Chapter 1

Three years into our romance, Eric Lucero had already had enough.

On Eric's birthday, I happened to overhear him having a flirty conversation with my bestie. "I only got close to her just to make you jealous," he said.

My bestie leaned in, acting all cute. "So, are you going to comfort me tonight, or her?"

Eric flashed a spoiled smile and pulled Kelsie Jones closer. "I'm already over Alisa. Chasing her was just for kicks, nothing serious."

So I actually went ahead and gave him a "surprise."

Later, word got around that the Lucero family's arrogant golden boy had lost the love of his life for good, and his arrogance crumbled to dust.

He bumped into the girl who used to be all sweet and gentle just for him, now coaxing another guy.

"Steven, I was just messing around before. I never actually liked him," she said.

*****

I'd just wrapped up a two-week business trip out of town and had barely finished a meeting when my phone buzzed with a message from my friend Georgia Hardin.

Georgia: [Alisa, I think I just caught Eric hooking up with some chick.]

I froze for a second. Attached to the message was a photo of Eric and a woman locked in a kiss under a streetlight.

I stared at the photo, and my mind just short-circuited.

The two of them were making out under the streetlight, and the woman's jacket looked really familiar.

I zoomed in, looking closer at the details.

The girl Eric was cheating with turned out to be my best friend, Kelsie.

I recognized that jacket because I'd bought it for her as a birthday gift last year when I was in Nuset, knowing she loved that style.

Looking at that photo on my screen, my face went ghostly pale, and my knees nearly buckled.

Steven reached out to steady me. "You okay?" he asked.

I shut off my screen and managed a polite smile. "I'm fine, just feeling a little off."

I cut my business trip short and headed back to Edoland.

When I got to the airport, Eric was there to pick me up, just like always, acting like nothing had happened.

He smoothly took my luggage from me, all gentlemanly and considerate.

He slung an arm around my shoulders.

He said, "Are you tired? Why didn't you give me a heads-up before coming back? If Zack hadn't told me you booked a flight, I would've had no idea."

Seeing him standing there, all worried about me, I started to wonder if maybe he did care about me after all.

Otherwise, why would he be the first to know I was coming back and drop everything just to pick me up?

But then another thought hit me. How could he claim to love me, yet turn around and hook up with my bestie behind my back?

Just as I reached for the front seat, Eric blocked me with his arm.

"You've been traveling for hours. Why don't you sit in the back? It's more comfy, and you can catch some sleep. I'll wake you up when we get home," he said.

All the time I'd been with Eric, he always looked out for me, no matter what. That never changed.

But when I got in the car, I noticed someone sitting in the passenger seat, with Eric's black jacket draped over them.

I looked at Eric, trying to see him in a new light.

Was he feeling guilty? He couldn't even look me in the eye.

Instead, he put a finger to his lips and explained softly, "Kelsie found out you were coming back and insisted on coming to pick you up, but she ended up falling asleep."

Eric and Kelsie used to be just acquaintances, but now he was already calling her Kelsie like they were super close.

One was the man I loved most, the other was my best friend.

Kelsie stretched out with a lazy yawn and teasingly tapped Eric. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she said with a mock-complaint.

The way they acted and talked was so obviously flirty, and I caught every bit of it.

Eric kept his eyes on the road, not saying a word to Kelsie.

When Kelsie saw me in the back seat, she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Alisa, it's all because I was totally beat last night. I slept like a log in the car," she said.

As she said that, she gave Eric a playful glare.

Eric retorted, "You were the one who got scared and dragged me to watch that movie with you."

Kelsie huffed. "Whatever, it's still your fault."

They kept bantering and flirting, making me feel like I was just an outsider.

Seeing how quiet I was, Eric hurriedly switched the topic.

"Alisa, there's a new restaurant in the city center. I already booked us a table. How about we give it a try tonight?" Eric said.

I beamed and nodded. "Sure! Thanks, babe."

It was the first time I'd ever called Eric "babe," and I did it on purpose, to make sure Kelsie remembered her place.

I also wanted to see what tricks she had up her sleeve.