Chapter 1

The engagement party was supposed to be my night. But then my fiancé, Rowan, got wind that his childhood crush, Lydia, was marrying Theo—a rich kid whose family just went belly-up.

He couldn't stand the thought of her "suffering." So, right there in front of everyone, he bailed on me, crashed her wedding, and tied the knot with her that same night.

I was left as the punchline of our entire social circle.

The very next day, Theo showed up at my door with a wedding gift that nearly made my heart stop—a mind-blowing fortune worth hundreds of millions.

"Your guy stole my girl," he said with a smirk. "Fair's fair. I'm taking his."

I couldn't help but grin. "Theo, didn't know you had it in you."

*****

"Hey, I'm all alone now. Will you have me?" Theo's big, sad eyes were working overtime.

Still stinging from last night's disaster, I blurted, "Sure, why not?"

He blinked, shocked. "Wait, you mean it? Don't you dare back out. I'll be the one knocking on your door next."

His grin lit up his face, and for a second, I thought marrying him might not be the worst idea.

Theo barely left when Rowan Hale came knocking. First time I'd seen him since he ditched me.

Remembering how he ditched me at the engagement party and married Lydia Corin right after, I couldn't help but throw some shade.

"What, your new wife get boring already? Or are you just here to rub it in?" I shot back.

Rowan grabbed my hand, voice low. "Elara, I'm sorry. I didn't think yesterday through. I just couldn't let Lydia throw her life away.

"Theo's family is broke. He's a total player. You know how he used to mess with you back in school. Lydia deserves better."

Lydia this, Lydia that. For her, he'd humiliate me, toss aside our ten years together, and let everyone laugh in my face?

I pulled my hand back. "We're done, Rowan. You made your choice. Don't show up here again."

I'd never talked to him like that. His jaw tightened.

His tone had a bite to it. "Elara, I'll divorce her soon. Lydia's like family—we grew up together. I couldn't let her suffer. Marrying her was just a temporary fix."

"Your family's got it all—money, power. Lydia's got nothing. I'm all she has."

I almost laughed. Was he her knight in shining armor or just obsessed with keeping her close?

I didn't bother arguing.

When I stayed quiet, he softened. "Elara, you're not gonna make this hard for me, are you?"

I met his gaze, ice-cold. "Rowan, the second you walked out, we were over.

"I'm not making anything hard. Go back to Lydia. Our engagement's off."

His face turned stormy. He stood, voice sharp. "Elara, you're too petty to even deal with a girl like her? Guess I had you all wrong."

He stormed out, leaving me with a bitter laugh.

I let out a bitter laugh. Ten years of us—a total joke.

I'd grown up with Rowan. He was a year older, but I was always the one looking out for him, letting him have his way, even giving up grad school abroad just to stay close.

To the world, I was the Dune family's golden girl. With him, I was the pushover who always apologized first.

All that bending over backward, and he never loved me. I was tired. Time to let go.