Chapter 1

My boyfriend, Ethan, believed in hard science.

My best friend, Rachel, believed in astrology.

Rachel checked her horoscope apps every single morning.

She let the stars dictate what colors she wore and which direction she should walk when leaving the house.

Ethan despised it. He argued with her every chance he got.

He had complained to me more than once.

"She's out of her mind. You're the only person on earth patient enough to put up with her!"

Stuck in the middle, I could only offer an awkward smile and keep the peace.

Until Thanksgiving night. Ethan booked my favorite rooftop restaurant.

In front of all our closest friends, he dropped to one knee before me.

He looked up at me with eyes full of tenderness.

"Chloe, marry me."

My eyes welled with tears. The word "yes" was on the tip of my tongue.

Then he reached into the velvet box and pulled out a pack of condoms.

"Rachel told me that if I proposed with this instead of a ring, we'd be together forever."

The room instantly erupted into roaring laughter.

Rachel leaned against the table, clutching her stomach as she laughed until she could barely breathe.

"See? I told you proposing with condoms was the move! Look at her, she was ready to say yes instantly!"

"Ethan! I won this bet fair and square!"

The warmth drained from my body, leaving me freezing cold.

I looked at the relieved smirk on Ethan's face, and the truth finally hit me.

He had lost a bet.

And I was the punchline.

Ethan and I had been together for five years.

I had been by his side when he was a nobody, right up until he became the hottest new name in the tech industry.

During our hardest days, we shared a single piece of bread in a cramped, drafty studio apartment.

Back then, he would hold me tight.

"Chloe, I swear I'm going to make you the happiest woman alive."

I truly thought tonight was the start of that promised happiness.

I had been choking back tears, my hand reaching out to him.

And he handed me a box of condoms.

"Bro, you're insane! I can't believe you actually did it!"

"Don't cry, sister! It's way more practical than a diamond ring anyway. You guys can use it tonight!"

Rachel walked over, bumping her shoulder against Ethan's.

"You lost, Ethan! Don't you dare forget what you promised me!"

Ethan stood up. There wasn't an ounce of embarrassment on his face. He even turned his head and shot me a casual grin.

I looked at the two most important people in my life.

A bitter, suffocating lump rose in my throat. I couldn't squeeze out a single word.

"You guys have fun. I'm not feeling well."

I grabbed my purse. Before the tears could spill over, I spun on my heel and walked out of the private room.

Behind me, their voices drifted through the air, completely unbothered.

"Ethan, aren't you going after her? Chloe looked genuinely pissed."

Ethan's voice was completely flat.

"I'll talk her down later. You guys know how she is. She always caves."

"Besides, if I actually tied the knot, what would happen to Rachel?"

Rachel's playful, flirtatious voice followed immediately.

"A career woman like Chloe doesn't have time to mess around with you anyway.

If I don't keep an eye on you, some random girl might snatch you away. How would I face Chloe then?"

She paused, her tone laced with pride.

"By the way, I personally picked out that box for Ethan. After all, nobody knows his size better than me!"

Laughter exploded inside the room again.

A wave of humiliation propelled my feet forward.

As I pushed through the restaurant doors into the cold night, I pulled out my phone and sent a text.

"About the arranged marriage. I accept."