Chapter 1Traded For His Childhood Sweetheart

I was moving to London to teach, and Declan was my biggest cheerleader.

Everyone told me I’d hit the jackpot with him. They whispered that he was secretly planning a wedding, a grand romantic gesture to surprise me before I left.

But then I found the files. Hundreds of emails and formal requests saved on his laptop, all petitioning the department head for one specific transfer. He wasn’t just sending me away; he was trading me.

He was bringing a girl named Lacey back to the States.

And the wedding files in the hidden folder? The bride wasn’t me.

I didn’t scream. I didn’t throw things. I didn’t even cry. I actually found myself wishing them well.

Because, honestly? I just didn’t care anymore.

I only felt bad for the Declan who would look for me later, the one who would eventually lose his mind when he realized I was gone for good.

* * *

"Nora, are you absolutely sure about this? You know checking this box makes the transfer indefinite, right?" The department secretary lowered her voice. "And... shouldn't you check with Declan about the date? This clashes directly with that 'big event' he’s planning."

I stared at the screen of Declan’s open laptop, my eyes unfocused on the rows of pdfs.

My colleagues had been winking at me all week, telling me to act surprised, that Declan was in full groom-mode. Declan himself had been tight-lipped, vibrating with a nervous energy I had foolishly mistaken for romance. I thought, Finally. After eight years, he’s trying.

But every vendor contract, every venue inquiry, every draft invitation on this screen bore the names Declan & Lacey. Not Nora.

It all made sense now. The way he’d practically packed my bags for London. He wasn’t supporting my career; he was clearing the board. My departure was the condition for her return. A one-for-one swap.

I bit down on my lip until I tasted copper, then looked the secretary in the eye.

"The wedding... it doesn't concern me. Keep the flight date as is."

Eight years of devotion, and this was the severance package. If that was the price of his love, I couldn’t afford it anymore.

The moment the ticket confirmation landed in my inbox, Declan’s ringtone cut through the air.

"How long are you going to make everyone wait?" His voice was sharp, impatient. "I know it’s your going-away party, Nora, but do you have to act like a princess and show up late?"

I glanced at the clock. The reservation wasn't for another thirty minutes. His irritation had arrived ahead of schedule.

I mumbled a non-committal excuse and hung up. My eyes fell on his phone case—a custom one I’d bought us as a joke for our anniversary. He hated it. Called it tacky. Said it made him look unprofessional at the university. He’d promised to only wear it at home, to humor me.

Looking at it now, a wave of nausea rolled through me. I tossed it into the nearest trash can and headed for the restaurant.

The moment I walked in, a colleague shoved a massive bouquet of red roses into my arms, winking frantically toward Declan.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, Nora! Look at this!"

Usually, when I upset Declan, he bought flowers to apologize. But never roses. It was always carnations—cheap, supermarket filler.

My colleague, caught up in the excitement, snatched the small card from the bouquet and read it aloud before I could stop her.

"To my dearest Lacey. You are as timeless as a rose, and I will always protect you. Love, Declan."

The room went dead silent.

I dug my fingernails into my palms, letting the sharp pain tether me to my dignity. I forced a smile.

"Oh! Right. These... aren't for me."

Footsteps clicked on the hardwood floor behind me. A petite woman in a pale dress stopped at my side. She reached out, took the heavy bouquet from my hands, and buried her face in the blooms, inhaling deeply.

"Declan hasn't changed a bit," she sighed, her voice sugary and light. "He always sends me roses."

She turned to me, beaming. "You must be the 'bro' Declan talks about! Thank you so much for agreeing to the swap so I could come home from London."