His Love, Her Sin

Prologue

One Year Ago – Elara’s POV

I should have walked away the first time he lied.

But love makes you do stupid things—like stay. Like hope. Like forgive when you shouldn’t.

Jace stood in the doorway, shirt unbuttoned, collar wet from the rain. His hair clung to his forehead, and his eyes, reckless, golden eyes, looked anything but guilty.

“You’re not even going to let me explain?” he asked, his voice raw.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat burned from holding it for too long.

“Nothing is going on between me and her,” he said, stepping inside. She kissed me. That’s it.”

I swallowed hard. “I saw the photo, Jace. You weren’t pulling away.”

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing like he was the one exhausted. “You don’t trust me.”

“I did,” I whispered. “I trusted you so much, I stopped trusting myself.”

Silence stretched between us.

“You’re really leaving?” His voice cracked.

I looked around the apartment we once made feel like home. The coffee mug still on the counter. My books in the corner. His jacket was draped over the couch.

I nodded.

“I didn’t sleep with her, Elara. I swear on everything.”

“I believe you,” I said quietly.

That stunned him. “Then why?”

“Because even if you didn’t cheat with your body, you cheated with your heart,” I said. “You stopped being mine a long time ago, Jace." I just refused to see it.”

And I walked away.

Not because I hated him.

But love wasn’t supposed to feel like a competition.