The soft hum of New York City pulsed through the window as Olivia stood before her bathroom mirror, her reflection framed by the lights of the penthouse. The face staring back at her was that of a woman poised on the edge of a choice, but her eyes, those hazel eyes that had once been so full of certainty, were clouded with doubt.
Graham's words echoed in her head—"You don't have to settle, Olivia." He had always been smooth, always so sure of what he wanted. For years, she had wanted the same thing. Fame, fortune, success—she had climbed the ladder and reached the top. But now, standing alone in her extravagant penthouse, all she felt was emptiness.
Her phone buzzed again. She knew who it was before she even looked—Jack. Another text, another message that chipped away at her defenses. His words were simple, unpretentious. He wasn't trying to convince her of anything. He just cared.
"Dinner tomorrow?" Graham's voice echoed in her mind as well. He had stood so close to her tonight, like the years between them hadn't existed. He had leaned in, kissed her cheek just before they'd said goodbye, his lips grazing her skin with a familiarity that had once sent sparks through her. But tonight, there had been no spark. Just a sense of something slipping away.
Her phone lit up again. This time, it wasn't a text from Jack. It was a photo on her social media feed.
There was Graham—standing next to a woman she recognized instantly. Sabrina Calloway, one of the most famous models of their time. Stunning, powerful, and always in the limelight. She was everything Olivia used to strive to be. In the photo, Graham had his arm around Sabrina, his smile wide, Sabrina leaning into him like they had shared more than just a moment.
A knot formed in Olivia's stomach as she stared at the image. Sabrina had been her rival in the modeling world—always competing for the same covers, the same runways, the same men. And now, here she was, draped over Graham like she owned him. Had this dinner tonight been Graham's way of testing the waters? Did he want Olivia back, or was he simply playing with her like he had done so many times before?
A knock at the door pulled Olivia out of her thoughts.
She wasn't expecting anyone. Her heart thudded as she moved toward the door, the uncertainty of the moment suddenly heavy in the air. She opened it cautiously, and standing there, framed in the doorway, was Sabrina Calloway herself.
"Sabrina," Olivia's voice came out sharper than she intended, a mix of surprise and suspicion. "What are you doing here?"
Sabrina's red lips curled into a smile, though there was a glint of something sharper in her gaze. "I came to see you, Olivia. I think we need to talk."
The two women sat across from each other in Olivia's spacious living room, the air thick with tension. Sabrina's polished appearance—her sleek black dress, her perfect waves of blonde hair—was a stark contrast to Olivia's disheveled state of mind.
"What do we need to talk about?" Olivia asked, keeping her voice steady.
Sabrina crossed her legs, her movements deliberate, like she was taking control of the room. "Graham."
Of course, it was Graham. It always came back to him.
"I saw the photo," Olivia said before Sabrina could continue. "If you're here to rub it in, don't bother. Graham and I are just—"
"I'm not here to gloat," Sabrina interrupted smoothly, her eyes gleaming with something Olivia couldn't quite place. "I'm here to tell you that he's mine."
Olivia blinked, taken aback by the bluntness of Sabrina's words. "Excuse me?"
Sabrina leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I've known Graham for years, Olivia. We've had our… moments. But this time, it's different. He's serious about me. And I'm not going to let anyone get in the way of that."
Olivia felt a coldness seep into her chest. So that's what this was—a warning. Sabrina was staking her claim, and Graham, ever the charming manipulator, had let both women believe they had a chance with him.
"You're telling me this because…?" Olivia asked, trying to keep her emotions in check.
Sabrina's smile widened, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Because I know you still care about him. I can see it in the way you look at him. But Graham—he's not the man you think he is anymore. He's made his choice. And it's not you."
The words hung in the air like poison, sinking into Olivia's skin. Her mind flashed back to their dinner, to the way Graham had held her hand, spoken of their past with a tenderness she had almost believed. And yet, here was Sabrina, claiming him as her own, daring Olivia to challenge her.
"And you believe him?" Olivia said, her voice colder now. "You believe Graham when he says he's serious about you?"
Sabrina raised an eyebrow, unperturbed. "I do. But this isn't about trust, Olivia. This is about reality. Graham and I—we're a good fit. We're both from this world. We both know how to play the game. You, on the other hand… You don't belong here anymore. Not really."
The words hit harder than Olivia expected. Sabrina's tone was condescending, but there was truth in it. The life Olivia had been living, the world she had once thrived in, felt foreign to her now. Jack had shown her a different way, a life that wasn't defined by cameras and parties, a life where love wasn't just a game to be played.
Olivia stood up abruptly, her heart racing. "I don't know what you and Graham think you're doing, but I'm not interested in playing this game anymore, Sabrina."
Sabrina stood as well, her eyes narrowing. "Then walk away, Olivia. Leave Graham to me, and go back to your cowboy fantasy."
For a moment, Olivia was speechless. Sabrina's words dripped with disdain, as if Jack were nothing more than a passing whim, a man unworthy of the life Olivia had built. But deep down, Olivia knew that wasn't true. Jack had given her something real, something she hadn't found in this glittering, empty world.
And in that moment, Olivia realized that this wasn't just about Graham. It was about her, about who she wanted to be and what kind of life she truly wanted to live.
Olivia met Sabrina's gaze, her voice steady. "I don't have to choose between you and Graham, Sabrina. Because I've already made my choice."
Sabrina blinked, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"
Olivia smiled, a weight lifting from her shoulders. "I'm going back to Wyoming."
Without another word, Olivia walked toward the door, leaving Sabrina standing in the center of her penthouse, stunned. As Olivia stepped into the hallway, the cool air brushing against her skin, she felt something she hadn't felt in weeks—clarity.
She wasn't going to let Graham, or anyone else, control her life. She was choosing love, real love, the kind that didn't come with games or conditions.
And she was going back to Jack.