Late that night, I couldn’t sleep. My throat was dry, and I felt the hunger creeping in, so I decided to go downstairs to grab something to eat. The house was quiet, too quiet, as I crept down the stairs, hoping not to wake anyone.
But as I turned the corner into the living room, I stopped dead.
Troy was sitting on the couch, his arm draped over Bianca’s shoulders. She was sleeping, her head resting against his chest, her legs tucked under a blanket. I was about to turn around and go back to my room when I saw it. Troy leaned down and kissed Bianca softly on the lips. My heart stopped.
He pulled away for a second, his voice low, barely audible. “I love you, Bianca. I’ve always loved you. I couldn’t say it before, but you’re the one for me.”
My breath hitched, a wave of cold nausea washing over me. I stepped back into the shadows, too stunned to move, my mind reeling.
I already knew the truth. I’d seen the way he looked at her, the way he took care of her, always defending her, always putting her first. But hearing him say those words—those words that were meant for me, once—cut deeper than I expected.