Page 13 of Rush

“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but photos dropped this morning of Alexander and Madison—and they are...cozy. Hand-holding and laughing at a trendy cafe.”

My mouth dries. My pulse surges. The shattered pieces of my heart are pulverized into dust.

Riley lets out a sharp gasp, but I turn away from her, keeping my phone in hand.

“That’s not all,” Kylie adds. “His people released a statement confirming it,he and Madison are officially an item—a happy family.”

My throat closes. I curl forward, ribs tight like I’ve been winded.

He chose her after all, after he assured me he wouldn’t.

“Elena,” Kylie says gently. “I wanted to tell you before you saw it online.”

I nod, even though she can’t see me. “Okay...thanks.”

“There is a silver lining,” Kylie adds. “The surrounding buzz is actuallypushingpeople to your album. They’re eating this drama up—calling it ‘the heartbreak album of the year.’ The label’s thrilled.”

Of course they were—nothing like my public humiliation to sell records.

I should be happy, shouldn’t I? This is what I wanted. Sales mean success. Buzz means I did something right—worked hard enough.

But why does it feel hollow, like I’m riding the coattails ofhisscandal instead of my work speaking for itself?

Did I even earn this?

“That’s...great,” I manage to say, though my voice sounds flat.

“Hey, this album is yours.Youearned this. Don’t let his shit steal this from you, okay?”

Even though she tries her best to reassure me, it doesn’t quite land.

It’s her job to gas me up—it’s what she’s paid to do.

I press my palm to my chest, clawing at the fabric of my shirt, feeling the fibers bite into my skin.

Of course. My pain was marketable.

I close my eyes, forcing a deep breath. “Yeah. Okay.”

“Call me if you need anything, alright?”

“Thanks, Kylie.”

I hang up, clutching my phone in my hand, feeling it dig into my skin.

I let out a ragged cry. Sobbing into the fabric of my shirt, sharp gasps, until the tears dry tight on my skin.

Riley silently rakes her fingers through my hair, brushing out the knots while I fall apart.

Chapter 2

Back To Black

Days pass since Alex ended things. Days since the news about him and Madison broke. I can’t leave the house—can’t leave the solace of this couch. My limbs ache from how long I’ve been curled up here, like my bones are fusing into the cushions.

I haven’t eaten much. I sleep the hours away in sheets that still smell like him.

Riley comes and goes for work, giving me the space I need to process everything that happened.