Chapter 2

I could practically recite those words from memory.

She never changed a single syllable.

Whenever it came to Hunter, he always took top priority. A single Snapchat from him could drag her away from me instantly.

I refused to believe Hunter didn't have other friends. How was he able to have an emergency *every single time* Chloe and I were on a date?

It was hilarious, really.

I sat on the living room floor, dragged out all the alcohol I had prepared for the proposal guests, and started chugging them one bottle after another.

Taking a page out of Hunter’s book, I snapped a photo of the empty bottles and posted a Snapchat story: *"In the end, I'm still alone."*

The moment it went live, my notifications blew up.

"Did the proposal fail again?"

"Bro, seriously, how many times is this? Even a stubborn ox knows when to turn back."

"Don't worry about it. Let's grab some drinks when I'm off this weekend. We got your back!"

Reading those comments, a wave of sadness washed over me.

Just as I was about to lock my phone, a message notification popped up from Chloe.

So, she wasn't actually asleep. And she definitely wasn't too drunk to type.

I opened it, and Chloe's annoyed voice note played through the speaker: "Julian, what is your problem? Why are you posting that kind of pathetic drama late at night? Are you trying to make me look bad?"

Her voice held absolutely zero warmth or concern. I couldn't help but remember the time Hunter posted a story about drinking alone. She was so worried that she abandoned me in the middle of dinner and drove across town to pick him up.

I played her voice note on loop, pouring more alcohol down my throat.

It felt like only the alcohol could numb my nerves and temporarily stop the bleeding in my heart.

I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. Ten years. I had finally seen Chloe’s true colors.

In her heart, no matter how hard I tried, I could never compete with the boy she grew up with.

That night, I didn't wait up for her.

In the past, whenever Chloe went out, I would always leave the entryway light on. I didn't want her to come home to a dark, cold house. I wanted her to feel welcomed.

Even though she never appreciated it and often stayed out all night, I stubbornly kept that habit.

Looking back, I was such a fool.

I dragged myself up from the floor, stumbled into the bedroom, and collapsed onto the bed.

When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I did was check the other side of the bed. The tiny spark of hope in my eyes died instantly.

As expected, Chloe hadn't come home last night.

I let out a soft laugh. *Julian, what the hell are you still hoping for?*

Just as I got out of bed, Chloe pushed the bedroom door open, looking completely annoyed. "Since when did you become so lazy?" she snapped.

"You're sleeping in so late, and you didn't even make breakfast."

Because Chloe was obsessed with maintaining her figure, she never ate anything after midnight unless she was out with Hunter. Breakfast was extremely important to her, and she demanded a perfectly balanced meal. I had always prepared it for her myself.

"I'm going to be late for work. Just order takeout," I replied flatly.

My tone was cold and distant. Chloe noticed the shift. She walked over, wrapped her arms around my waist, and tried to soothe me. "Are you still mad about yesterday?"

"Julian, I know it hurts when I say no to your proposals. But Hunter needs me. I can't build my happiness on his misery. Can't you understand that?"

"And marriage is a big deal. Both of us need to be fully ready. If I marry you reluctantly right now, you wouldn't be happy either, right?"

Seeing that I didn't respond, she squeezed me tighter. "Once Hunter finds his own happiness, we’ll get married right away. We’ll have a huge, beautiful wedding, okay?"

In the past, if Chloe spoke to me this softly, I would have forgiven her instantly.

But now, her explanation just felt exhausting.

I didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Yeah. Whatever."

***