Chapter 2

Ethan's voice came shouting from behind me.

"Chloe!"

He caught up with me, slipping his heavy coat over my shoulders.

"Why are you running off? It's freezing out here. Throw a tantrum if you want, but don't freeze yourself to death."

I shoved him away with all my strength.

"Ethan, does treating me like a complete clown make you feel accomplished?"

He frowned, annoyance instantly taking over his face.

"Why are you being so emotionally unstable?

Rachel said your mercury is in retrograde this week.

I didn't believe her, so I made a bet with her."

"Now look at me. I lost twice in one night."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips, but the tears fell faster.

I remembered when we first started dating. I used to suffer from terrible insomnia because of work stress.

He would clumsily read me bedtime stories, softly humming off-key melodies until I finally fell asleep.

Where did that man go? The one who put my feelings above everything else?

Seeing my silence, Ethan's tone turned harsh.

"Do you have any idea how much money I spent booking your favorite restaurant for your birthday?

I invited all our friends. You walking out and pulling this face—are you trying to humiliate me?"

His self-righteous interrogation left me stunned for a second.

"When you publicly proposed to me with a box of condoms, did you stop to think about how humiliated I would be?"

He froze. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, his voice softening slightly.

"Rachel read it in the stars, okay? I lost the bet, and a deal's a deal. Besides, who told you to take it so seriously?"

"Right. I was the only fool who took it seriously."

I muttered under my breath.

I looked at the man I had loved for five years, and suddenly, everything felt completely pointless.

"Ethan," I said calmly. "We're done. Let's break up."

He went completely still. His hand reached out instinctively to grab mine, pure disbelief written across his face.

"Chloe, over a stupid joke? Are you really making this big of a deal out of it?"

I refused to waste another breath on him. I took a step back and turned to leave.

"Chloe, don't you dare walk away!"

He lunged forward, grabbing my wrist and yanking me back violently.

"Have you had enough yet?!"

I stumbled, completely losing my balance, falling backward toward the street.

Right at that second, a speeding motorcycle roared around the corner. Its blinding headlights flashed directly into my eyes.

Before I could react—

A massive impact threw me into the air.

The moment my body slammed against the asphalt, blinding agony ripped through every bone in my body.

In the final seconds before darkness consumed me,

I saw Ethan, eyes bloodshot, rushing toward me in a panic.

When I opened my eyes again, everything was stark white.

"Chloe, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Ethan looked completely drained. He grabbed my hand.

When I didn't answer, his grip tightened.

"The doctor said you're going to be fine.

Just a mild concussion and a fractured leg. You just need to rest for a while."

I shifted slightly, and a sharp, piercing pain flared through my left leg.

My gaze moved past him, landing on the figure standing behind him.

Rachel was there too. Her eyes were red, looking far more victimized than I was.

"Chloe, I honestly didn't think you couldn't take a joke. I just wanted to make everyone laugh. You're not actually mad at us, are you?"

I couldn't help but let out a cold smirk.

Standing side by side, they truly looked like the perfect match everyone always claimed they were.

And I was the idiot dancing to their tune.