Chapter 3

I had no choice but to pick up.

Ethan’s voice was anxious and annoyed.

"Chloe, what kind of tantrum are you throwing?"

"What was that lie about marrying someone else? I'm standing right here. Who could you marry?"

"Look around. Everyone in our social circle knows you're my fiancée!"

"We've been engaged for years, and our families are waiting. Stop messing around and get over here right now."

I listened silently to his entitled rant.

Yes.

Everyone knew he was my fiancé.

We had been together since college. It had been nearly ten years.

But ten years of history meant nothing compared to his one-night stand with Serena.

All because, after getting drunk a few times, he tried to strip my clothes off, kissing me flushed and breathless.

"Chloe, give yourself to me..."

I refused.

Ever since then, whenever the topic came up, he became obsessive and passive-aggressive.

Once, we had a massive fight over a trivial matter.

Ethan lost his mind and screamed at me:

"Chloe, ask yourself honestly, do you even love me?"

"Other couples hold hands and kiss in the first week, and they're in bed by the second! Look at you. It’s been ten years, and you won't even let me touch you..."

"What century are we living in? What is wrong with you?"

"If you really love me, shouldn't you naturally want to get close to me? Why do you act like touching me is repulsive?"

Even though my eyes were red, I explained it to him over and over again.

"I love you, but this is my boundary."

He knew exactly why.

My mother’s dying wish was for me to save myself for my husband.

She had been tricked by a sweet-talking player, got pregnant with me, and suffered her entire life.

She didn't want me to repeat her mistake.

But during all of this, my "best friend" Serena had been playing the supportive sister.

She would roll her eyes in anger right in front of me.

"What an asshole! Throwing a fit just because he can't get into your pants? Chloe, listen to me, do not tolerate his behavior!"

I listened to her.

I just didn't expect that the moment I turned my back, they would end up in bed together.

And they had the audacity to call it a "test drive."

I was pulled back to reality by the hysterical voice on the other end.

"Ethan, save your breath. I don't care anymore."

"Today is my wedding day, and I don't want to waste my time talking to you. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

Ethan quickly interrupted:

"Chloe!"

"What are you actually mad about? I'll apologize however you want, just tell me. Today is our wedding. Do you want to humiliate me in front of everyone?"

"And... is this about last night? I told you, I drank too much and fell asleep. I didn't see your calls."

I couldn't help but sneer.

Fell asleep? Or were you busy sleeping with someone else?

Ethan had no idea that I had installed a spyware app on his phone long ago.

I heard him talking to his frat boys:

"Tomorrow, I'm a married man. Tonight is my bachelor party, and I’m going to wild out."

Someone asked him:

"Hey Ethan, are you still going to the hotel with Chloe’s bestie for some pre-marital action?"

"Obviously," Ethan replied, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Serena has a killer body and is totally wild. To be honest, if she weren't Chloe’s friend, I wouldn't even want to get married. I'd hate to lose access to a catch like her..."

I sneered silently.

Serena snatched the phone back and asked, "Chloe, jokes aside, this is your wedding. If you keep delaying, people aren't going to wait forever."

She had no idea I had already eloped with her uncle.

"You should call me Aunt Chloe now."

Serena obviously didn't believe me.

When we were on good terms, we always joked like this to tease each other.

She thought "Aunt Chloe" was just me playing along.

"Chloe, honestly, which young pretty boy did you run off with?"

"Don't play too hard. Your fiancé is actually pretty good. I've already tested him for you. If you don't hurry up, another woman might snatch him."

"Though, honestly, I'm kind of sad he's marrying you. I won't get to touch those abs anymore..."

"But hey, that just makes it more thrilling... Haha, you're not mad, right? I'm just joking."

I ignored her and muted the phone.

Suddenly, she sent me a barrage of videos on Snapchat—eight or nine in a row.

I casually tapped one.

It was Serena and Ethan drinking a toast together.

Serena was wearing the wedding dress she had helped me pick out, linking arms with Ethan as they walked onto the stage.

She even gave a speech as the "bride."

But she added mockingly:

"Don't get the wrong idea, everyone. I'm not the bride. I'm just her best friend!"

"The bride is running late for some reason, and she's having a little lover's quarrel with the groom. So, I'm just stepping in to keep things running smoothly."