Chapter 1

There is a viral trend online lately, using a fake account to test your boyfriend's loyalty.

"I have a girlfriend. I love her so much. Check my Ins. She is all over it."

That was Ethan Shaw's reply when I tested him with my burner account.

But when I clicked on his Ins, the pinned photo showed him with his arm around my best friend, Chloe Williams.

For ten years, his posts were visible to me, but the rest of the world saw a completely different version.

I hadn't even started crying when I heard the door unlock.

He walked in, covered in snow, and leaned down to kiss away the tears at the corner of my eyes.

"Why are you crying? Did you fight with your family again?"

I gripped my phone tighter and shook my head with a smile.

But from that moment on, I started packing my bags. I booked a one-way ticket to Sweden for a month from now.

Ethan Shaw, you had better never find out.

I'm not planning to attend the wedding a month from now.

Aria's POV

There is a viral trend online lately, using a fake account to test your boyfriend's loyalty.

Even though Ethan Shaw and I have been together for ten years, even though we are getting married in two months, I was still curious whether Ethan would stay true to his principles.

After I added him on the fake account, Ethan's attitude was cold. Once he figured out my intentions, he sent back a blunt reply.

"I have a girlfriend. I love her so much. Check my Ins. She is all over it."

My heart felt so warm and sweet. But the moment I opened his Ins, I completely froze.

The pinned photo wasn't of me. It was of my best friend, Chloe Williams.

The caption was intimate, clearly showing off his girlfriend.

I opened my real account on another phone to compare, and that's when I discovered Ethan had been lying to me all along!

All the posts about me on his Ins were only visible to me and a few close friends.

But the posts about Chloe, everyone could see those.

I gripped my phone tightly. My blood ran cold. I could barely breathe.

I didn't want to cry, but hot tears blurred my vision anyway.

My mind flashed back to when Ethan proposed to me.

That mature, steady man showed nervousness for the first time. His whole body was trembling.

So even the deepest love can't survive the test of time?

The man who said he would love me forever, his heart had already left me long ago.

I was lost in thought when the front door clicked open.

Ethan walked in, bringing the cold wind and snow with him.

He saw my red eyes and frowned slightly, touching my face with concern.

"Why are you crying? Did you fight with your family again?"

Ten years.

Ethan knew me better than anyone.

I'd been by his side since he was broke, and it caused constant fights with my parents.

But now he was the one hurting me the most.

I looked up into his eyes. My heart churned with bitterness. I wanted so badly to cry and demand to know why he was doing this.

We were so close to our happy ending. Why did he stop to hold someone else's hand instead?

But I held it in.

Mississippi was full of Ethan's connections. If I wanted to leave, I couldn't let him know.

Otherwise, stopping me would be the easiest thing in the world for him.

I turned my head away. My voice was hoarse.

"It's nothing. I'm used to it."

Ethan nodded, but he didn't comfort me gently like he used to.

"Sorry, I was supposed to spend our anniversary at home with you today, but something came up at work. I need to go back to the office."

"Get some rest early."

He casually set down a gift, then grabbed the most formal coat from the closet and left in a hurry.

I saw the gentle smile that unconsciously appeared on his face as he looked at his phone.

His lies were so obvious. I could see right through them with just one glance.

The door closed completely.

I took out my phone and saw that Chloe had posted on Ins.

The location was a famous upscale restaurant.

She said her boyfriend was taking her to dinner. His face wasn't visible, but I recognized the Rolex on his wrist immediately. It was Ethan's.

I scrolled through Chloe's Ins.

That's when I realized that three years ago, when I introduced Ethan to Chloe, they had already gotten together.

Behind my back, Chloe had been showering Ethan with care and attention. Maybe because he was on a business trip that year and felt lonely, or maybe because of the thrill of something new, he allowed Chloe to cross the line.

And it had continued until now.

There was also a conversation between the two of them.

Chloe had messaged Ethan.

"Did I leave my hair tie at your place?"

Ethan's reply made me sick to my stomach.

"It fell in the master bedroom. Come get it next time. I'll keep it safe for you."

No wonder Ethan had suddenly started locking his little box.

It wasn't just filled with our photo albums and our memories. It had his memories with someone else too.

The thought of my fiancé and my best friend getting intimate in this bed made my heart twist in pain. A wave of nausea surged up my throat. I ran to the bathroom and threw up.

I don't know how long I cried or how long I was sick. I had no strength left. My heart went numb.

I quickly packed my things and moved to the guest room. Then I walked to the balcony, letting the wind hit my face as I called my mom. My voice was thick with tears.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

"I broke up with him. Didn't you want to immigrate to Sweden? I'll go with you."

My mother still loved her daughter in the end. She comforted me for a long time before hanging up.

I calculated everything. I needed to liquidate all my assets. Getting the money would take at least a month.

Then I bought three one-way tickets to Sweden for a month from now.

That night, I didn't go to bed early. Instead, I got up and cleaned the whole house until it was spotless.

I threw away everything related to Ethan.

Looking at the anniversary gift Ethan had given me, I pulled at the corner of my mouth and decisively threw the necklace into the trash.

Ethan Shaw, I've been with you since I was fifteen.

I've been by your side for ten whole years.

You really have no heart.