Celeste’s POV
The collision sent both Karl and Natalia tumbling to the cobblestones in a tangle of limbs and scattered flower petals. Karl’s face went bright red as he scrambled to help her up, apologizing profusely while she brushed dirt off her knees and laughed it off like it was nothing.
My nostrils flared as I watched Karl’s hands linger on her arms. He was smiling at her. Looking at her like she was the only woman in the world.
He was supposed to look at me like that. He was supposed to be mine.
I’d spent years building this relationship, years putting up with Karl’s bookish tendencies and awkwardness. Years pretending I actually enjoyed listening to him ramble about whatever ancient text he’d discovered in the library.
I had done everything right, everything Mother had told me
