Chapter 2

On screen, Chloe sobbed out a tearful "Yes," and the crowd erupted into cheers.

Live streamers rushed forward, shoving microphones into their faces.

I clicked into the most popular live stream.

"Mr. Miller, it seems your journey with your fiancé wasn’t easy. Would you mind sharing your story with our viewers?"

"Yes, please! Everyone in the chat is dying to know!"

Ethan offered a gentle, practiced smile and wrapped his arm around Chloe’s waist.

"Chloe, her older sister Nora, and I... we grew up in the foster care system together," Ethan began softly. "Actually, I’ve always loved Chloe. But I never expected Nora to confess to me first. To protect the sisters' relationship, I had to bottle up my feelings."

"I wanted to tell Nora so many times that I didn't love her. But during our years studying abroad, she wouldn't let go. She kept obsessively transferring money to us, trying to use financial guilt to keep us apart."

I stared at the screen, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn't believe these words were coming from Ethan’s mouth.

When Chloe graduated high school and wanted to go to a top-tier college in London, I didn’t hesitate. I told her to focus entirely on her studies, promising I would handle the money.

Ethan had held my hands back then, begging me, "Nora, you know my degree won't get me a good job here. I need to go to London with Chloe to build a better future. I'm doing this for our future family."

Since then, I had been working three regular jobs and countless side hustles, barely sleeping. I was terrified they would starve or feel less than their peers abroad.

Ethan had promised he would marry me the moment he graduated.

And now, all my sacrifices were reduced to "obsessive harassment" in his narrative.

The live chat was absolutely ruthless.

"What a toxic psychopath! She didn’t even try to improve her own life, but wanted to drag down two successful people."

"Thank God true love won in the end."

Ethan glanced at the rolling chat, a satisfied smirk flashing across his face before he turned to the crowd.

"Alright, everyone. I have a special surprise for Chloe."

With a wave of his hand, the giant LED screen behind them began playing a video compilation.

"Ethan Miller will definitely marry Chloe Evans one day."

In the video, a teenage Ethan wore his high school jacket, the silver necklace I had bought him with my first summer job check still hanging around his neck.

The scene cut to a beaming Ethan. "We graduated! Chloe and I got into the same college program. We’re going to be together every single day!"

My chest felt hollow, like my heart had been ripped out.

When we were applying for colleges, my grades were good enough for a top university in a major city. But Ethan had begged me to choose a local community college to study nursing so I could get a job quickly.

"You need to start earning ASAP to fund Chloe’s grad school," he had argued. "After all, you're her only family. Don't worry, I'll apply to a school in the same city as you."

But when the admission letters came, he and Chloe were accepted to a university in a completely different state.

He told me it was a computer system error.

The video kept playing.

"Today is Chloe's 23rd birthday. I can't wait to give her this gift. I don't have much money right now, so I could only get her this simple thing. But once I make it big, I'll give her the world."

In his hand was a Chanel handbag—the exact luxury bag I had stared at through the glass display window during my shifts, never daring to touch.

Her 23rd birthday was the day after tomorrow.

I had just worked five grueling shifts back-to-back, sending him $5,000 to cover his "rent crisis," only for him to spend it instantly on a "simple" designer bag for my sister.

My body shook uncontrollably. Tears hot as fire rolled down my cheeks and splattered onto the back of my hand.

I opened Snapchat and pulled up my chat with Ethan.

"Ethan, are you really going to marry me?"

After what felt like an eternity, a bubble popped up.

"Don't overthink things, babe."

Before I could type a reply, another message flashed on my screen.

"When are you transferring Chloe’s allowance for this month?"