She let out a heavy sigh, her heart aching with the weight of her thoughts. “But now, looking back, I realize how selfish I must have seemed, clinging to him as my only solace, without ever considering his own feelings. I never asked him what he truly wanted.”

  Blair swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “To me, the decisions made by the Wilsons and Taylors for us always felt like a favor. But what about Ezra? Did he even like the idea of us being married in the future?”

  “Perhaps I was so self-centered, just like my grandparents always told me. I never gave him the space to choose for himself or listened to his protest.”

  The kitten stared up at her, a small, comforting presence in a world that felt unbearably heavy. “I hope he’s happy,” she whispered. “I hope he finds what he truly wants, even if it’s not me.”

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  The next morning, however, the universe had other plans. As Blair trudged into the cafeteria, she was Samantha, perched like a queen at the table, having coffee with none other than Ezra.

  Blair felt a surge of anger wash over her. The sight of them together—felt like a slap in the face. “How dare he enjoy his breakfast with her?” she huffed, imagining herself launching a fork.

  As she grabbed her coffee, she imagined a fantasy scenario where she stormed over. But this fantasy confrontation ruined by a familiar voice.

  “Planning an Oscar-worthy performance, are we?”

  Blair glared at him. “Shut it, Spencer. I’m busy plotting a dramatic confrontation with the universe,” she snapped, not even trying to hide her annoyance.

  “Oh, please! You can’t be serious,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “Think about how expensive that coffee is.”

  His words snapped her back to reality. The coffee she had just bought was a luxury she couldn’t afford to waste. The money she had left from pawning some jewels was nearly gone. She needed to find a part-time job—fast.

  “Right,” she muttered, feeling the anxiety creep in. “Thank you for saving this coffee, jerk.”