Early August 2029 cast a hazy glow over Montclair, New Jersey, the summer air sticky as I sat on my apartment’s balcony, nursing a coffee, my nurse’s scrubs folded inside after a late shift at Valley Hospital. Days had passed since Justin’s confession about his 2027 Paris affair with Sophie, a French investor, the words It was one night, a mistake still cutting deep. The TMZ headline—Justin Drake’s Paris Fling Revealed! Kayla Reed’s New Home Drama!—had unleashed a storm of X posts: “Kayla’s stuck with a cheater!” and “Drake’s secrets ruin Montclair love nest!” My jet-black hair was tied in a practical bob, my plus-sized curves in a loose tank and shorts, a silver bracelet my only adornment. The sapphire engagement ring remained on my nightstand, the necklace locked in a jewelry box—a choic
