Chapter 2

"Mom, which one of us is actually your son? You're telling me to give my girlfriend to my brother! What kind of mother does that?!"

"What kind of mother? Everything I do is for Julian's sake!"

My mom didn't even flinch.

"You've always been easy to raise. You know your brother has weak health! It's easy for you to date, but do you know how hard it is for him?"

"Take a look at the people he works with—all underachievers! Not a single one of them is half as good as Vivian!"

"Haven't you always said you care about your brother? Well, here's your chance to prove how much you love him!"

My mouth fell open, but no words came out.

Tears blurred my vision. I snapped my head toward Vivian, who was still standing beside me.

"Vivian." I took a ragged breath, aggressively wiping the tears off my cheeks, and asked her word for word, "I'm asking you one last time. What does this mean?"

Three seconds of dead silence.

She met my eyes.

"I'll just be blunt, then."

She didn't even hesitate.

"The truth is, I stopped having feelings for you a while ago."

My chest seized violently.

I heard my own voice ask, "Since when?"

"A while." She didn't look away. "Remember two months ago when your phone died and you asked me to back up your files?"

I froze, desperately digging through my memories of that day.

"I saw pictures of your brother in your camera roll."

"Later, when I was using your phone, I secretly saved his SnapChat."

My blood ran cold.

"So you've been texting him behind my back this entire time?" My voice barely sounded human anymore—hoarse, cracked, and trembling. "The two of you... have already been together?"

Vivian didn't deny it.

Over on the couch, Julian ducked his head, his ears turning bright red.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

No wonder Julian had been finding every excuse to come over to our apartment lately, claiming he was dropping off takeout for me when he really just wanted to see Vivian.

No wonder I’d come home from work multiple times to find them sitting close in the living room, instantly freezing and shutting up the second I walked in the door.

No wonder Vivian had been 'working late' more and more recently, getting home past midnight, dodging my questions whenever I asked about her team's sprint progress.

It was never about work.

She and my brother had been carrying on an affair in the apartment we rented together, right under my nose.

A laugh tore out of my throat.

It was so absurd.

Even trashy soap operas wouldn't dare write a plot this ridiculous.

Yet here it was, happening to me.

"Fine." I dropped Vivian’s hand and took a step back. "That's great. Be together, then. I wish you two nothing but happiness."