Chapter Fifty-One

Sasha couldn’t believe what she had heard. Ethan had been publicly introduced as someone else’s boyfriend—Grace’s boyfriend. It was as if the ground had been pulled out from under her. The pain surged through her chest, her heart pounding in her ears as she tried to make sense of the situation. Wasn't she Ethan’s girlfriend? She had thought so. But now, everyone saw him as Grace’s. How could this be happening?

Immediately after Ethan’s speech, Sasha excused herself, telling Nicholas that she needed to use the bathroom. She needed to get away from the party, from all the people, from the confusion that was suffocating her.

In the bathroom, Sasha stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were swollen from holding back tears. Her lips trembled. She applied makeup, trying to mask the traces of the hurt she was feeling. She didn’t want to fall apart—not here, not now. She had to look composed, even if she didn’t feel it. Once she was done, she took a deep breath and decided to head