Chapter 4

When I woke up again, the first thing I saw was Adler.

He was sitting in a chair by my hospital bed, his head in his hands. He looked exhausted, his expensive suit rumpled, a dark stubble shadowing his jaw. He looked up when I stirred, and his eyes were filled with a frantic, theatrical guilt.

"Hazel," he breathed, rushing to my side. "God, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

He reached out to touch my face, and I flinched, my body recoiling before my mind could even process the command.

His hand froze in midair. A flicker of hurt crossed his face, quickly replaced by a mask of pained remorse. "I'm so, so sorry I didn't answer," he said, his voice low and earnest. "My phone died. I didn't get your message until this morning. I came as soon as I heard."

A lie. So easy. So pointless.

I stared at him, at the handsome, caring man who had been the center of my world. The man who had left me to bleed while he tended to his obsession. A broken, hysterical laugh bubbled up in my throat, but it came out as a tear that slid down my temple and into my hair.

"It must be the pain," he said, his brow furrowed with concern. "You're in pain. I'll get the doctor."

He bustled out of the room, his movements full of purpose and care. It was all a performance. A show for him, for me, for the world. He needed to believe he was a good man, a good boyfriend.

The doctor came in and explained the surgery had gone well. I would need weeks of rest and physical therapy. "It's best if you have someone to look after you 24/7 for the first week or so," the doctor advised, looking pointedly at Adler.

"I won't leave her side," Adler promised, his voice thick with sincerity.

And he kept his word. For the next two weeks, he was the model of devotion. He had me moved to a private luxury recovery suite that looked more like a five-star hotel. He spoon-fed me broth, read to me, and held my hand while I slept. He was gentle, attentive, and suffocatingly kind.

Anyone watching would have thought he was the most loving partner in the world.

But I knew the truth. This wasn't love. This was penance. He was trying to wash away his guilt with a flood of performative care. He was tending to me the way one might polish a valuable possession that had been accidentally damaged.

The day I was discharged, he carefully buckled my seatbelt in his gleaming black sports car. "I have a surprise for you," he said, his voice soft. "To celebrate your recovery."

My heart felt nothing. No curiosity. No excitement. Just a vast, weary emptiness.

His phone rang. It was Cory. Adler put it on speaker.

"The launch party for the new app is tonight," Cory said. "Are you still coming?"

"Of course," Adler replied.

"Are you bringing... her?" Cory asked, a note of disapproval in his voice.

"I' m bringing Hazel," Adler said firmly. "She's my girlfriend. She should be there."

"Adler, Annika is going to be there. Are you sure this is a good idea? Are you just trying to use Hazel to make her jealous again?"

"It's a company party, Cory. I have to be there, and I want Hazel by my side," Adler said, his voice laced with a false sincerity that was meant for me. "I want to show everyone that she's the one who matters."

I closed my eyes. He wanted to show Annika that I was the one who mattered. I was just a prop in his sick, never-ending drama.

"Whatever you say," Cory sighed, and hung up.

"It's just a quick appearance," Adler said, turning to me, his eyes pleading for my understanding. "We'll just say hello and then leave. I want to celebrate with you. Just us."

I nodded, too tired to argue. The fight had gone out of me, replaced by a cold, hard resolve.

The party was at a glittering rooftop bar overlooking the city. Adler kept his arm wrapped protectively around my waist, leading me through the crowd of tech investors and socialites. He was a king in his element, and I was the queen on his arm.

"He's so devoted to her," I heard someone whisper. "Especially after her accident."

"It's about time he put Annika in her place," another voice said. "Hazel is so much better for him. A true lady."

I caught a glimpse of Annika in a corner, her face pale, her eyes burning with jealousy as she watched us. Adler, for his part, played his role to perfection. He ignored Annika completely, his attention focused solely on me. He brought me a glass of champagne, fetched me a wrap when he thought I looked cold, and gently rubbed my back.

"I love you, Hazel," he whispered, his warm breath against my ear.

I smiled, a dead, empty thing. I looked at him, and all I could see was the truth. His eyes, so full of feigned adoration for me, kept flicking over my shoulder, his gaze landing on Annika for a fraction of a second before returning to me. He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at her reaction to him looking at me.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm going to the restroom," I murmured, pulling away from him.

He barely seemed to notice, his attention already snagged by a conversation with a potential investor.

I didn't go to the restroom. I headed for the exit, but a sharp voice stopped me.

"Leaving so soon?"

Annika stood in my path, a venomous smile on her lips. "He's really putting on a show for you tonight, isn't he? Don't you feel special?"

I said nothing.

"Don't get too comfortable," she sneered, stepping closer. "He called out my name in bed just two weeks ago. He cried when he was inside me. Did he ever cry for you, Hazel? Does he ever show you that kind of desperation?"

The words were meant to hurt, to shatter my composure. But they couldn't touch me. The pain was already complete.

"You're a fool, Annika," I said, my voice quiet. "You think this is a game you can win. He's obsessed with you, yes. But it's a sick, destructive obsession. He'll never be happy with you. And you'll never be happy with him."

"He loves me!" she hissed. "You're just the boring little mouse he keeps around because you're easy! You swooped in when he was at his lowest. You're a vulture."

"And you're a parasite," I countered, my voice still level. "You only want him now that he's successful. You're both pathetic."

She looked stunned, as if she couldn't believe the doormat was fighting back.

"He'll always come back to me," she whispered, her confidence wavering. "You'll see."

"I hope he does," I said, and the sincerity in my voice surprised even me. "I wish you all the best. You two deserve each other."

I pushed past her and walked back into the main party area, my head held high. I found a group of my old college friends, Charley's friends, playing a round of "Never Have I Ever." I sat down and grabbed a drink.

"My turn," I said, my voice ringing out with a false cheerfulness. "Never have I ever been about to get married."

I took a long drink from my glass. The table fell silent. Everyone stared at me, then at Adler, who was now looking over, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Let the games end.