Chapter 2

"Chloe."

"Yeah?"

"Look me in the eye."

She looked at me.

"Is there another reason?" I asked.

"What other reason could there be?"

"Do you not want to marry me anymore?"

She frowned. "What are you talking about? When did I ever say I don’t want to marry you?"

"Then why did you cancel the wedding? And why did you hide it from me?"

"I told you, I just think it’s a waste of money."

"Chloe."

I cut her off.

"We’ve been together for three years. Do you really think I don’t know you? If you want something, you buy it, no matter how expensive it is."

"Since when did you care so much about saving money?"

She remained silent.

"If you really thought the wedding was unnecessary, we could have talked about it."

I took a step forward.

"Why did you go behind my back to cancel it? Why didn't you consult me?"

"Aren't I consulting you right now?"

"You call this consulting?"

I pointed at the papers on the table.

"You already canceled it, and now you’re coming to 'consult' me? You’re not consulting me, Chloe. You’re notifying me!"

She took a deep breath and looked away.

"I’ve already told my mom."

"You should tell your parents too. Let’s just call off the ceremony."

My brain went completely numb.

"You told your mom?"

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

"She said..."

She paused.

"She said it’s our decision, and she’s fine with it."

I stared at her profile.

"Chloe."

"Give me your phone."

"What?"

"Give me your phone. I want to see it."

Her hand flinched backward. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible movement.

But I saw it.

"See what?" she said, her voice tightening. "There's nothing to see on my phone."

"You used to let me look at it whenever I wanted."

"Well, that doesn’t mean you get to spy on me every single day."

I walked toward her and held out my hand. "Give it to me."

She took a step back.

"Lucas, don't do this."

"Do what?"

"You're being..." She avoided my hand. "You're showing that you don't trust me."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"I don't trust you? Chloe, you're the one who secretly canceled our wedding. You're the one who lied to me. And now you’re turning this around and accusing me of not trusting you?"

She said nothing. Her hand was shoved deep into her pocket. I knew she was gripping her phone.

"Take it out," I said.

"No."

"Chloe."

"I said no!"

Her voice hardened.

"My phone is my private property. Why should I show you?"

"That’s not what you used to say."

"You used to say we had no secrets. You used to say I could look at it whenever I wanted."

"That was then."

"And now?"

She didn't answer.

I stared at her—at this person I had loved for three years.

She stood on the other side of the coffee table, separated from me by a single piece of furniture, but it felt like she was standing on another planet.

"Are you hiding something from me?" I asked.