Chapter 1

The day before we were supposed to get our marriage license, Ryan Cooper messaged me on WhatsApp.

"Can you check if our appointment at city hall is still on for tomorrow?" he asked.

I checked the app and saw our appointment had been canceled. It happened yesterday afternoon.

Before I could even reply, our group chat started blowing up.

Chloe Lane: [I won. I told you she wouldn't check the appointment ahead of time. You owe me a bag.]

Ryan: [Alright, you got me. You know how she is, never pays attention to details. Anyway, we can't go tomorrow, but we can reschedule for next month.]

They were chatting away, totally into it.

It was like last month, when they bet on how long it would take me to notice that the master bedroom in our new place had been repainted pink, Chloe's favorite color.

Or half a year ago, when they swapped out the concert tickets I'd fought so hard to get for two movie tickets, to see if I'd catch on.

Every time I got upset, they acted like I was making a big deal out of nothing.

"It's a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?" they'd say.

I closed the app and made no move to reschedule.

Right away, I logged into the company intranet and submitted my application for a three-year assignment to the company's Aetheria branch.

Once I leave for Aetheria, the wedding will be called off, and Ryan and I will break up.

But three years was plenty of time to change my life.

*****

When the confirmation popped up, I stared at the screen for a long time.

The company had opened a new branch in Kaelis, and they needed someone to handle inventory, purchasing, and coordinating with the stores.

I'd had my eye on that spot for half a year.

Ryan kept telling me not to go for it.

He said, "Summer Mitchell, we're about to get married. Why do you want to go so far away? I'll take care of the money. You don't have to work so hard."

I believed him.

So I kept the application sitting in my drafts for two months straight.

Now, I didn't have to hold back anymore.

I closed my laptop, grabbed my ID, diploma, passport, and a few work certificates from the study drawer, and shoved everything into a folder.

I heard the keypad lock beep at the living room door.

The next moment, Ryan came in, with Chloe right behind him.

Ryan was carrying a box of wedding chocolates, while Chloe hugged a bouquet of white roses, her smile sugary sweet.

When she spotted the folder in my hand, her eyes lit up.

"Ryan, pay up." Chloe chirped.

Ryan glanced down at her.

"What now?" he asked.

Chloe pointed at my suitcase, her voice bubbling with amusement, like she'd found something hilarious.

"See? I told you she'd start packing to mess with you. Whenever a woman gets mad, it's always the same three-step routine: block you, pack her bags, and swear she's never coming back," Chloe said.

Ryan let out a laugh and really transferred the money to her.

Her phone dinged with the incoming payment.

Chloe waved her phone in my face on purpose.

She grinned. "Summer, looks like I win."

I ignored her and zipped my folder shut.

Ryan walked over and reached for my suitcase.

"Alright, I'll grab another slot next month. If we can't get it tomorrow, so be it. Don't act like it's the end of the world," Ryan said.

I held onto my suitcase. "Don't bother rescheduling."

He paused, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

I answered. "The wedding's off."

The living room went quiet for a couple of seconds.

Chloe was the first to laugh.

"Seriously, Summer? Aren't you being a bit dramatic? It's an appointment, not like Ryan's ditching you at the altar," Chloe said.

I looked up at her.

"Was it you who canceled the appointment?" I asked.

Chloe blinked, then darted behind Ryan like she was dodging trouble.

Chloe said, "Me? Come on, I wouldn't dare. Ryan left his phone on the table, and I happened to tap it. We were making a bet to see if you'd actually check ahead.

"Didn't you always brag about being so detail-oriented? Well, looks like you missed this one."

Ryan frowned.

"Summer, don't freak Chloe out. She's easily spooked," he said.

I'd heard that line way too many times.

When Chloe messed up my lipstick, Ryan said it was an accident.

When Chloe took my wedding shoes for a photoshoot, Ryan shrugged. "They're shoes. You can buy another pair."

When Chloe plastered the master bedroom with pink wallpaper, Ryan said, "Girls like pretty stuff. Don't ruin the fun."

I used to let it slide.

Ryan helped me out with cash when I was flat broke.

When Mom had her surgery, he was there for me every step of the way at the hospital.

Chloe brought me food and was there for me when I hit rock bottom.

I wasn't heartless.

But now I get it, some people help you once and think that gives them a license to keep messing with you as much as they want.

I picked up my phone and snapped screenshots of the cancellation record and their group chat.

Ryan's face darkened.

"Why are you taking screenshots of that?" he asked.

"Keeping proof," I said.

Chloe's smile faltered.

"Are you really going to blow this up and let both families find out?" she asked.