Chapter 1

When I discovered Lily's existence, I didn't scream or fight with Ethan.

I just handed him the divorce papers.

He sat there, head bowed. After a long, painful silence, he ripped the papers to shreds.

"Ten days," he whispered. "Just give me ten days. I'll send Lily far away, and she will never appear in our lives again."

Without waiting for my answer, he turned and walked out of the house.

So, the ten-day countdown began.

Ethan took her rafting, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, and skydiving.

He took her to do every thrilling thing they could think of.

He also took her to watch the sunrise by the beach, doing everything romantic.

Until the night of the ninth day.

I was packing my bags when my Snapchat rang.

It was a video call glitching from a number I hadn't seen in forever—it was me, from ten years ago.

"Oh my god, you're really me in ten years!" Her bright, sunny face on the screen was glowing with excitement. "So, did Ethan and I get married? Do we have kids?"

A pang of bitter pain hit my chest. I walked out to the balcony.

I turned the camera toward the driveway below, where Ethan and Lily were locked in a passionate, tearful embrace, unable to let each other go. "This is the reality."

Her eyes widened, looking like she'd been struck by lightning. "That's... that's impossible..."

My voice was dead, stripped of all energy. "Chloe, please. Do not marry him."