Chapter 3

Ethan didn't say a word. He looked like he was wrestling with his own conscience.

Just as I tried to focus on reading whatever else was going on in his head, Sadie cut in with a giggly, playful laugh.

Miraculously, her stomach ache had vanished. She walked over and grabbed my hand.

"Oh, come on! What's with all the drama? We've known each other since high school, Chloe. Are you really worried about me?"

"Alright, let's just let it go! Talking about it makes me hungry anyway, especially after that little bump. Let's head down to the hotel restaurant! I heard their salmon is incredible. Let's go!"

Sadie shot Ethan a pointed look.

Catching her cue, Ethan stepped up beside me. Without giving me a real answer, the two of them flanked me on either side, practically dragging me toward the elevator.

On the surface, it looked like a picture of three close friends.

But barely a few steps down the hallway, Sadie suddenly clutched her side and groaned in pain again.

Ethan immediately dropped my arm, his entire focus snapping straight back to her. He held her waist, and the two of them walked faster and faster.

With my bruised knee throbbing, I could only limp behind.

Within seconds, their figures disappeared down the corridor.

By the time I dragged myself into the restaurant, Ethan and Sadie were already cozied up together on one side of a booth.

Sadie looked up at me with an innocent smile.

"Chloe! Ethan and I will just squeeze together on this side. You take the other side—it's way more spacious!"

I didn't say a word. I sat down across from them in silence.

The waiter brought the menus.

Ethan took them all.

He handed the first one to Sadie beside him, kept one for himself, and only tossed the third one across the table to me last.

Before I could even open it, Sadie was rattling off orders like a machine gun.

"Pan-seared foie gras, garlic butter prawns, the tomahawk steak, steamed sea bass, and the chef's sashimi platter..."

Ethan chimed in, adding a couple more sides, and snapped his menu shut.

"That'll be all for now, thanks."

It wasn't until the waiter walked away that they seemed to remember I was sitting right there.

Ethan tried to recover with an awkward grin.

"Oh, Chloe, I can call the waiter back. Did you want to add anything?"

*[Why didn't Chloe speak up earlier?]*

*[Pouting again? Why does she have to be so damn difficult all the time? Honestly, Sadie is so much easier to deal with.]*

I closed my menu and looked at Ethan coldly.

"No need. That's plenty."

Ethan visibly exhaled in relief.

The dishes arrived quickly.

Ethan and Sadie started chattering excitedly about an online game they both played.

I didn't play it, so I couldn't join in.

I kept my head down, picking at my food, watching Ethan peel shrimp after shrimp and pile them onto Sadie's plate.

Only when the mountain of shrimp on Sadie's plate threatened to tumble over did she playfully slap his arm.

"Ethan, stop giving all the shrimp to me! That's way too biased!"

"What about Chloe? Peel some for her too!"

Ethan blinked, as if suddenly remembering my existence, and pushed a peeled shrimp toward my plate.

"Here, Chloe. Eat up. They're super fresh."

*[I'm just so used to peeling them for Sadie.]*

My appetite vanished completely.

I put down my fork, ready to head back to my room.

"Chloe, wait," Sadie called out softly.

"Actually... the real reason I tagged along on this trip was to ask you for a huge favor."

"I..."

Sadie trailed off, looking down as if the words were too humiliating to speak.

Ethan gently patted the back of her hand, stepping in to speak for her.

"You know how toxic Sadie's mom is with forcing her to get married. Remember when Sadie tagged along to our engagement photoshoot? She panicked and told her family that she and I were the ones tying the knot. Well, now her mom refuses to believe it without a legal certificate. So I was thinking... what if Sadie and I go to City Hall first?"

"Once the mandatory thirty-day divorce waiting period passes, I'll marry you right after."

The table went dead silent.

Both of them stared at me, waiting for my reaction.

I sat there, stunned for a long while.

Then, I burst out laughing.

"Sure. Go ahead. Go get married."

"Ethan, we're done."