months."
@EmotionalSupportRat:
"I still think it's sad. Ellie was always elegant. But maybe she wasn't 'warm' enough."
Ellie handed the phone back. "Charming."
Kara scoffed. "It's garbage. Half of them don't know what a brain looks like."
Ellie didn't respond. She just walked to the shelf and began organizing a row of folded fabrics she had brought from the office.
"They really think Lily sacrificed herself," Kara muttered. "Like she's Joan of Arc in couture."
"She's always known how to play fragile," Ellie said quietly. "People like stories they can digest."
Kara leaned over the couch arm. "So. What are you gonna do about the wedding?"
Ellie didn't turn. "I'm going."
Kara sat up straight. "Wait, seriously? Like actually going? To that wedding?"
"I have to return the favor," Ellie said calmly. "She invited me, after all."
Kara stood up and made her way to the kitchen counter, stealing an apple from the bowl. "Well, I'm coming with you. Moral support and dramatic eye-rolling."
Ellie turned. "No."
Kara blinked. "No?"
"I already have someone in mind."
Kara squinted. "Who?"
Ellie picked up a small notebook from the counter and flipped through it, not meeting her eyes.
"My investor."
Kara dropped the apple. "Caden Hale?!"
Ellie shrugged.
"Wait, wait, back up. You're taking Mr. Sexy Stonewall as your date? Why?!"
Ellie flipped to a blank page. "My parents wanted to meet him. They were curious. The wedding just felt like… convenient timing."
Kara gawked. "This is so next-level. Do you know how much buzz this will create? You and your ex-fiancé's new bride's sister walking in with a man like that? The mystery alone will break the algorithm."
Ellie smiled faintly. "Any kind of publicity will help the brand."
"But will he even agree to that?"
Ellie finally looked up, voice calm.
"He already did."
Kara opened her mouth, then closed it. "I hate how two steps ahead you are. It's freaky. Like chess but with heels."
Ellie didn't respond. She just moved to the side table and straightened a small gold sculpture.
Behind her, Kara kept rambling, muttering about finding a dress dramatic enough to wear "in spirit" if she couldn't attend physically.
But Ellie's thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
Kara didn't know the real reason.
And she wasn't going to. Not yet.
She stared at her reflection in the darkened window.
Not to check her face. Just to remind herself of who she was becoming.