Updated Nov 23, 2025 • ~11 min read
Friday afternoon, I was deep in design work when Hayley appeared at my desk, expression strange.
“Rose? There’s someone here to see Jeremy. She says it’s urgent.”
“Okay? Why are you telling me?”
“Because she introduced herself as his ex-girlfriend. And she’s stunning. Like, intimidatingly gorgeous.”
My stomach dropped. “Where is she?”
“Conference room. Jeremy’s in there with her now.”
I shouldn’t care. We were technically just dating. He was allowed to have a past.
But I cared. God, I cared.
I walked past the conference room, casual, like I wasn’t being pathetic.
Through the glass walls, I saw her.
Tall. Willowy. Perfect bone structure. Designer everything.
And Jeremy was smiling at her.
Something ugly twisted in my chest.
I returned to my desk, tried to work. Failed spectacularly.
Twenty minutes later, Jeremy emerged with the mystery woman. They walked to the elevator together. She touched his arm. Laughed at something he said.
He didn’t pull away.
I grabbed my phone.
Who is she?
Three minutes passed. Five. Ten.
Finally: Her name is Victoria. We dated after you. It’s not what you think.
What do I think?
That I’m being shady. I’m not. It’s complicated. Can we talk tonight?
I have plans
I didn’t. But I wasn’t about to sit around waiting while he dealt with a gorgeous ex-girlfriend.
Rose, please
I didn’t respond.
Julie called at four. “I heard there was drama. Spill.”
“How did you already hear?”
“Hayley texted me. Apparently Jeremy’s ex showed up looking like a supermodel and you’re spiraling.”
“I’m not spiraling.”
“You’re absolutely spiraling. What happened?”
“Nothing. She came, they talked, she left. End of story.”
“And you’re bothered because…?”
“Because I’m an idiot who’s falling for a man who broke my heart once and might do it again!”
Silence.
Then, gently: “Oh, honey. You’re in deep, aren’t you?”
“I stayed at his place last week. Had breakfast with him this morning. Let him make me believe we could actually work.” My voice cracked. “And the second a beautiful woman shows up, I’m right back to feeling inadequate.”
“Did he do anything wrong?”
“No. That’s the problem. He smiled at her. Was nice. Normal. And I wanted to claw her eyes out.”
“That’s called jealousy. It means you care.”
“I don’t want to care this much!”
“Too late. You already do.” Julie’s voice softened. “Talk to him. Ask who she is. Don’t make assumptions.”
After work, I went home instead of answering Jeremy’s texts.
He showed up at seven anyway.
I opened the door to find him holding Thai food and looking worried.
“I said I had plans.”
“And I’m calling your bluff.” He walked in uninvited. “We’re talking about this.”
“About what? Your beautiful ex-girlfriend showing up at my office?”
“About Victoria. Yes.” He set down the food. “She’s my ex. We dated for eight months, two years ago. It didn’t work out. She moved to New York. Today she’s back in Chicago and wanted to catch up.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“So why did she look at you like she wanted to climb you like a tree?”
His lips twitched. “She looked at me like an ex who maybe regrets letting me go. But Rose, I have zero interest in her. Zero.”
“She’s gorgeous.”
“She’s attractive. You’re stunning. There’s a difference.”
“That’s just semantics.”
“No, it’s really not.” He stepped closer. “Victoria is beautiful the way a painting is beautiful. Nice to look at, but no substance. You’re beautiful the way a sunrise is beautiful—breathtaking, essential, impossible to look away from.”
“That’s quite a line.”
“It’s not a line. It’s the truth.” He cupped my face. “She wanted to get coffee, catch up, maybe explore reconciliation. I told her I’m married. That I’m in love with my wife and trying to fix the biggest mistake of my life. She left.”
“You told her you love me?”
“Of course I did. It’s true.”
The casual certainty undid me.
“What if I’m not enough? What if six months from now you realize Victoria or someone else is easier, better, more—”
“Stop.” His thumbs brushed my cheeks. “You’re spiraling into worst-case scenarios. Let me give you facts instead.”
“Facts?”
“Fact: I love you. Have for ten years, will for the rest of my life. Fact: Victoria is nice but boring. We had nothing in common except convenience. Fact: You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted to build a life with. Fact: I’m not going anywhere.”
“You can’t know that.”
“I can. Because I’ve dated other people. I’ve tried moving on. And every single time, I end up comparing them to you. No one measures up, Rose. No one.”
Tears spilled over. “This is terrifying.”
“I know.” He pulled me into his arms. “But we’re terrified together. That counts for something.”
I buried my face in his chest, breathing him in.
“I’m sorry. For freaking out. For being jealous.”
“Don’t apologize. I like you jealous. Means you care.”
“I hate that I care this much.”
“Liar. You love it. You love feeling something real instead of safe and numb.”
He was right. Damn him.
We ate Thai food on my couch, my jealousy fading into embarrassment.
“I’m being crazy,” I said.
“You’re being human. And for what it’s worth, I’d lose my mind if some ex of yours showed up.”
“Like Charlie?”
“Charlie doesn’t count. He’s too nice to inspire proper jealousy.” Jeremy stole a spring roll. “But if some dangerous ex showed up looking to win you back, I’d absolutely stake my claim.”
“Your claim?”
“Poor word choice. You’re not property. But I’d make it very clear you’re spoken for.”
“Possessive much?”
“When it comes to you? Absolutely.” He didn’t look apologetic. “I lost you once by not fighting. I’m not making that mistake twice.”
The raw honesty made my pulse race.
“What if Victoria hadn’t been in New York? What if she’d been here this whole time?”
“Wouldn’t have mattered. She’s not you, Rose. No one is.”
We watched a movie, curled together on the couch. Halfway through, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
“Hello?”
“Roselyn Greenwood?” A woman’s voice. Clipped. Professional.
“Yes?”
“This is Victoria Hayes. I apologize for the intrusion, but I wanted to reach out directly.”
My blood went cold. “How did you get my number?”
“I’m resourceful. Listen, I know Jeremy told you we’re just old friends, but I thought you should know—we slept together. Three weeks ago.”
The world tilted.
“That’s not true,” I said.
“Isn’t it? Ask him about the Chicago Tech Summit. The hotel bar. Room 1147.” She paused. “I’m not trying to cause problems. I just think you deserve the truth before you get in too deep. He’s charming, I know. But a leopard doesn’t change its spots.”
She hung up.
I sat frozen, phone in hand.
Jeremy looked up. “Who was that?”
“Victoria.”
His expression hardened. “What did she say?”
“That you slept together. Three weeks ago. At the Chicago Tech Summit.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Is it? Because three weeks ago was right before you showed up with those unsigned papers. Interesting timing.”
“Rose, I didn’t—”
“Room 1147. Does that mean anything to you?”
His jaw clenched. “I was at that summit. And yes, I saw Victoria at the hotel bar. We had one drink, I told her I was focusing on getting my wife back, and I left. Alone.”
“She’s very specific about details.”
“She’s lying to break us up!”
“Or you’re lying to keep us together!” I stood, pacing. “How do I know? How do I ever really know you’re telling the truth?”
“Because I’ve been nothing but honest with you!”
“Have you? Or have you just been saying what I want to hear?”
He stood too, frustrated. “What do you want from me? A lie detector test? Character witnesses? Rose, I can’t prove a negative. I can’t prove something didn’t happen.”
“Exactly. So I just have to take your word. Trust you. Again.”
“Yes! That’s what trust is!”
“And look how well that worked out last time!”
We stared at each other, the moment fracturing.
“I need you to leave,” I said.
“Rose—”
“Please. Just go. I need to think.”
He grabbed his jacket. “Fine. But know this—Victoria is lying. And whatever her endgame is, I’m not interested. The only woman I want is you.”
He left.
I sank onto the couch, shaking.
My phone buzzed. Julie.
Hayley just told me about Victoria calling you. Are you okay?
No
Do you believe Jeremy?
That was the question, wasn’t it?
Did I believe the man who’d broken my heart once before? Or the stranger with specific details and no apparent motive to lie?
I don’t know
Want me to come over?
Yes
Julie arrived with wine and righteous fury.
“That bitch called you? How did she even get your number?”
“She said she’s resourceful. Probably looked me up, found my work contact.”
“What exactly did she say?”
I relayed the conversation. Julie listened, expression dark.
“Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to verify her story.”
“How?”
“The summit was three weeks ago, right? Did Jeremy mention being there?”
I thought back. “He mentioned a conference. Didn’t specify which.”
“And did he seem off around that time? Different?”
“He was… persistent. Started the whole ‘I never signed the papers’ thing right after.”
“Which could mean he saw Victoria, realized he didn’t want her, and came for you instead.” Julie pulled out her laptop. “Or it could mean he’s playing both of you. Let’s find out.”
She pulled up the summit schedule, attendee lists, hotel records.
“Jeremy Patterson gave the keynote. Morning of day two.” She scrolled. “Victoria Hayes was a panelist on emerging tech. Afternoon of day one.”
“So they were both there.”
“Timing doesn’t prove anything though.” Julie kept searching. “Wait. Look at this.”
She turned the screen. A photo from the summit’s social media. Jeremy at the hotel bar. Alone. Timestamp: 11:47 p.m.
“Victoria said they met at the hotel bar,” Julie said. “If they’d been together, there’d be photos. This event was crawling with people posting everything.”
Hope flickered. “Maybe they were careful.”
“Or maybe she’s lying.” Julie pulled up more photos. “Look. Here’s Victoria. Same night, different bar across town. Posted at midnight.”
I stared at the evidence.
“She’s lying,” Julie said firmly. “I don’t know why, but she is.”
My phone buzzed. Jeremy.
I know you don’t believe me. So I’m sending proof. Check your email.
I pulled it up. A screenshot of his calendar from three weeks ago. The summit keynote. Meetings. And at 9 p.m.: “Dinner with Roselyn’s lawyer – discuss papers.”
Below that, a credit card statement. Charge at a restaurant across town from the summit hotel. Same night. Same time Victoria claimed they’d been together.
And a text chain with Kimberly Fielding, my lawyer, confirming dinner plans.
“He’s got receipts,” Julie said, reading over my shoulder.
“He could have faked these.”
“Could have. But did he?” She squeezed my hand. “Rose, you have to decide. Do you trust him or not? Because if you don’t, these six months are pointless.”
I stared at the evidence. At the man who’d been showing up, doing the work, proving he’d changed.
Or at least, proving he knew how to look like he’d changed.
Why would Victoria lie? I texted.
Because she wants me back and knows the best way to get me is to make you doubt us. Don’t let her win.
How do I know you’re not lying?
You don’t. You trust. Or you don’t. But Rose, I swear on everything—I did not sleep with her. I have zero interest in anyone except you.
I looked at Julie. “What do I do?”
“That’s not my call. But ask yourself—what does your gut say?”
I closed my eyes. Thought about the museum date, the breakfast, the way he looked at me like I was his whole world.
Either he was the world’s best liar, or he was telling the truth.
I had to choose which to believe.
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