Chapter 2

Kaia's POV

I couldn't shake off the feeling that Ellie was up to something.

As I walked into Jay's apartment later that evening, I replayed our conversation in my head.

Ellie wasn't the type to give up easily.

And the way she suggestedgoing along with the marriage?

That was trouble waiting to happen.

Jay looked up from his laptop when I entered.

"Hey, babe," he greeted, standing up to kiss my forehead.

"You're late."

I sighed, setting my bag down.

"I ran into Ellie today."

His body tensed.

"Ellie?"

"Yeah.

My dad apparently told hers about the whole arranged marriage thing, and now Ellie thinks we should... consider it."

Jay scoffed, crossing his arms.

"Of course she does."

I frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He exhaled, rubbing his temple.

"Kaia, it's obvious she's not over you."

"That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Jay looked me in the eye.

"She disappears for two years, avoids you like the plague, and the moment she's forced back into your life, she suddenly wants to be around you again?"

I opened my mouth to argue but paused.

Because he had a point.

Ellie had been my best friend, my safe space, but when she left, she didn't even bother keeping in touch.

And now?

Now she was trying to convince me to marry her.

Jay took my hands in his.

"You love me, right?"

I nodded.

"Of course."

"Then let's not let her get in the way." His grip tightened slightly.

"Ellie doesn't get to just waltz back into your life and mess everything up."

I forced a smile.

"You're right."

But deep down, I had this nagging feeling—one I wasn't ready to confront yet.

Ellie's POV

"Tell me you got something," I said, flopping onto Melanie's couch.

She smirked, tossing me her phone.

"Oh, I got something alright."

I scrolled through the pictures she took—Jay at some fancy bar, laughing with a woman who wasdefinitely notKaia.

"Who is she?" I asked.

Melanie shrugged.

"No idea, but they looked cozy.

Real cozy."

A plan started forming in my head.

"We need to find out who she is."

Melanie grinned.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

If Jay wasn't as perfect as Kaia thought, then maybe—just maybe—this marriage arrangement wouldn't be such a lost cause after all.

Melanie and I had one goal: find out who Jay's mystery woman was.

And thanks to Melanie's network ofgossip-loving informants, we had a name by the next morning—Caroline Holden, an up-and-coming fashion designer who, according to Instagram, had been spending a lot oflate nightswith Jay.

"Damn," Melanie muttered, scrolling through Caroline's feed.

"They don't even try to be subtle."

I stared at a picture Caroline had posted just two days ago—a fancy dinner setup, two wine glasses, and avery familiar watchresting on the edge of the table.

Jay's watch.

"Kaia needs to see this," I said.

Melanie hummed.

"And what's your plan?

Just throw this at her and say, 'Hey, your boyfriend's a liar, marry me instead'?"

"Obviously not." I sat back, exhaling.

"She won't believe me right away.

She's too stubborn for that.

I need to make her see it for herself."

Melanie smirked.

"You're enjoying this a little, aren't you?"

I gave her a look.

"I'm not trying to break them up for fun."

"Uh-huh." She didn't sound convinced.

I ignored her and grabbed my phone.

It was time to set things in motion.

Kaia's POV

Ellie was acting weird.

Ever since she met me for lunch, she'd been popping up everywhere—texting me randomly, casually 'running into me' at cafés, even showing up at my office with coffee.

It was suspicious.

And today was no different.

"Heyyyy, bestie," Ellie greeted as she slid into the seat across from me at my favorite bakery.

I narrowed my eyes.

"You never call me bestie."

Ellie gasped dramatically.

"What?

Me?

The girl who's been your best friend since we were kids?"

"You ignored me for two years."

She winced.

"Okay, fair.

But I'm making it up to you now."

I sighed, sipping my latte.

"Alright, what do you want?"

Ellie hesitated, then pulled out her phone.

"Okay, I'm just gonna say this.

Do you trust Jay?"

My stomach twisted.

"Of course I do."

She slid the phone toward me.

"Then explain this."

I frowned, looking at the screen—an Instagram post from a woman named Caroline Holden.

A romantic dinner setup.

Jay's watch.

My throat felt dry.

Ellie watched me carefully.

"Kaia, I—"

"I don't want to hear it." I pushed her phone back.

Ellie looked frustrated.

"Kaia, come on.

Don't be blind about this."

"I trust Jay." My voice was firm, but my heart wasn't.

Ellie sighed.

"Fine.

Then let's make a bet."

I raised an eyebrow.

"A bet?"

She leaned forward.

"Give me two weeks.

If, by the end of it, I can prove Jay isn't who you think he is, you break up with him."

I scoffed.

"And if you're wrong?"

Ellie smirked.

"Then I'll walk away.

No marriage.

No meddling."

I studied her.

"Why are you doing this?"

She didn't answer right away.

Then, softer, she said, "Because I care about you."

I looked away.

"Fine.

Two weeks.

But you're wasting your time."

Ellie just smiled.

"We'll see about that."

Ellie's POV

Two weeks.

That was all the time I had to prove that Jay wasn't the perfect boyfriend Kaia thought he was.

And I was going to use every second wisely.

Step one:

Get closer to Kaia.

Step two:

Expose Jay for who he really was.

Simple, right?

Absolutely not.

Because if there was one thing I forgot—it was thatJay played dirty, too.

The next day, I walked into Kaia's office with my bestI-totally-didn't-spend-all-night-stalking-Jay's-social-mediasmile.

"Morning, fiancée," I teased, plopping into the chair across from her desk.

Kaia groaned.

"We are not calling each other that."

I smirked.

"You agreed to the bet.

You didn't say I couldn't have fun with it."

She rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here, Ellie?"

I placed a cup of her favorite caramel macchiato on her desk.

"Thought I'd start the day by treating mybestie."

Kaia eyed the drink, then me.

"This better not be poisoned."

I gasped, clutching my chest.

"I'm offended."

She sighed but took a sip.

"Fine.

Now go away."

I leaned forward.

"Not happening.

I need to stick around to gather evidence."

Kaia shook her head.

"You're impossible."

But she didn't tell me to leave.

Progress.

Later that evening, Melanie and I were parked outside a luxury hotel downtown.

Because guess who just checked in?

Jay.

And guess who he wasn't with?

Kaia.

Melanie adjusted the zoom on her camera.

"He's in room 1205."

I clenched my jaw.

"If we catch him in the act, Kaia won't be able to deny it."

Melanie nodded.

"Let's do this."

Kaia's POV

Jay called me in the middle of the night.

"Hey, babe," he said, voice smooth as always.

"Just finished a late meeting.

Thought I'd check in."

I smiled, leaning against my bed.

"You work too hard."

He chuckled.

"Anything for our future."

I sighed.

"Ellie came to my office today."

Silence.

Then, a calm, calculated, "Oh?"

"She's still going on about this stupid bet."

Jay exhaled.

"Kaia, you know she has an agenda, right?"

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"She's not just trying to 'help' you.

Ellie wants you for herself.

She always has."

I swallowed.

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?" His voice was gentle, but firm.

"Be careful with her, Kaia."

I hesitated.

"I trust you."

"Good," he said.

"Because I love you."

And just like that, the doubt disappeared.

Or at least, I wanted it to.

Ellie's POV

Melanie and I were crouched in the hallway of the hotel, waiting.

We didn't have to wait long.

At exactly midnight, the door toroom 1205opened.

And out steppedJay—withCaroline, laughing, their hands way too close for two 'colleagues'.

Melanie snapped a picture.

"Got him."

My stomach twisted.

This wasn't just about proving a point anymore.

This was about saving Kaia from someone who didn't deserve her.

And I wasn't going to lose this game.

Not now.

Not ever.