Cassandra was unaware that after William had asked her to be his wingwoman, he had already confessed his feelings to Mariah—only to be rejected on the spot.

That day, they had talked a lot.

Strangely, after being turned down, William didn’t feel as devastated as he had imagined. Instead, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest, bringing him a sense of relief.

William had long suspected from Mariah’s behavior that she didn’t have feelings for him. His years of affection ...