Chapter 3

His voice shook through the speaker.

"Chloe, that text you sent at 7:43 PM... was it real?"

I hesitated for a couple of seconds.

"Yes."

Silence fell over the line.

When Lucas spoke again, his voice was thick and raspy.

"Then let's go to City Hall first thing tomorrow. I'll pick you up."

A sudden wave of anxiety hit me.

"Isn't this... too fast?"

"Not fast enough. If the marriage bureau were open right now, I'd marry you tonight."

After hanging up, I began packing my bags.

The walls were covered with our photos, and the fridge was plastered with sweet notes Ethan had left me.

Five years. Our lives were so intertwined that I barely knew where to start.

I took my clothes from the closet and pulled my books from the study.

As I did, two notebooks tumbled off the shelf.

I opened the first one. Page after page was filled with my favorite things, my habits, my little quirks.

Over those five years, Ethan had genuinely cared for me in his own way.

Then I opened the thicker journal.

The moment my eyes scanned the words, a piercing pain tore through my chest.

Ethan's journal was completely filled with Victoria.

[September 16, 2022. I listened to you and hit our one-year mark with her.]

[She's your complete opposite. Sweet, gentle, sensitive—the perfect wife material.]

[Most importantly, looking at her never reminds me of you.]

[I made her pick from the mystery boxes and joked that if she found the ring, I'd marry her.]

[I didn't expect her to find it on her first try. I swapped it out using the magic trick I learned for you.]

[I know I'm disgusting, but the second I saw that ring, all I could think about was marrying you.]

I sank to the floor, stifling my sobs with both hands.

So that was it. Ethan had only dated me to forget Victoria.

Yet for every single day of our five years together, he had been obsessing over her.

Not a single day was spared.

[September 16, 2023. I proposed with the boxes again. She didn't pick the ring this time.]

[Just as well. I still don't want to marry her. I still want you.]

[September 16, 2024. She picked the ring again. I swapped it for a gold bangle.]

[She's so clueless. She was heartbroken she didn't get the ring, yet she turned around and comforted me.]

[September 16, 2025. She missed it this time, but deep down, I found myself wishing she had picked it.]

[I'm actually starting to think about marrying her. Victoria, does this count as betraying you?]

[If she picks the ring next year, I swear I will marry her.]

The final entry was written just yesterday, the eve of our anniversary:

[September 15. Victoria, why did you have to reappear right when I had finally decided to marry her?]

[Are we really destined to be tangled up forever?]

[You always said you're fiercely possessive. After five years with her, will you think I'm dirty?]

Dirty?

Being with me made him feel dirty.

Ethan had told Cole that I had picked the ring three times.

Which meant I had picked it this year, too.

With trembling fingers, I booted up Ethan's backup phone.

Victoria's text from last night was brief, just two words:

[Marry me.]

Two words were all it took for the ring in the box to become a necklace.

Two words were all it took to tear Ethan's entire world apart.

My chest tightened until I couldn't breathe.

Tears streamed uncontrollably as violent tremors shook my body.

A wave of sheer nausea hit me, and I collapsed over the trash can, dry-heaving.

For five whole years, his heart had belonged entirely to someone else.

I sat on the floor beside my packed suitcases until morning light crept through the blinds.

Ethan walked through the door holding breakfast, his face etched with panic.

"Chloe! Cole told me you want to break up."

"I can explain everything. Just give me some time, and I'll sort it all out."

I stared at him blankly, devoid of words.

Then, Victoria's voice drifted in from the hallway.

"Ethan, where are my slippers?"