Chapter 1

Prologue

For my childhood sweetheart, Lucas, I gave up a full-ride scholarship to an Ivy League university.

Yet the moment the admissions letters came in, he asked me to drop out and work two jobs to fund my sister Chloe’s art school tuition!

He gifted the necklace I had dreamed of for years to Chloe. My hard-earned $32,000 in savings was secretly transferred to her account by my family.

My parents called me an ungrateful leech, my brother demanded I give Lucas up to Chloe, and my father smashed my laptop to pieces right in front of everyone!

And Lucas—the man I loved for years—merely told me to be the bigger person.

Enough. I was done being their doormat.

I decided to claim back my scholarship and cut them out of my life for good.

Piper’s POV

Lucas and I grew up together. We were each other's first everything.

The summer after high school, he turned down his family’s plan to send him to college out of state. He swore he only loved me and wanted to stay local to be by my side.

In our junior year of college, I returned the favor. I rejected a fully funded master’s offer and fellowship from a prestigious university just so we could attend grad school together at our local college.

The acceptance emails had barely arrived when he dropped the bomb: he wanted me to delay grad school, get a full-time job, and pay for Chloe’s private art academy.

This time, I was going to call the dean and see if my fellowship spot was still open.

Back in sophomore year of high school, Chloe had whispered to my then-boyfriend that I was secretly sleeping with Lucas. That relationship ended in flames.

I ran out into the pouring rain that night and crashed right into Lucas’s arms.

He gently dried my soaked hair with a towel and whispered, "I’ll protect you from now on, Piper. I won't ever let anyone hurt you again."

The second time was a national debate competition. My mother, Brenda, said just one sentence, and my spot was handed over to Chloe on a silver platter.

Lucas had patted my head, placating me: "It's just one contest, Piper. You can sign up again next year. Chloe is younger. You should cut her some slack."

And the third time was today.

The living room was empty. The tablet on the coffee table was still glowing, paused on Chloe’s latest Instagram post.

In the photo, a delicate moonstone pendant rested against her collarbone. The caption read: Thank you, Lucas, for the congratulatory gift! I’m absolutely obsessed.

The top comment was from Lucas: As long as you love it.

My finger froze over the glass screen for a long time.

That exact necklace had sat in my shopping cart for almost a year.

I had shown him the screen months ago, telling him I would buy it for myself once my graduate offer arrived. He had promised he would buy it for me.

I could have easily afforded it myself.

The only reason I waited was because I wanted him to clasp it around my neck on the day our results came out.

He remembered. He bought it.

Yet the person wearing it was Chloe.

"What are you daydreaming about?"

Lucas had quietly walked up behind me, casually reaching out to wrap his arm around my shoulder.

I pulled away, stepping out of his reach. "Did you buy Chloe that necklace?"

"Oh, that?" Lucas shrugged casually. "She just got into that prestigious art institute. She threw a fit demanding a gift, and I happened to walk past the jewelry counter. So I picked it up."

My throat constricted painfully. "Lucas, I told you dozens of times how much I wanted that necklace."

Lucas chuckled softly. "Come on, Piper, it’s not a big deal. I’ll buy you an even better one for your birthday, okay? You know how Chloe is. When she sets her eyes on something, she throws a tantrum until she gets it."

I stared at his easygoing smile, completely speechless.

In his eyes, Chloe and I would never be on equal footing.

Before dinner, Lucas slipped into my bedroom. I was staring at the admission letter on my phone, originally planning to share the news at the dinner table.

Lucas sat down on the edge of my bed. "Piper, listen. Chloe got into that out-of-state private art school. The tuition and living expenses are ridiculous. It’s way too much for your parents to fund both of your graduate degrees right now."

I turned my head slowly. "And?"

Lucas spoke without hesitation. "So could you hold off on grad school this year? Work for two years first and cover Chloe’s tuition. I’ll wait for you at the university. You can apply again in two years. You’re smart; you’ll easily get in."

I looked closely at his face.

There wasn't a single shred of guilt or hesitation. He sounded like he was merely announcing a plan already set in stone.

Staying at our local university together had been his plan.

Now, he casually threw it away, telling me to put my life on hold for two years.