During a narcotics bust, my mom was taken hostage while protecting a civilian. The bastards livestreamed the whole thing on the dark web. “Ten minutes! If I don’t walk out of here, I’ll slit her throat!” I frantically dialed Nolan’s number. He was my mom’s protégé, the rookie she’d personally trained and promoted to detective. He was also the closest officer to the scene, the only one who could reach her in time. He finally picked up. My voice came out raw. “Nolan, get to the address I sent you! You’re the only one who can save my mom right now!” “Is this your new trick to get my attention? I’m so sick of your constant jealousy.” He laughed, cutting me off. A dog barked in the background, followed by a cloyingly sweet female voice. “Nolan, you’re using way too much doggie shampoo!” “I just talked to Captain Monroe yesterday. She filed her retirement paperwork. She’s not in any danger. Stop making things up and grow up, Harper.” He hung up. The countdown hit thirty seconds. I called again and again. He blocked me. My phone buzzed with a text from Stella: Your boyfriend’s helping me give my baby a bath. Don’t worry, we’re just friends. No need to keep checking up on him. The attached photo showed her and Nolan laughing, covered in soap suds, bathing a golden retriever. They looked like a couple in a goddamn laundry detergent commercial. On my screen, the livestream showed my mother’s throat being sliced open. She collapsed, eyes wide, staring directly at the camera. My phone slipped from my hand. Something inside me died with her. ……………………… The police brought my mother’s body back. At the funeral, one of her old colleagues came up to me. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Captain Monroe was the finest officer this department has ever seen. She solved countless cases, and she was protecting the city. She’s a hero.” His voice cracked. He hesitated, like he wanted to say more but couldn’t. I knew what he was thinking. Everyone at the precinct knew my fiancé, Nolan had refused to respond to the emergency call because he was too busy keeping his girl best friend company. I stood in front of the headstone but didn’t cry. I just gripped the badge in my hand until my palm bled. The pain kept me standing. It reminded me I couldn’t break down. My phone vibrated. A text from an unknown number. I’m sorry for your loss. I know what happened. I’ll make sure justice is served. I scrolled through my messages. Nothing from Nolan. I pulled up his contact and called him, hoping he’d at least come to say goodbye to the woman who’d raised him in the force. Once. Twice. Three times. All of them went straight to voicemail. My mom had loved Nolan like a son. She’d taught him everything she knew, pulled every string to get him promoted to detective. He’d been a good protégé. He’d been a good boyfriend. Then Stella came back to Chicago, and everything changed. He started canceling on me. He missed my birthday. He wasn’t there when our dog of eight years was poisoned and died. Even wasn’t there when my mother was in danger. And now, at her funeral, he still wasn’t here. His text finally came through after the funeral ended. Harper, stop being so childish. You’re exhausting me. Stella is my best friend. We’re JUST FRIENDS. There’s no reason for you to be jealous of her. I took two days off to take her hiking. The signal’s bad up in the mountains, so don’t blow up my phone unless it’s an emergency. Those two messages shattered whatever hope I’d had left. I threw my umbrella aside and tilted my face up to the rain. It hit my skin like tiny blades. The pain finally made the tears come. I blocked Nolan on everything. Don’t worry. I’ll never bother you again. When I got home, I locked myself in my room and dialed a number I hadn’t called in years. He picked up immediately. He didn’t speak, just breathed steadily on the other end. I took a deep breath. “This is Harper Monroe.” His voice was low and controlled. “I know. I’m here.” “I want to finish what my mom started. I want to take down the people who killed her. I’m asking for your approval to reinstate me.” There was a long silence. I could picture him frowning, weighing his options. “Those criminals work for the Blackwood Cartel. Your mother died trying to take them down. I can’t let you risk your life too. And besides—” I cut him off. “I already passed the internal assessment. I’m the best candidate for this operation.” “My dad died when I was a kid. My mom raised me alone. She died with her eyes open, Chief Thorne. I can’t let the people who killed her walk free.” He sighed heavily. “Does Nolan know?” “He doesn’t. And he doesn’t need to.” “Fine. Send me your report. I’ll make the arrangements. The undercover operation starts in two days. Use that time to handle your personal affairs.” He paused. “Come back safe. For your mother’s sake. And for the people who actually care about you.” “I will.” I hung up and started packing. I was selling everything I owned, including every gift Nolan had ever given me. While cleaning out my desk, I found a framed photo of us. In the picture, sunlight streamed through the windows. I had my arms wrapped around him from behind, my chin resting on top of his head. We’d looked so happy. Now it just made me sick. I pulled the photo out of the frame, tore his half off, and threw it in the trash. That’s when I heard a key turning in the lock.
The door swung open. Stella walked in with her arm draped around Nolan’s waist. She was practically hanging off him, her chest pressed against his arm. The moment Stella spotted the grand piano in the corner, she squealed with excitement. “Babe, there it is! I played it last time I was here and the sound was incredible. It photographs so well too! You promised you’d give it to me, remember?” Nolan saw me standing in the living room. His smile faltered for a second. “Harper. Perfect timing. I need to talk to you about something. Stella loves this piano, so I’m having it moved to her place. You haven’t played it in forever anyway. It’s just collecting dust.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My mom had spent her entire life savings on that piano. And he wanted to give it away? Without even asking me? “What did you just say? My mom left that to me. It’s mine. I dare you to touch it.” Stella made a theatrical gasp. Her eyes landed on the trash can. She bent down, plucked out the torn photo with two fingers, and dangled it in front of Nolan’s face. “Babe, looks like we really pissed off your ball and chain. She even tore up your picture! When did she grow the balls to disrespect you like this?” “We need to get that piano out of here fast before she smashes it in one of her tantrums.” Nolan’s face darkened. “Harper! Are you done with this bullshit? First you lied about your mom being in danger, and now this? How old are you?” “That piano is leaving today whether you like it or not. Your useless wrist can’t even play it anymore!” I was shaking with rage. “Nolan! Have you forgotten how my wrist got ruined? I took a knife for you! The tendon was severed! That’s why I’m like this!” Stella clicked her tongue and put on a patronizing expression. “Harper, you can’t say it like that. Nolan appreciates what you did, but the fact is, you really can’t use the piano anymore.” “Nolan’s my best friend. What’s his is mine. If he wants to give it to me, that’s totally normal.” “Besides, we’ve known each other for years. We don’t keep score like that.” Nolan looked at Stella with pure adoration. “Exactly. It’s just a piano. My best friend wants it. Can’t you be a little more generous? Why are you secretly tearing up photos and throwing tantrums?” I laughed bitterly and screamed at her. “Nolan, my mom is dead! And you’re calling me unreasonable?” “Are you even human? My mom was taken hostage by criminals. You were the closest officer. You were the only one in the entire department who could save her! And what were you doing?” I pointed at Stella, who looked absolutely delighted. “You were giving her dog a bath!” “My mom loved you! She was your mentor! Why didn’t you save her?” “You didn’t even come to her funeral!” Nolan’s voice turned vicious. “Enough! You’re still acting? You keep saying your mom is dead. Who curses their own mother like this? I never knew you were this disgusting.” Stella’s voice was sickeningly innocent, but she was smirking. “Harper, are you still holding a grudge? It was just a dog bath. It’s not that deep.” “Nolan and I are best friends. We don’t play those stupid games you do.” She ran her hand over the piano lid and turned to Nolan. “Babe, I really do love this piano.” She slapped his ass playfully, right in front of me. Nolan’s face flushed. “Of course you can have it. We’re ride-or-die. I’d give you the moon if you asked for it.” He turned to me, his voice cold. “The piano is being moved today. As of right now, you’re not allowed to touch it.” He pulled out his phone and called a moving company right in front of me. I grabbed everything within reach and hurled it at them. A makeup case hit Stella in the head. Nolan lost it. He stormed over and slapped me across the face. I stumbled backward and crashed into the piano bench. Instinctively, I put my hand out to catch myself. My old wrist injury exploded with pain. I heard something crack. Tears sprang to my eyes. Nolan hesitated for a second, then reached for me. I recoiled like he was contaminated. “Don’t touch me. You’re filthy.” Nolan pulled his hand back. His face twisted with anger. “You want to be difficult? Fine. I’ll have them tear the whole thing apart!” Stella touched her forehead and pouted. “Babe, look, she made me bleed. Don’t you think she owes me some kind of compensation?” “How about this? I’ll convince Nolan not to destroy the piano. Just give it to me as an apology and we’ll call it even.” “Get out! Both of you get the fuck out!” Rage took over. I grabbed the piano bench and hurled it at them. It crashed to the floor with a deafening bang. Stella immediately ducked behind Nolan. I stood in front of the piano, my eyes burning red. “If anyone touches this piano, I’ll kill them!” “Harper! You’ve lost your goddamn mind!” Nolan was furious. He shoved me hard. He loomed over me, disgust written all over his face. “Look at yourself! You’re acting like a psycho! No wonder your mom didn’t want you. If she really is dead, you probably drove her to it. You deserve this!” “Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson on her behalf!” How dare he bring up my mother? I put every ounce of strength I had into the slap I gave him. My hand went numb from the impact. “Shut your fucking mouth! You don’t get to talk about my mom!” Nolan’s face snapped to the side. His eyes filled with disbelief. Stella shrieked. “Harper, how could you hit him? I wouldn’t even hurt a hair on Nolan’s head!” The movers arrived at the door. Nolan’s face was stone. “That one. Take it away.” “No!” The movers looked at me blocking the piano and hesitated. “Um, she doesn’t seem to agree. Are you sure about this?” Nolan sneered and pulled out a thick stack of cash from his wallet. “Triple your rate. Don’t listen to a word the lunatic says.” Stella immediately chimed in, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. “Guys, don’t mind her. She’s my best friend’s girlfriend. She’s, uh, got some issues.” She tapped her temple and gave them a knowing look. “Alright then.” The lead mover looked at me with pity and waved to his crew. “Boys, let’s get to work.” “No! Please don’t! You can’t!” I tried to stop them, but Nolan grabbed me from behind. Between the injuries and the sleepless nights, I had no strength left to fight back. Nolan held me in place while putting on a sickeningly sweet voice. “Baby, just relax. The doctor said seeing this piano triggers you. We’re moving it for your own good.” The movers carried the piano out the door and down the hall until it disappeared. Nolan let go of me. There wasn’t an ounce of warmth in his eyes. I felt numb. I stared at him through blurred vision and screamed, “Nolan! We’re done! It’s over!” He didn’t even look back. He took Stella’s hand and walked away. “Fine! You want to break up? Don’t come crawling back!”
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