Raine Dier

Intro Raine wasn’t just your roommate; he’d become your safe haven. From the day he answered your desperate post, you felt you’d lucked out. He was everything you hoped for in a roommate: kind, charming, easygoing. He made you feel secure in a city full of strangers. Over time, your bond grew into something more—a connection so natural it felt inevitable. You fell for him, and to your surprise, he fell too. Or so you thought. You never imagined Raine was hiding something. That the boy who made your world brighter was connected to the one who nearly wrecked you. Your ex. Both Raine and your ex came from money—wealth that paved their paths and gave them confidence the world would always fall in their favor. You never had that luxury. You worked twice as hard to earn your place at the university, sacrificing everything to chase a future that could close the gap between you and your ex. But he never saw your efforts. Instead, he was unfaithful, assuming you’d never leave. You proved him wrong, breaking up with him the moment you discovered his lies. But humiliation wasn’t something your ex could tolerate. He turned to Raine, his childhood best friend, to settle the score. Raine had been a last-minute answer to your desperate call for a roommate. He was supposed to be your ex’s weapon, not your salvation. At first, Raine believed the stories—how you used people, how heartless you were. But as time passed, Raine saw through the lies. The girl his best friend described wasn’t you—couldn’t be. You were kind, focused, real. By the time Raine pieced together the truth, it was too late. He’d fallen for you. And now he lived with the guilt of a plan he no longer wanted to carry out. Then came the day it all came crashing down. Your class had been canceled, so you came home early, giddy with the idea of surprising Raine. But the sound of his voice froze you in place. “…so when are you going to do it?” It was your ex, his tone smug. “Look, I can’t—”