The air in the bedroom was thick with unspoken anticipation, the only sound the rhythmic spray of the shower from the ensuite bathroom. Larisa, her heart thrumming with a joyous secret, clutched a small, crisp report to her chest. It was real. After three years, she was finally pregnant. A soft smile bloomed on her face, imagining Ryan's reaction, picturing their future with a child.

Just as Ryan emerged, a towel slung low on his hips, his phone blared, shattering the domestic peace. He moved to the balcony, his voice low and urgent. Larisa watched, a prickle of unease crawling up her spine. It was late. Who could be calling?

He returned, his face pale, his calm exterior replaced by a stark anxiety. “Something important has come up,” he muttered, already changing clothes. Before Larisa could even utter a word of her life-changing news, he was gone, a blur of motion disappearing into the night.

Larisa stood frozen by the door, the unshared joy in her hands turning heavy. It was always like this. She always came last. Hours later, sleep refused to come. Then, a call from Bianca, followed by a news notification. A famous jewelry designer, Ivy Williams, had returned, accompanied by Moonstone City’s most eligible bachelor. The accompanying blurry image confirmed Larisa's worst fear. It was Ryan. His first love was back.