Giana - POV
Everything was normal… until they called my name.
"Giana Rivera."
I stood before I could think, my pulse hammering in my ears.
This was supposed to be simple. An interview. A chance to start again.
But the moment I stepped into the room, everything changed.
Because sitting at the center of the panel was the last person I ever expected to see.
For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
Two years ago, we were strangers.
Now he was the one deciding my future.
And somehow… that felt like the cruelest twist of all.
Two years earlier...
I hesitated at the entrance of the wedding hall, my fingers tightening around the clutch my hand.
The wedding of the same man who had whispered "I love you" to me just a few days ago.
Four years.
Four years of late nights, shared dreams, promises spoken in quiet corners, and a future I thought we were building together. Five years of believing I mattered. Only to realize I had been standing alone the entire time.
Dean had started as my assistant when I became a manager at the company. I trained him. I Defended him. Helped him grow. When I was suddenly dismissed, "company restructuring," they called it. He was the one who held my hands and told me there had to be a mistake.
"I'll get to the root of it," he had reassured me, voice gentle, eyes full of concern. "Trust me."
And I did.
I trusted him right up until the news came.
Dean was promoted to manager.
Dean was engaged to the CEO's daughter.
Dean, the same man now standing at the altar inside that hall, waiting to marry someone else.
I refused to believe at first, but here I am now. Standing in front of the wedding hall. But I wasn't the bride
A quiet laugh escaped my throat, sharp and humorless.
What a joke.
"Are you ready for this?" Mira whispered, leaning close, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
I swallowed hard. My stomach churned. "As ready as I'll ever be," I muttered, though my voice trembled.
Leo smirked behind us, arms crossed. "You've come this far, Giana. You might as well finish it. Go big or go home."
The doors opened, and the warm, perfumed air of the wedding hall hit me. Crystal chandeliers scattered fractured light across marble floors. A soft hum of music mingled with whispered conversations. Everything smelled of roses, candles, and something sharp.
And there he was. My ex. Standing at the altar with her, the CEO's daughter. Perfectly poised. Completely unaware. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I froze.
Mira nudged me. "Walk. Own it. Make them feel every second of regret they caused you."
I drew a shaky breath, my legs forcing themselves forward. Leo flanked me, his gaze sweeping the crowd. "I've got your back. No one's stopping you."
I stepped closer, heels clicking against the marble. Guests shifted, murmuring nervously. My throat ached, my hands trembling slightly. I raised my hand slowly, deliberately, as if to strike him. Gasps echoed across the hall.
Then I stopped. Pivoting at the last second, I transformed the motion into a composed handshake. Smile fixed in place.
"Congratulations you two." I said loudly, my voice carrying, "funny how you said, 'I love you,' just a few days ago… and now you're getting married today."
The bride's hand froze on his arm. His jaw tightened. Eyes widened. Shock rippled across the room.
I reached into my clutch and pulled out an envelope of cash. Slowly, deliberately, I pressed it into his palm. He stared at me, speechless.
I leaned slightly toward them, projecting every ounce of irony and venom in my tone. "I wish you both a long… long… long life together. You deserve each other."
Then I straightened, eyes locking on him. "Oh, and congrats on your promotion at work too. You could've never used your competence to take my position, so you cheated and slept your way through it."
A stunned silence filled the hall. Guests froze mid-breath. The bride's lips parted, disbelief written across her face. He opened his mouth, shut it, and stepped back, looking as though someone had sucker-punched him.
I turned on my heel with every ounce of grace I could muster. Mira and Leo flanked me, creating an invisible shield. Heads turned. Eyes widened. Cameras flashed. Whispers surged like a wave.
Outside, the cool night air slammed into me. I shivered, not from cold, but from the mix of adrenaline, humiliation, and satisfaction.
"I can't believe I just did that," I muttered, gripping my hair dramatically. "And I actually gave them the cash…"
Mira laughed, fierce and loud. "Worth it! You gave them a show they'll never forget."
Leo shook his head, smirking. "Nothing like some public embarrassment to teach people a lesson."
We slid into a quiet corner of the bar. Glasses clinked. The hum of conversation made it feel strangely safe. I wrapped my fingers around a cold glass, swirling the liquid, avoiding their eyes.
"You're… you're crazy," I whispered, voice thick with embarrassment.
"Crazy? Nah," Mira said firmly. "You're brave. You actually walked up there and owned the moment. Most people would've chickened out."
Leo leaned back, arms crossed. "Exactly. That was legendary. And we were right behind you the whole time. You weren't alone, remember?"
I let out a shaky laugh, still flushed. "I… I can't believe I handed them all that money. I feel like such an idiot."
"You feel like an idiot because you're human," Mira said, softening. "And smart, because you took control. You didn't just sulk and cry, you acted."
Leo nodded. "Besides, it's just money. We're alive. You're alive. You made a statement. That's priceless."
I pressed my palms to my face, hiding the blush, my chest tightening as a wave of tears threatened. I was about to start sobbing when Mira leaned in, cutting me off with a grin.
"Guess who's going on vacation…? You!" she exclaimed, excitement radiating from her.
I froze, shaking my head. "No… no, you know I don't have any money. I just lost my job, and… I still can't believe I gave them that cash, it's almost all I had."
Leo laughed, tossing an arm around my shoulder. "That's exactly why you have friends. We're paying for everything. You just have to get on the plane and leave."
"I… I don't know… what if…" I started, giving excuse after excuse, the weight of embarrassment and regret pressing down on me. My hands twisted in my lap, still sticky from the drinks, my heart hammering like it might burst.
"You have to go," Mira said firmly, leaning closer, her voice cutting through the chaos in my mind. "This is for you. A fresh start. New city, new air, new life. You can't let this pass just because you're scared."
"I… I don't want to go alone," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper, the thought of being by myself tightening like a vice around my chest.I bit my lip, swallowing hard, trying to quiet the panic rising in my stomach. What if I got lost? What if I froze? What if something went wrong? My chest felt tight, my palms clammy, but there was something else too. Something almost forbidden, a tiny, flickering excitement at the idea of being in control for the first time in weeks.
Mira's hand squeezed my shoulder, grounding me. "Nothing will go wrong Gia. you really need this and you know it."
I shook my head, my voice trembling. "But I… I don't have any money. I can't—"
"That's why we're helping," Leo cut in, his eyes soft but firm. "Tickets, hotel, everything covered. You don't have to do anything. That's it. No more excuses."
I stared at them, my stomach twisting. The embarrassment, the heartbreak, the shame from earlier threatened to paralyze me. And yet… I could feel it. A tiny pulse of defiance, of courage. I had just walked into the lion's den today. I had stared him in the eye. I had taken back a piece of myself. Surely, I could handle this.
Slowly… finally… I nodded.
__
The ballroom glowed like it was dressed for seduction.
Soft gold lights spilled from crystal chandeliers, washing over marble floors and bodies dressed in confidence. Laughter floated above the music low, expensive, careless. I adjusted the thin strap of my dress as I stepped inside, heels clicking too loudly for my liking.
"Relax," Mira's voice chimed through my phone. "You're on vacation. You're allowed to have fun."
I smiled faintly, smoothing my emerald dress over my thighs. It clung in the right places, elegant, not desperate. The slit climbed just high enough to remind me I was still a woman who could be looked at. My heels were high, sharp, and entirely impractical. I'd chosen them on purpose.
"I'm trying," I said, scanning the room. "This place looks like it charges people just to breathe."
Mira laughed. "That's the point. Drink something expensive. Flirt if you want. Forget..."
I stopped walking.
The word forget shattered in my head as my eyes landed on him.
My ex.
Standing near the bar. Relaxed. Smiling.
And beside him was his wife.
The room spun.
"I have to go," I whispered, already stepping back.
"What? Giana..."
I turned quickly, head lowered, moving through the crowd with one goal. To escape. Before he noticed me. Before this moment shattered me completely.
My heart slammed as I scanned for exits that suddenly didn't exist.
I lowered my head, turned, moved. I took one step too fast.
And crashed into someone.
A glass tilted. Liquid splashed. A sharp breath sounded above me.
I froze.
Slowly, I looked up.
And came face to face with a stranger, just as a familiar voice said behind me,
"Giana?"