Chapter One

"I'm done with love," Iyo muttered, lifting the bottle of Brown Forman whiskey to her lips.

She sat alone in a dimly lit bar, bathed in red neon, the music low and moody in the background. She stared at the half-filled glass in front of her, each burning sip scraping her throat. Her tongue curled at the bitterness, but she kept drinking.

Iyo wasn’t used to liquor. Her body couldn’t handle it, but she didn’t care. She needed something to numb the ache clawing at her chest.

"I'm such an idiot," she whispered, voice cracking.

The memory hit her again, her wedding day. Or more accurately, the day that never happened.

She had tried to believe in love, even with a life already golden, wealthy, beautiful, respected as the daughter of a billionaire. Simon was supposed to be the dream fiancé. But when the moment came, he vanished. No message. No excuse. Just... gone.

She’d been left standing alone at the altar. Before hundreds. Before her parents. Before the world.

The shame still clung to her skin like sweat.

Iyo let out a soft belch, the bitter smell of whiskey making her gag. Still, she raised the glass again. Her vision blurred, her words slurred. But the pain inside remained sharp.

Her long, dark hair fell in messy waves around her face, strands clinging to her cheeks. She tried brushing it away, but her drunk hands flailed like she was swatting invisible flies. A few pieces dipped into the whiskey. She didn’t care. She took another sip anyway, not even bothering to move the soaked strands from her lips.

“You okay, miss?” the bartender asked gently.

Iyo nodded, though her glassy eyes shimmered with tears. She wasn’t okay. She didn’t know what okay even looked like anymore.

Then her phone buzzed.

A familiar tune played, one she’d assigned months ago. Her heart dropped.

Simon.

Her stomach twisted.

One week ago, he’d humiliated her in front of the world. And now, out of nowhere, he was calling her? Like nothing happened?

Her hand hovered over the phone. Her fingers trembled with the urge to answer, maybe get closure. But her rage screamed louder.

What could he possibly say?

Her mind spun with flashbacks. Their sweet conversations. Their promises. Their last words before everything went silent.

The phone kept ringing, dragging her deeper into the spiral.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," she muttered, suddenly snapping. Her emotions surged, raw and tangled.

She snatched the phone and answered.

"Hello," she said sharply, voice heavy with rage and hurt.

There was a pause. Then came his voice, calm, casual, and disgustingly familiar.

“Hey, Iyo. Look... I’m sorry about what happened. I know it wasn’t ideal.”

Her heart pounded. She shoved the whiskey aside and sat straighter, her eyes blazing.

“Not ideal?” she hissed. “You left me at the altar, Simon. You humiliated me in front of my parents my entire family, and the public! You shattered me. And now you say it ‘wasn’t ideal’?”

He sighed. “I know it was a tough spot, but...”

"A tough spot?" Iyo nearly shouted, her voice rising. “You disappeared for a week. No calls. No text. No explanation. And now you just call me like nothing happened? Like you didn’t destroy me?”

Her hands were trembling now, fury dripping from every word. “You think you can just waltz back into my life and I’ll welcome you with open arms? You’re insane, Simon.”

He didn’t respond. That silence only fueled her.

“I don’t want your excuses. I don’t want your voice. I don’t want anything from you. And I swear, if I ever see your face again, I will end you.”

Then, with one swift movement, she hung up and blocked the number.

Her hands were still shaking as she dropped the phone into her purse. Her chest heaved. Her face burned.

And just as she reached for her drink again, her phone rang once more.

Her heart lurched, but it wasn’t Simon.

Mom.

She sighed, wiping her face. Then she took a deep breath and stepped outside the bar, the sounds of city traffic surrounding her like white noise.

She answered, voice softer now. “Hi, Mom.”

As her mother’s voice came through the line, everything else faded, cars, chatter, even her pain, for just a moment.

But then, her mother's words came rushing out, and Iyo's eyes widened in horror. Her face paled with fear written all over it, and the grip on her phone loosened.

She stumbled backwards a bit, her free hand flying to her mouth as if to stifle a scream.

The phone slipped from her hand landing on the floor which gave a crack on the screen.

Her mind raced with possibilities, as she tried to process the news. What had her mother just said? The word echoed in her ears, and more louder in her mind.

She needed to leave the bar immediately.

So she quickly bent down to pick up her shattered phone due to the impact of the fall. Her hands were shaky as she tried to dial, her fingers kept fumbling against the screen. But she managed to finally call her driver, her voice shaky and panicky as she spoke

“Johnson, I need you to come pick me up NOW. I'm outside the bar”

She didn't wait for his response, ending the call as soon as Johnson acknowledged.

Iyo took a deep breath, pacing back and forth as her mind flooded with panic. Trying to calm herself down, still reeling from her mother's words

Her eyes were fixed on the road, hoping Johnson will arrive sooner. The minutes ticked by at a glacial pace, but finally she saw the familiar car pull up.

Iyo rushed toward it, yanking open the door and slipping inside

“Hospital”

Her voice sharp, authoritatively and above a whisper.

Johnson the driver nodded, and the car pulled away from the curb. Speeding into the night.