Chapter 1
Emily Winters, the girl I sponsored, was the biggest shipper of my boyfriend Adam Sterling and me.
Every anniversary, without fail, she'd send her blessings right on time.
She'd gush, "Olivia, I'm so envious you have the best boyfriend in the world. I wish the guy I like would love me openly."
When I found out she had a crush, I encouraged her to go for it.
She shook her head with a bitter smile. "Too bad the spotlight never hits me."
But later in Adam's underground garage, I caught them wrapped up in each other's arms.
"Adam, please don't let go of me," she pleaded.
Adam pushed her away. "I told you, what we had was just a fling.
"I'll make sure you have a place to stay, a car, and a job.
"But once Olivia's back, everything has to go back to the way it was."
She cried. "I don't care about anything else. Just let me stay with you."
The resolve in Adam's eyes softened.
Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms and pressed a long, lingering kiss to her lips.
I felt like my whole world just froze over.
So the unattainable love she had always talked about was Adam all along.
*****
The chat with Adam stopped last night.
Adam: [Engagement gift is ready, and our new place is all set up.]
[Just waiting for its lady to say yes.]
[Olivia, you're finally coming home.]
[I can't wait to be at the airport right now so I can see you earlier.]
Last message came at 2 a.m. He probably couldn't sleep again.
A long string of messages moved from excitement to anticipation, then from anticipation to anxiety. Every single line said the same thing: I miss you.
So I ignored the time difference and took a red eye flight, arriving three days early to surprise Adam.
Turns out I was the one who got surprised.
Watching him kiss another woman like that, I froze.
I went completely empty inside, just a hollow shell still sitting there, watching helplessly.
The whiplash between reality and my hopes made my head spin.
Once I calmed down, the two had briefly pulled apart.
Emily tried to hug him again, but Adam dodged her. "This isn't right. Olivia will be back any minute now..."
Emily's eyes shimmered with tears. "So what?
"Love isn't about who gets there first. And it's not like you two are even married yet, right?"
Adam snapped, cutting her off. "Stop it. Olivia and I are getting married, no matter what."
Emily bit her lip, staring stubbornly at him, her eyes full of hurt and defiance. "Admit it, you have feelings for me. You like me, don't you?
"Can you really look me in the eye and say you don't?"
Even after witnessing all of this, I still thought, with pathetic hope: what if it was only a moment of being moved?
As long he said no, I'd believe him.
But he said nothing at all. He only let out a deep, heavy sigh.
I lowered my head and texted Adam, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. [Adam, what are you doing?]
In the empty underground garage, the custom ringtone that Adam set for me went off.
He immediately pulled out his phone.
Emily started to lean in, but he shot her a look that stopped her cold.
Adam replied: [Just got home after some work stuff.]
[How about you? Are you all packed yet?]
[It's supposed to get colder over there tomorrow, so stay warm. Or I'll be worried.]
After sending the messages, he stared at his phone waiting for my reply.
Emily came up and tried her old trick again.
She wrapped her arms around Adam, her eyes full of tears. "Adam, do you really have to marry her?"
He let out a low "Yes."
She sniffled, her voice determined, like she was ready to risk everything. "Fine, I'll accept it.
"I don't ask for anything. Just don't push me away. Let me stay by your side.
"Do you think I'm pathetic?
"But I can't help it. I'm so desperately in love with you."
Then she started sobbing again.
Adam stroked her hair. "Don't talk about yourself that way."
His eyes were full of tenderness. He had no attention left for anything else, even though I was sitting in my car, less than ten yards away from them.
I gave myself a bitter smile.
But tears started falling against my will.
The blurry hug looked even more painful.
Finally, I texted Adam back: [Adam, look behind you. I'm right here.]
When the ringtone went off, Adam looked down at his phone.
Emily stomped her foot in frustration and hurt, then pushed him away and tried to leave.
Adam grabbed her, pulled her back into his arms, and patted her back to calm her down.
But then he saw my message.
He shoved her away as if shocked. She fell hard to the ground with a yelp. "Adam, what are you doing? My knee really hurts."
"Shut up." Adam roared, his back going stiff. He turned around, trembling.
At the last moment, I got scared. I was afraid to confront them.
I quickly hunched over and silenced my phone.
I was the one who got cheated on, yet here I was being pathetic about catching him.
I buried my face in my knees. My whole body kept shaking.
It wasn't the cold. It was fear.
Fear that he would walk over. Fear of seeing that look on his face that said "Well, now that you've seen it, I won't pretend anymore."
Even worse, fear that he wouldn't say anything and would just look at me with those eyes I had known for so many years.