Chapter 1

At the company's annual party, we were playing Truth or Dare. Lucas Reed lost, and the question was, "Who in this room do you most want to hug?"

Everyone's eyes turned to me; after all, Lucas had pursued me for three years, and we were getting married next month.

But Lucas's gaze skipped right over me, landing on a girl sitting quietly in the corner.

It was Nina Hart who returned to the country. She was Lucas's unattainable first love.

"Sorry, I choose to hug," Lucas said.

He walked straight over to Nina and hugged her right in front of everyone.

"Nina just got back, so I wanted to give her a proper welcome," Lucas said.

He turned back to me with a smile. "Vivian, you're always the one who understands. Surely you're not going to make a big deal out of this, are you?"

Nina's cheeks flushed, and her fingers quietly tightened around the hem of Lucas's shirt.

Watching this, I suddenly felt that three years of my youth were truly meaningless.

I grabbed my phone and texted my family: [Fine, I'll go through with that business marriage.]

Lucas, since you picked your precious Nina, I guess I would find someone way better than you.

*****

When the party was over, I got into Emily Lane's car.

"Vivian!" Lucas came running after me and grabbed my wrist. "Let me explain, it's not what you think—"

I shook his hand off, opened the car door, and got in. Emily floored it, and we sped off.

In the rearview mirror, Lucas was standing at the hotel entrance, his hand frozen midair.

"What happened?" Emily asked, eyes on the road. "Did something go down at the party?"

"It's nothing," I replied.

I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. During the raffle, the big screen glitched and showed the wrong clip. Lucas had his arm around Nina, and when they clinked glasses, their lips met.

Everyone in the room was staring at me.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Lucas: [Vivian, don't read too much into it. We'd had a few drinks, and everyone was goofing off.]

I didn't reply.

Another message popped up: [Nina got back, so I picked her up, and we had dinner together. Don't be upset.]

I still didn't reply.

Lucas: [It was a hug. I promise I won't meet up with her alone anymore.]

I locked my phone and shoved it aside.

Emily glanced at me, asking, "Lucas?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He didn't really say anything," I replied.

Emily didn't press further. She turned on the music and cranked up the volume.

When we got to my place, I told Emily to go ahead.

I took the elevator up to the twelfth floor and pulled out my keys. As I turned the key, I suddenly froze.

The door wasn't locked.

I always made sure to deadbolt the door before I left.

I pushed the door open and spotted a pair of red stiletto heels in the entryway. It was at least three inches high, razor-thin. Right next to them was a pair of men's dress shoes.

I stood there, frozen.

From the living room, I could hear the TV and the clatter of forks against plates.

I walked over.

Nina was curled up on my couch in my bathrobe, legs crossed as she scrolled through her phone. The coffee table was littered with leftover takeout and a half-empty cup of coffee.

My pillow was propped behind her, and my blanket was draped over her legs.

She heard me and looked up.

"Vivian?" Nina said. She gave me a small smile and set her phone down. "You're back."

I stared at her, asking, "Why are you in my apartment?"

"Lucas told me I could crash here for a few days," she said, adjusting the collar of my bathrobe. "I just got back and haven't found a place yet. Darling Lucas said you're super chill, so you wouldn't mind."

Darling Lucas, huh.

She called him so intimately.

Lucas chased me for three years, and we had been together for two, but we never called each other so intimately.

The kitchen door opened, and Lucas came out with a mug of milk. He stopped dead when he saw me.

"Vivian, you're back already?" he said.

I didn't say anything.

He looked at me, then at Nina, and put the milk down on the coffee table.

"Nina just got back and doesn't have a place to stay, so she's staying here for a few days," he said, moving closer and reaching for my hand. "I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't pick up."

"When did I ever say you could do that?" I asked coldly.

Lucas's hand froze in midair.

"Vivian, it's for a few days," he said in a low voice. "She's been alone overseas for three years, and now she's back; she doesn't know anyone here. I couldn't ignore her."

"So you let her stay in my place?" I shot back.

"What do you mean by your place? We're getting married soon," Lucas started.

"It's over between us," I said flatly.

Lucas froze, completely stunned.

Nina straightened up on the couch, saying, "Vivian, please don't be mad. If it's inconvenient, I'll find a hotel tonight."

"Drop the act," I snapped.

I turned my gaze to Lucas.

"Give me my keys," I said.

"What?" he asked, looking confused.

"My apartment keys. Give them back," I said.

Lucas's face darkened. "Vivian, can you not make a scene? Nina's right here—"

"Me? Making a scene?" I let out a cold laugh. "Was I the one hugging and holding her in front of hundreds at the party? Was I the one who let her move into my place?"

"I already told you, it was a hug—" Lucas tried to explain.

"And what about this?" I said, pointing at Nina in my bathrobe. "My bathrobe, my couch, my apartment, she's making herself right at home."

Nina stood up and tugged at Lucas's sleeve. She said, "Lucas, maybe I should go. I don't want Vivian to misunderstand."

"You don't need to leave," I said as I turned and walked straight to the door.

Lucas rushed after me. "Vivian, what are you doing?"

I shot him a look over my shoulder. "We're done, Lucas." I pulled the door open, stepped out, and slammed it shut behind me.