Page 11 of The Most Perfect Wrong

I get up and open the curtains, letting the light trickle in. My eyes scan the room for her belongings, hoping maybe she just ran to grab coffee or use the bathroom, but everything’s gone. Purse, clothes—gone. She left.Seriously? Not even a goodbye?A weird mix of disappointment and confusion settles in. What the hell did I expect?

“Dammit,” I mutter under my breath. She’s gone, and the message is loud and clear: it was a one-night stand, and that’s all it was.

I step into the shower, the hot water pounding against my skin, waking me up—but it does nothing to wash away the thoughts at the back of my mind.Did I fuck up somehow? Was she not into it?No, she was definitely into it. That was some of the best sex I’ve ever had. It wasn’t just about that, though. I had fun—she had fun. I know she did. We talked, we laughed, we played… Dammit, I guess it was exactly what it was supposed to be. No strings.

As I towel off and get dressed, the confusion turns to frustration. I sit on the edge of the bed, ready to dive into some work emails to distract myself, but my phone rings. It’s Beth.

Shit.I send it to voicemail and toss the phone aside, the weight of it sitting heavy on my chest. My throat tightens, and I can’t quite shake the gnawing guilt creeping in. Why the hell would I feel guilty?

Images of last night flood my mind: Cooper’s lips on mine, her naked body pressed against me, and those sounds she made—fuck. But then Beth’s voice creeps in. Her laughter, her smile, all the moments we’ve shared over the past ten years. Last night with Cooper was intoxicating, but Beth’s presence feels like home. She knows me better than anyone.

I rub my forehead, trying to push it all down. Whatever I felt for Cooper no longer matters. She’s gone.

My phone dings with a voicemail. Beth again.Jesus. I play it, just to get rid of the notification.

“Hey… it’s me. Um…” There’s a long pause, followed by a sniffle. “Ryan…” her voice breaks. “I need to talk to you.” Her voice quivers. “It’s important. Call me back.”

Chapter 4

COOPER

September — Chicago, IL

Six Months Later

“Hey, do you remember Genevieve from my sorority?”

“Yeah… vaguely.” Brad leans against the kitchen countertop, folding his arms. He’s shirtless, and while he’s always been lean and in decent shape, he’s been getting up early to hit the gym before work, and it’s starting to show. His abs are more defined, his pecs are filling out, and his shirts have begun to hug his arms a little tighter. He looks good—really good. I can’t help but admire his physique, the way his muscles move subtly with each breath.

“Well, she reached out last week about a job opportunity. She’s a talent acquisition and development manager for a large tech company. They own a smaller company that’s growing fast, and they’re looking for a Project Manager. It sounded like a great opportunity, so I met her for coffee yesterday to hear more about it.” I pause, feeling a flutter of excitement. “And, Brad, it really is a great opportunity. It seems almost too good to be true. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Okay… but what about my brother? You wouldn’t leave him high and dry, right?” Brad looks at me skeptically. “You don’t need to stress about making more money or moving up the ladder, baby. I’m on track to make partner in the next year or two, and you won’t even have to work a single day when we havekids.” He shrugs. “Why would you want to put yourself through the hassle of learning a new job when you just don’t need to?”

“It’s not about the money, babe. And I would never leave Mike high and dry if I got the job. I’d give him plenty of notice and help find a replacement.” I keep my voice steady, but there’s a slight edge to it now. “The pay is really good. I know we don’t need it, but it would make a big difference.”Wedon’t need the pay, butIdo.

Brad sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “I just don’t see why you have to go and complicate shit. Things are really good right now. You get a new job, and all of a sudden you’re working more, trying to prove yourself at a new company. The stress will pile on, and pretty soon we’ll never see each other. Not to mention, it’ll be awkward as hell with Mike.”

Well, Iwasturned on by Brad being shirtless—until he opened his mouth. Why does he always make me feel like I’m being ridiculous? I know his concern for Mike is valid. Mike’s been supportive and has provided me with great opportunities over the past few years, but people move on all the time in the workforce. He might stress about me leaving, but he’ll be fine—he’ll get over it.

God, for a moment, I thought I could be excited about something. But sitting here, watching him dismiss my ambition like it’s a passing phase, I feel the excitement draining away. I glance down at the engagement ring on my finger. It’s pretty—a beautiful ring. I couldn’t have picked out a better one myself. Brad knows me well, and I know he loves me—at least in his own way.

Brad proposed three months ago. It was perfect, of course. Everything Brad does is well-thought-out and executed flawlessly. From the morning bike ride to the rooftop champagne, every detail was meticulously planned. We’d been in a pretty good place then. We tend to have our moments ofgood and bad, just like every couple. But lately, there’s been a little more friction, which is making our engagement feel more like a distant memory than the life I’m actually living.

“Why are you just assuming the worst here? This isn’t about you or Mike; this is about me. I have a degree, aspirations… goals. I like working. What else would I do all day? And you’re gone anyway, so who cares if I decide to work more?”

“Oh, great, now you’re going to turn this back on me about how I’m not a good enough boyfriend.”

“No, that’s not what I’m doing,” I reply, my voice tight with frustration. “I think you’re a great boyfriend, and I love you. I know making partner is important to you, and I’ve tried to be really supportive of that.”God, here we go.Somehow, he always manages to twist things around—make it about him.

He rolls his eyes, turning away as he starts rummaging through the kitchen cabinets for his protein shake powder. “So, what did you tell her?” he asks, his voice clipped.

I hesitate.Do I just lie?“I told her I was interested, and she asked me to come by tomorrow for an interview. The place sounds really cool. It’s one of those workplaces where they rent out space, and it’s all open concept. The building is called Elemental WorkHub. You can work in shared spaces, on a couch, or in the café. There’s a gym, a wellness area, a coffee shop—and it’s all included for anyone who works there. It seems really chill. No dress code, flexible hours, as long as you get your work done. It doesn’t sound like it’d be stressful… maybe just at the beginning, while I’m learning the ropes.”

“Sounds like you’ve already made up your mind. Do what you want—you don’t care what I think anyway.”

Fucking dick.

I blink back tears of disappointment. What did I expect?

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