Chapter 106

The sun was warm on my skin as we walked down the sidewalk near the beach. Logan was holding Lily’s hand, letting her swing between us. Her laughter echoed like music in the breeze. It felt… good. Peaceful. Like maybe things were settling into place. Until she appeared. I spotted her first—tall, pretty, too confident. She was the same woman from the cafe the other day, the one who’d been flirting shamelessly with Logan while pretending I didn’t exist. This time, she didn’t pretend. She smiled directly at me like we were old friends. “Oh hey,” she said, stepping into my path, her voice smooth like poison in honey. “Didn’t expect to run into you again.” I paused, my grip tightening around my purse. “Life’s full of surprises.” Her eyes flicked to Logan, who was a few steps behind with Lily. Then she leaned in, her voice lower now. “I just thought you should know… I’m not giving up on him. Some men are worth fighting for.” I stared at her, deadpan. “Good. Because I’m not giving up either.”