The Price of Loving You

Kaia Erin Evans had always sworn she'd never fall for someone like her father-a man who played with hearts, a cheater who left a trail of broken trust. For her, there was no dignity in toying with feelings. *Why start something if you can't commit to it?* That was her rule, her shield.

But that conviction wavered the moment she met Chadrick Gavin Wickham. She felt herself falling, powerless against it, every time she saw him. She was drawn to him, even knowing he was everything she vowed to avoid. Chadrick was a playboy, yet somehow, he was the exception.

She chose him-time and again, she chose him-knowing deep down she was just a convenient distraction, a temporary place for his restless heart. She clung to him, hoping he'd eventually see her worth, hoping he'd realize she was different from all the others. But for Chadrick, she was nothing more than a comfort, a rebound he'd use and forget. She gave him everything she had, but he couldn't see it; he only saw what was missing, and it wasn't her.

In the end, he left her. No grand goodbye, no explanation, just the painful truth: he couldn't love her the way she loved him. He couldn't see her worth, because his heart was somewhere else-somewhere she would never reach.

Now, Kaia stands at a crossroads. *How far is she willing to go for him? How much of herself is she willing to lose?* Should she let him go, giving him the freedom to find happiness, even if it's not with her? Or keep hoping he'll realize what he had before it's too late?

It's a choice between her own heart and the love she can never have.