Chapter 1

I found a filthy man by the side of the road. He bewitched me into taking him home and cleaning him up.

To the world, he was the ultimate heartthrob. At home, he was hopelessly obsessed with me.

When my scheming little sister tried to fall into his arms, he threw both hands up and jumped back three steps.

“Yikes! I almost ended up sleeping on the floor tonight.”

A gasp rang out in an upscale restaurant, drawing everyone’s attention.

Julian Blake was down on one knee, a diamond ring in his hand.

He looked up at me with love in his eyes. “Nora, marry me.”

I couldn’t hide my joy and excitement. Just as I was about to accept, another startled voice rose from the crowd.

“Nora?!”

I looked over at Chloe Bennett as she stepped out of the crowd, looking utterly shocked.

Covering her mouth, she said, “Nora, how can you just accept some random guy’s proposal? Are you still mad at Mom and Dad?

“Even so, you can’t just marry some—”

Chloe came closer and finally got a good look at the man kneeling in front of me. She forgot what she was saying.

“J-Julian Blake?”

She moved toward him excitedly.

Julian frowned and dodged her. Only after slipping the ring onto my finger did he ask, “Who’s this?”

Before I could answer, Chloe eagerly introduced herself.

“I’m Chloe Bennett!”

Julian looked puzzled, so I leaned over and whispered in his ear, “My younger sister.”

Understanding dawned on his face, and he gave her a polite nod.

Chloe was so excited she could barely speak.

Julian was famous in the entertainment industry. People called him “the ultimate heartthrob.”

He had an enormous fan base, and Chloe was one of his fans.

Then, as though something had occurred to her, Chloe turned on me. “Nora, why didn’t you tell me you knew Julian? You know I’m his fan! How can you be so selfish? And how could you make him get down on one knee? Only couples do that!”

If there was one thing Julian couldn’t stand, it was someone criticizing me. All his politeness vanished.

“I am your sister’s boyfriend, and I’m going to be her husband. Why can’t I kneel for my wife? Forget one knee. I’d get down on both.”

Chloe had never imagined that the man of her dreams would be my boyfriend.

The look she shot me was vicious.

You’d think I’d stolen a husband who rightfully belonged to her.

As a male fox spirit, Julian knew these tricks better than anyone.

He stepped in front of me and laced his fingers through mine.

When Chloe looked at him again, she wore a completely different expression.

I knew she wanted to steal him from me.

Unfortunately for her, she didn’t know that Julian wasn’t just hopelessly in love. He was the undisputed champion of devotion among fox spirits.

“Julian, we’re going to be family soon. You’ll take good care of me, won’t you?”

As she spoke, she tried to lean against him. Julian pulled me aside with him.

Chloe stumbled into empty air and nearly fell.

“Oh, Julian! I almost fell!”

Her babyish voice gave me goose bumps.

“What does that have to do with me? Learn to stand on your own feet.”

Playing the victim was Chloe’s specialty. Growing up, all she had to do was put on that act, and our parents would give her anything.

I, on the other hand, had never known how to act cute or sweet-talk them. They thought I was a block of wood and didn’t like me.

Sure enough, after hearing Julian’s response, she bit her lip and put on a pitiful expression.

But Julian didn’t even look at her. He took my hand and walked away.

Leaving Chloe to perform her little one-woman show.