Old Friends, New Future

Riley

The first thing I hear when I wake up is the buzzing of my phone. It's insistent, vibrating against the bedside table like it's possessed. I groan, dragging myself out of sleep and reaching for it without even opening my eyes. 

My head is pounding, and my throat feels tight. Too many thoughts, too many emotions swirling around after what I did last night.

When I finally manage to open my eyes, I squint at the screen, only to see an avalanche of notifications. Missed calls, texts, emails—there are so many that my phone is practically on fire.

Callum's name is all over my screen. 234 missed calls. 85 messages.

I sit up straight in bed, my heart racing. What the hell? Why is he blowing up my phone now? I scroll through the missed calls, and sure enough, they're all from Callum, except for a few from unknown numbers, which I'm willing to bet are Bianca's. She's been his shadow for so long, I wouldn't be surprised if she's behind some of this.

I swipe past all of it, ignoring the texts for now. There's nothing they could say that would change anything. I made my decision. I walked out. And now, for the first time in years, I feel like I can breathe.

But it's not just Callum and Bianca. A name catches my eye that makes my breath hitch.

Lea.

I blink, staring at the screen like I've misread it. But it's there. Three missed calls. Seven texts. 

The last time I spoke to Lea was over a year ago in this timeline. She was my best friend, the person I could always count on—until I didn't listen to her. She tried to warn me about Callum and Bianca, but I was too caught up in the mess to see the truth. She walked away because she couldn't stand by and watch me self-destruct, and I didn't blame her.

But seeing her name now, after everything, it hits me like a freight train. My chest tightens as I open the first text.

Lea: Holy shit, Riley. I saw the pictures from last night. Callum must be losing his mind. Are you okay? Call me.

Another message.

Lea: I'm serious, Riley. I want to talk. I'm here for you.

And then the last one.

Lea: I missed you. Call me when you're ready.

My chest tightens, and before I know it, tears are streaming down my face. I press the phone to my forehead, trying to get a grip, but it's no use. The sobs come fast, the memory of everything crashing down on me. 

All the years I spent isolated, trapped in a relationship I didn't even want, stuck with people who didn't care about me. And all along, Lea was right. She tried to pull me out, but I was too stupid to listen.

Now she's reaching out to me, and it feels like I've been given a second chance—not just to rebuild my life, but to get my best friend back. The tears won't stop, and I sit there, letting them fall, feeling the release of everything I've been holding in for so long.

I don't think, I just hit Call on her number. It rings once, twice, and then she picks up.

"Riley?" Lea's voice comes through the phone, tentative, cautious, like she's not sure what to expect.

I take a shaky breath, trying to steady my voice. "Lea, I—God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"

There's silence on the other end for a moment, and I hold my breath, waiting. Then she sighs, and it sounds like she's trying not to cry, too. "Riley, it's okay. You don't have to apologize."

"I should've listened to you," I say, wiping my eyes. "I should've seen what was happening with Callum, but I didn't. I just—"

"Stop," she cuts me off gently. "I don't want to talk about the past. I just want to know that you're okay."

I choke back another sob. "I'm okay now. I left him. I'm done with all of it."

There's a pause, and then I hear Lea laughing softly, like she's relieved. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear you say that."

A tearful laugh escapes me. "Yeah, well, I finally came to my senses."

"You always were a little stubborn," she teases, her voice lighter now. "But I'm proud of you, Riles. You did the right thing."

I nod, even though she can't see me. "I just … I missed you. And I'm sorry for how things ended between us."

"I missed you too," she says softly. "But hey, we're here now, right? Let's move forward."

"Yeah," I whisper, a fresh wave of relief washing over me. "Let's."

A fresh wave of tears threatens to spill over, but this time it's not from sadness—it's from the overwhelming relief of hearing her voice, of knowing she's still there. "Can we … can we meet up? I need to see you."

Lea doesn't hesitate. "Of course. How about lunch? My treat."

A small smile tugs at my lips. "You don't have to—"

"I insist," she says firmly. "Besides, I want all the details. I can't believe you actually walked out on Callum in front of everyone. He must be fuming."

I laugh softly, the sound shaky but real. "You'll get every detail. I promise."

"Good. Let's meet at one of our old spots? Maybe Margot's? I could go for a good cocktail and pasta."

"Perfect," I agree, already feeling lighter at the thought. "I'll see you there."

After we hang up, I sit there for a moment, staring at my phone, my heart still pounding in my chest. I can't believe it—after everything, I have my friend back. 

I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath. There's so much to deal with right now, but I can't sit here forever. I need to get ready. I need to face the world again, and this time, I'm doing it on my terms.

I climb out of bed and walk toward my closet, already knowing what I want. I'm done hiding. I'm done pretending to be someone I'm not. No more demure dresses, no more playing the perfect, quiet little heiress. 

I want to feel powerful. I want to feel like me again.

My fingers stop on a deep emerald green dress: silk, with a low neckline and a slit up the side. Sexy. Confident. Exactly what I need to wear today. I never would've worn something like this around Callum—he preferred me in more "appropriate" attire. But he's not here anymore, and I'm not dressing for him.

I slip into the dress, the expensive fabric hugging my curves in all the right places. When I look in the mirror again, I see a woman ready to take on the world. My hair falls in loose waves around my shoulders, and I apply just enough makeup to make my features pop without overdoing it—bold eyeliner, red lipstick. Callum always hated when I wore bold colors, said it was too much, too distracting.

Good.

I fasten a pair of gold earrings, grab my purse, and slip into a pair of sleek black heels. Today, I'm not shrinking for anyone. Not Callum, not Bianca, not the world.

Before I leave, I glance at my phone again, and sure enough, there's another message from Callum. I don't even bother reading it. I know what it will say—empty apologies, attempts to manipulate me into coming back. It's not happening. I swipe away the notification and head out the door.

Margot's is already buzzing with people when I arrive, but I spot Lea right away. She's sitting at a small table near the back, her blonde hair pulled into a loose bun, her face lighting up when she sees me. 

I haven't seen her in years, but the moment I do, it's like no time has passed at all. She jumps up from her chair and rushes over, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"God, I missed you!" she says, her voice muffled against my shoulder.

"I missed you too," I whisper, hugging her back just as tightly.

When we finally pull away, she gives me an appreciative once-over, raising an eyebrow. "Well, damn. Look at you."

I laugh, feeling a little self-conscious but also … proud. "I figured it was time for a change."

Lea grins. "Hell yes. You look amazing."

"So do you," I reply, meaning it. She's glowing in a way I haven't seen in years.

We sit down, and for a moment, we're both quiet, just smiling at each other. It feels good —right— to be sitting here with her again. Like the last year of silence never happened.

"So," she says, leaning in, "tell me everything."

I laugh, shaking my head. "Where do I even start?"

"Start with last night," Lea says, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "I heard about the engagement party. Or should I say the non-engagement party?"

I roll my eyes, but I can't help but smile. "Yeah, that was … something. I walked out. Literally in the middle of Callum's speech about marrying me. Then I threw my ring at him and walked out."

Lea's jaw drops, and she lets out a laugh of disbelief. "You did not."

"Oh, I did. Right in front of everyone."

She shakes her head, grinning. "I'm proud of you, Riley. Seriously. That takes guts."

"It felt good," I admit, leaning back in my chair. "Better than anything I've done in years."

"I'm proud of you," Lea says again, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "You deserve better than what Callum gave you. I knew he was bad news the second I met him."

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I should've listened to you."

"Well, you did in the end, and that's what matters. Plus, now you've got me back," she says, grinning. "I'm not going anywhere."

I smile, the warmth of her words spreading through me. "I'm glad."

We spend the rest of the lunch catching up, laughing about old times and making plans for the future. For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel like myself again. Not Callum's fiancée. Not the quiet heiress. Just Riley.

As we finish our drinks and get ready to leave, Lea gives me a knowing look. "So … what's next? You walked out on Callum. What's your plan now?"

I smile, feeling the rush of excitement build in my chest. "I have a few ideas," I say cryptically. "But first, I'm going to take back what's mine."

Lea raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "You mean your father's company?"

"And everything else Callum tried to steal from me," I say, my voice firm. "He thought I'd be his perfect little accessory, but he was wrong. I'm done playing nice."

Lea grins. "Now that's the Riley I know."

She's wrong, though. She doesn't know this Riley: this Riley makes deals in dark, upscale bars with men she would never have looked twice at. But I'm not about to tell her that.

Everyone will find out soon enough that I cannot be crossed, not when I'm on the arm of Damien Frost.