Page 8 of King of Pride

Rose placed the empty martini glass on the counter and pressed a hand against her chest.

It wasn’t only the fact that Ivan didn’t love her that hurt. She could have accepted that, eventually. What hurt even more was realizing that the relationship she had believed in so completely might never have meant to him what it had meant to her.

She had dreamed of a happily ever after with Ivan. He had been her crush for so long that when he finally proposed to her, she had believed she was getting the life she had always dreamed about.

Their families knew about their relationship. Everyone knew they were planning to get married. Their businesses had even started working together, and her father was already involved.

Everything in their lives had become intertwined.

They had been only a few months away from marriage.

And now, in a matter of hours, Rose was realizing that the future she had spent so much time imagining could disappear as if it had never existed.

The life she had pictured with Ivan had shattered before her eyes, just like the snow globe she had broken earlier that day.

Zoe immediately stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Rose.

Rose let out a shaky breath and clung tightly to her. She was already a bit drunk.

“I’ve never had sex!” she said, shaking her head. “My dad is so strict. He wouldn’t let me get close to anyone. How can I be in my twenties and still have no love life?”

She let out a frustrated sigh.

“And now, when I finally thought I was going to kiss someone for the first time, it turns out he’s still hung up on his ex. How can life be this unfair?”

She shook her head again, still unable to make sense of it.

“I thought that if you loved someone, they would eventually fall in love with you too.” Her voice softened. “But I guess that’s not how it works. You can love someone with everything you have, and they still might not love you the same way.”

She looked at Zoe, genuine confusion written across her tear-streaked face.

“How is that even possible? I thought…” She paused, struggling to put her feelings into words. “I thought love was supposed to be simple. If you love someone, they love you back. But it doesn’t work that way.”

Her gaze dropped to the floor.

“Why didn’t it happen for me?”

Zoe forced a small, reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to find you someone better. Someone who’ll make you forget all about that asshole.”

Rose gave a weak nod.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I don’t want to think about him anymore.”

Her eyes were swollen and red from crying.

Zoe’s expression hardened as she looked at her. She placed both hands gently on Rose’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry about anything. Just sit here and have another drink. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Rose looked at her through tear-filled eyes and nodded.

Zoe gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze before turning and walking away.

The moment Zoe disappeared into the crowd, Rose leaned against the bar and reached for another martini. She stared down at the glass for a moment, then took a slow sip.

Meanwhile, Zoe pushed her way through the crowd, her anger growing with every step. She scanned the room, searching for one person.