Astra’s POV

It didn’t feel like my heart broke. It felt like it turned to ash in my chest.

I looked Nolan in the eyes. “And I thought you knew me. I’ll apologize—if I’ve done something wrong. But Anna?” I glanced toward her, still curled in Riven’s arms, looking all startled and frightened. “I won’t apologize to someone who fell on her own. Not even if it means losing you.”

After I said those words, I saw something flicker in Nolan’s eyes—uncertainty, maybe even regret.

But it vanished quickly. All that remained was anger and disgust.

“Then you should leave,” Nolan said coldly. “You’re not welcome here anymore.”

I lifted my chin. “That makes two of us.”

“Astra, I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to—” Anna rushed toward me, grabbing my wrist with both hands, eyes wide, desperate.

Nolan peeled her off me gently. “You’re not the one who needs to apologize, Anna.”

“Exactly. Why is Astra always so condescending?”

The crowd stirred, whispers turned into accusations. Just like that, the tide turned against me—just like it always did with Anna.

A glass of champagne hit my face. Cold and sudden.

I didn’t even see who threw it.

I heard the sharp inhale from Nolan. Saw the way Riven tensed. For a second, they looked like they might come over.

But then Anna let out a small, delicate cough. “Oof—my ankle…”

And just like that, their attention shifted.

“She deserved it,” someone muttered. “Didn’t she shove the birthday girl? A glass for a glass.”

Nolan stayed by Anna’s side. So did Riven. Their brows were drawn, but neither of them moved.

“Nolan…” Anna’s voice was soft, selfless. “I’m okay. Please… go check on Astra…”

Nolan shook his head. “No, come on. Let’s get you into something dry. You’re the birthday girl—you shouldn’t be in a soaked dress.”

He turned to me for half a second, eyes unreadable. Then he took Anna’s hand and walked the other way.

I gave them one last glance—just one—then turned away.

Nolan’s voice followed me. “I’m disappointed in you, Astra. We’ll talk soon. I want an explanation.”

I didn’t stop until I reached my car.

The driver blinked, startled. “Miss Quinn, what happened?”

My dress clung to me, soaked and heavy. I didn’t need a mirror to know my mascara had smeared down my cheeks.

“The party’s over,” I said quietly. “Drive me back to the Manor. I’m tired.”

I leaned back, letting the silence swallow me, my mind still replaying everything.

I’d been too nice and too forgiving. Nolan and Riven didn’t deserve all the chances I’d already given them.

When I stepped inside the Quinn Manor, I didn’t hesitate.

I picked up the phone and called my father. “Papa,” I said. “About that arranged marriage... I’m ready. Go ahead.”

He sounded relieved on the other end. “You’ve finally thought it through? Nolan was a good kid, but he was never right for you.”

Papa was right, Nolan wasn’t. Every time I needed him to stand beside me—every time it mattered—he chose someone else.

A man like that didn’t deserve me. Not now. Not ever.

So I guess this is goodbye, Nolan.

I’m marrying someone else. And this time, you don’t get to be sorry. You might not even get an invitation.

…

In the two days that followed, I moved quickly.

I released every maid, every driver—made sure they found good homes, families that would treat them well. Then I started sorting through my own things.

The Manor had been mine alone for years. My parents had moved to Italy not long after I started college.

So now, with plans to leave, I was selling the Manor—and everything in it. I wouldn’t need any of it once I joined my parents in Italy, where the wedding would be held.

My fiancé—a man I’d never met—was called Silas Monroe, the heir to a powerful mafia family in Italy. My father spoke of him like he was a prize.

I always thought I’d marry for love. But now, I’d become the kind of girl I used to hate—marrying for family interests. Still, that felt better than wasting another second on Nolan and his endless excuses.

While packing, I realized the necklace my mother gave me was missing. I remembered then—I must’ve left it at my office, the one inside Nolan’s casino.

I hadn’t planned on stepping foot in that place again. But I needed that necklace.

I took a deep breath and hoped—really hoped—I wouldn’t run into Nolan or Riven. I didn’t have the energy for another round of judgment and blame.

The moment I stepped through the casino doors, I felt it—curious glances, hushed whispers.

“Miss Quinn,” one of the front desk girls said gently. “Mr. Cross said you can’t go inside without his permission. We’re calling him now to let him know you’re here.”

A few minutes later, Nolan appeared, “What are you doing here?”

I brushed past him. “Just picking up some things from my office. Don’t worry, I won’t linger.”

He followed me into the elevator. “Astra, about that day—”

The doors slid open two seconds later, and I stepped out without a word.

I didn’t need to hear the rest. I already knew. Nolan was going to ask me to apologize to Anna again.

Nolan had followed me to my office but didn’t say another word.

I found my mother’s necklace in the drawer, right where I thought it would be. Then I looked up and saw them—photos pinned to the vision board. Me and Nolan. Me, Nolan, and Riven. We were all smiling so brightly back then. Now, it just felt like a cruel joke.

One by one, I tore them down. And then I tore them apart.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nolan snapped, rushing toward me. He tried to grab the pictures from my hands, but it was too late. They were already in shreds.

He stared at me, shock and fury flickering across his face. “Astra Quinn, I want an explanation. Right now. Why are you acting like a child?”

I met his eyes—calm, steady and unshaken. “Nothing. Just felt like redecorating. Those were trash. I don’t want them in my office again.”

Then I shook off his hand, tossed the torn photos into the trash, and cracked open a can of Coke. Without hesitation, I poured it over the pile until the paper turned soggy and blackened.

“Trash?” Nolan’s voice spiked. “Those were our memories. You took every one of them. Framed them. Guarded them like they were sacred. And now you’re saying they’re garbage? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Astra’s POV

I didn’t answer.

Nolan exhaled hard, his tone softening. “If this is about Anna and the ambush—I get it. Me and Riven—we screwed up. We should’ve been there for you. But Astra… think about it. You had your parents, right? You had us too. Anna had no one. We had to protect her.”

He took a step closer. “And about her birthday—think how many people were watching. If I didn’t insist you apologize, what would they think? You know how much reputation matters in our world.”

Still, I said nothing.

Nolan’s voice dropped again, almost coaxing. “Come on, Astra. You’re the one I love. You’re the one I want to marry. Anna? She’ll always be an outsider. We’re going to be a family.”

A pause.

“How about this—come with me to my mother’s party tomorrow night? I’ve got a surprise for you.”

I hesitated. Right—Nolan’s mother. She’d always been kind to me, treated me like a daughter even before Nolan and I were official. And now that I was leaving the city for good… the least I could do was give her a proper goodbye—and an explanation.

“Alright,” I said quietly.

Nolan’s face lit up. He probably took my answer as forgiveness. He didn’t even seem to be mad about the ruined photos in the trash anymore.

“I’ll pick you up myself,” he said, smiling, and leaned in, trying to kiss me like nothing had changed.

I turned my head just in time, and his lips brushed empty air.

…

I wasn’t planning to impress anyone tonight, so I slipped into a simple silver gown and added just a hint of makeup.

“I’ve arrived. Come out when you’re ready,” Nolan’s text read.

I stepped outside, heading toward the first car. But Nolan stopped me, his expression stiff—awkward.

I frowned.

Then Anna’s voice drifted from inside the car. “Astra!”

I froze.

Anna was already seated in the front car.

I turned to Nolan, my voice caught somewhere between disbelief and exhaustion. “What is happening?”

If Anna was already with him, why did he bother picking me up? Was I supposed to play the fool again?

Nolan leaned in, voice low. “You knew Anna had been staying at my Manor recently. I didn’t plan to bring her tonight. But she saw me getting ready, so…”

Of course good-hearted Nolan couldn’t say no to poor, helpless Anna. And now she was riding in the first car, like she was the guest he’d personally chosen to bring to the party.

Riven stuck his head out of the window. “I’m not sitting with the mean queen. Put her in the second car, Nolan.”

Nolan hesitated for a second, then pointed to the car behind the first.

“It’s just a twenty-minute ride. Nothing will go wrong.” He looked at me. “Please?”

The second car was older, a little dingy.

But I didn’t hesitate. I walked over and got in.

It was too late to call my own driver, and Nolan was right—it was only twenty minutes.

What could possibly go wrong?

…

I realized how wrong I was just ten minutes later.

A black car had been following us for a while. At first, I thought I was imagining it. But at every light, every turn, it stayed locked behind the second car like a shadow.

The driver was just about to cross the intersection when the light turned red, so he stopped.

Nolan’s car had already made it past the crosswalk. I reached for my phone, wanting to tell him to wait—just to stay close, in case.

But Nolan didn’t answer.

That’s when the black car pulled up beside us. A man rolled down the back window.

I saw a mask—then the glint of a gun. Before I could move, the shot rang out. My driver slumped forward, blood blooming across his shirt.

And Nolan’s car? It kept going. No brakes. No turning back. Not even a pause. Just… gone.

I scrambled for my phone, hands shaking, breath caught in my throat. I didn’t even manage to dial before another shot cracked the air.

I ducked on instinct, but the bullet still tore through my shoulder, slicing just beneath the collarbone. The pain was instant—blinding—a white-hot burn that knocked the breath from my lungs.

Just when I thought it might be the end, I heard it—shouting, the thud of fists, the sound of a struggle.

Then... silence.

A second later, the handle on my door was yanked open. Light spilled through the crack.

“Please, don’t hurt me!”

“It’s okay now.” A man stood there, silhouetted against the glow of streetlights. He extended a hand toward me. “Are you hurt? The gunman’s been taken care of. You’re safe.”

I hesitated, still curled beneath the seat. But when I reached up, his hand was warm and strong.

He pulled me out gently.

I blinked against the light, and that’s when I saw him clearly—sharp jawline, slicked-back hair, a perfectly tailored black suit. And those eyes, blue, striking, but oddly familiar.

“Thank you…” I murmured, glancing at the lifeless body on the ground. The gun still clutched in the man’s limp hand.

If this man hadn’t shown up, I would’ve died in that car today.

“Have we met before?” I asked, reluctant.

There was something about him—something familiar I couldn’t place. I’d seen him before. I was sure of it.

But every time I tried to remember, pain lanced through my skull, sharp and blinding.

“Thank you for saving me. I’m Astra Quinn. What’s your name?” I asked again, steadier this time.

He smiled faintly and shook his head. “Not important right now. Let’s get you to a hospital.”

The mention of it brought everything back at once.

The adrenaline drained from my body, and the pain came rushing in—hot and raw, blooming from my shoulder like fire.

I staggered slightly.

He caught me. “I’ve got you,” he said softly

Astra’s POV

I’d been in the hospital for two days.

Luckily, the bullet hadn’t hit anything vital. It didn’t go in deep, either. A few stitches, some pain meds, and I was sent home to rest.

I postponed the moving company and decided to stay a few more days.

This morning, I was curled up on the sofa, reading in the living room when a sharp knock rattled the front door.

I pulled the door open—and there stood Nolan and Riven on the porch.

“Astra,” Nolan snapped, “do you have any idea how humiliated I was at my mother’s party? I told everyone, especially my mother, that you were coming, and you just—disappeared. Was that your way of punishing me for letting Anna ride with me?”

Riven chimed in, voice dripping with contempt. “Classic Astra. Our Quinn princess. So self-absorbed it kills her to see someone else get attention. News flash—I don’t like selfish people either.”

Neither of them seemed noticed the bandage on my shoulder.

But I was done staying silent.

“I got shot, Nolan.” My voice was flat. “If you gave a damn about me, maybe you would’ve noticed that the second car was being followed. And Riven—your commentary is getting old. Being blind and arrogant isn’t any better than being selfish.”

They both froze.

Nolan’s face paled. “What? You—you got shot? Why didn’t you call me?” He stepped toward me, reaching for the bandage like he still had the right to touch me.

Riven flushed red. “Fuck, I am sorry. I didn’t knew…You should’ve told us. I really didn’t know…”

I turned and walked back to the sofa without another word.

…

They didn’t leave.

For the rest of the day, Nolan and Riven hovered around me like shadows. Nolan kept bringing me water and peeled fruit, asking if I was too cold, too hot, in pain. Riven paced the kitchen, calling chefs and arranging dinner.

“Astra, is the water too cold? I can warm it,” Nolan said.

“Astra, the chef’s on his way. He can do Spanish or Chinese. What do you want?” Riven added.

I didn’t answer either of them. Because the truth was—they hadn’t even noticed I was gone for two whole days. And now they were here, throwing guilt, offering food, acting like nothing had happened.

But something did happen—I was nearly killed twice. And now, nothing they say or do will ever make me see them the same way again.

If I’m being honest, everything they did now just felt like noise—a heavy, unwelcome weight I no longer cared to carry.

“You two can leave now,” I said calmly. “I’m not Anna—I don’t need two men hovering around like I’ll fall apart without you.”

“Astra, don’t be like this…” Nolan dropped to his knees. I didn’t even look at him.

Riven stepped in, frowning. “I know I haven’t been the best friend lately. But even you have to admit—you’ve been a little hard on Anna. I was just standing up for her.”

I laughed, “Hard on her? Which one of your eyes saw me lay a hand on her, Riven? Every word you’ve ever ‘known’ came from someone else’s mouth. If we’re talking about bullying—letting me be taken by my family’s rival gang and watching it happen in silence? That’s bullying.”

The room fell quiet.

Nolan looked away. Riven’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t say another word back.

Still, they didn’t leave.

They lingered like ghosts—setting tea on the table, fluffing pillows, following me with their eyes whenever I so much as stood up from the sofa.

…

Riven had brought in a chef from a Michelin-starred kitchen, after all. Food was delicious. And I wasn’t about to punish myself by skipping the meal—so I let myself enjoy it instead.

I was just finishing dessert when the doorbell rang again.

I didn’t need to guess. There was only one possibility.

“Hey, Astra,” Anna’s voice chimed as the door opened, too sweet, too on time. “I hope I’m not disturbing anything. Nolan texted me… said you were injured. So I thought I’d stop by.”

“Astra,” she said, sliding into a seat, “how are you feeling?”

“Good until I saw you.”

She let out a small, awkward laugh. “I wasn’t going to come by. I know you probably don’t want to see me—”

“Don’t say things like that,” Nolan cut in smoothly, already at her side. “None of us would ever turn you away. Astra was just joking.”

“That’s right,” Riven added. “Don’t be silly.”

I didn’t say another word, just looked at Anna.

She looked right back.

I raised an eyebrow. Anna didn’t flinch. She probably knew I saw through her now—every crocodile tear, every breathless act of innocence.

And yet she blinked those wide, doll-like eyes and said softly, “I guess I was just feeling a little emotional. Tomorrow’s my parents’ death anniversary. I didn’t want to be alone.”

Riven was the first to react, patting her back like she was made of glass.

Nolan stood and walked to her side. “You’re not alone, Anna,” he said softly. “Stay here tonight—so the four of us can be together.”

Anna turned to him. “Can I?”

Nolan smiled. “Of course.”

Then Nolan looked at me, eyebrows drawn—a silent cue for me to say yes.

I stayed quiet, ignoring him.

The tension thickened. And just before it could snap, the doorbell rang again.

This was unusual. I didn’t usually get this many guests in a week, let alone in one evening.

Riven went to answer it. A moment later, he returned, carrying a large, elegant box.

“This was just delivered,” he said. “For you, Astra.”

He placed it on the table.

I opened it without thinking.

Inside was a silver lace wedding gown. Delicate. Exquisite. Lying beneath it, a brilliant diamond necklace. On top of everything, a small card, handwritten in neat, masculine script:

You look good in silver. —Silas Monroe

My breath caught.

Silver. The dress I wore the night I was saved. That man… the one who pulled me from the wreckage, who said I was safe now.

Could it be? Could he be the fiancé I’d never met?

What were the odds?

Nolan leaned over, his voice wary. “Is this… a wedding dress?”

Riven stepped closer. “Why would someone send you a wedding dress?”

I lifted the gown and held it up to myself, smiling faintly. “For a wedding, of course.”

They both stared. “A wedding?” they echoed.

Nolan lost his composure for the first time all night. He grabbed my wrist, forcing me to face him, “What wedding?” he demanded. “What are you talking about, Astra?”