Chapter 1

Three years ago, Grant Holloway left his fat fiancée the night before our wedding because Vanessa Quinn, the woman he always insisted was just a friend, dared him to.

That fat fiancée was me.

It happened in the bachelor-party group chat.

Nathan Reed started the game.

“Grant, you keep telling everyone Serena's smarter than half your executives.”

Then:

“Dare you to prove it. Give her Phoenix.”

Project Phoenix was a disaster.

A multimillion-dollar smart-home division bleeding money so fast the board was preparing to shut it down.

Grant answered in less than a minute.

“Why not?”

Then another message appeared.

“It'll give my future wife something to do.”

I still remember how excited I was.

Back then, I worked in product design.

I knew almost nothing about finance, operations, manufacturing, or corporate strategy.

But Grant had finally trusted me with something important.

At least, that's what I thought.

I immediately typed into the group.

“I can learn. I'll do my best.”

Before I could send another message, Vanessa Quinn replied.

Vanessa had been Grant's closest friend since college.

She traveled with him.

Partied with him.

Hung off his arm whenever she drank too much.

And every time I said their relationship made me uncomfortable, Grant told me I was being insecure.

That night, Vanessa sent:

“My turn.”

“Grant, I dare you to postpone the wedding and come with me for a week.”

The group exploded.

“No way.”

“Do it, Holloway.”

“Don't tell me you're scared of your fiancée.”

Grant hated one thing more than losing.

Looking afraid.

His reply came almost immediately.

“Done.”

I stared at the screen.

For a few seconds, I genuinely thought it was a joke.

Then Vanessa tagged me.

“Sorry, Serena.”

“Your groom lost.”

“We're leaving tomorrow.”

Grant followed with a laughing emoji.

Then:

“Don't make this dramatic, babe.”

“It's one week.”

“We'll move the wedding.”

And finally:

“Besides, you've got Phoenix now. Keep yourself busy.”

“Even if you screw it up, I won't blame you.”

That was the last conversation I had with my fiancé before he got on a plane with Vanessa.

One week became a month.

A month became six.

Six months became three years.

Grant never came back.

I did exactly what he told me to do.

I kept busy.

Three years later, I'm standing in the arrivals hall when Grant Holloway walks back into my life.

He sees me immediately.

Then stops.

His suitcase nearly rolls past him.

His eyes move slowly from my face to my body.

I know what he sees.

Three years ago, I was fat.

I wore oversized dresses because photographers at Holloway events loved catching the worst possible angle.

He would put an arm around me and say,

“I don't care what anyone thinks. I love you for who you are.”

At twenty-six, I thought that was romantic.

At twenty-nine, I know better.

Grant's eyes are already red.

“Serena?” Grant says.

He walks toward me like he's seeing a miracle.

“You look…”

He stops.

His gaze drops to my waist.

Then my face.

“Jesus.”

I say nothing.

“You lost so much weight.”

“I knew you could do it.”

I almost laugh.

He looks at me like he's proud.

Like my body is another project he assigned three years ago and has returned to inspect.

Then he sees my left hand.

The wedding ring.

Grant freezes.

His eyes lock on it.

For one long second, he doesn't breathe.

“Serena…”

He smiles.

“You kept it.”

I look at him.

“You actually kept the ring.”

He steps toward me, arms opening.

“I knew you'd wait.”

I move back.

He stops.

His smile falters.

“Serena?”

“I think you've misunderstood something.”

“No, I haven't.”

His gaze falls to my body again.

“You lost the weight.”

“You kept our ring.”

“You built a whole career while I was gone.”

His voice goes thick with emotion.

“You spent three years becoming the woman you always wanted to be.”

He reaches for me.

“For us.”

I step back again.

This time, his face changes.

“Grant.”

I raise my left hand.

The diamond catches the airport light.

“First, I didn't lose weight for you.”

His brows pull together.

“Second…”

I turn the ring slightly around my finger.

“This isn't our ring.”

His expression goes blank.

I meet his eyes.

“And I wasn't waiting for you.”

“Come on, Serena.”

“I'm married.”

His smile disappears.