Chapter 1

Just as we were about to exchange rings, Sebastian’s childhood friend Chloe challenged me to a Sudoku match.

“Sebastian can create the puzzle. Whoever wins gets to wear the wedding ring.”

“You’re the national Sudoku champion. Don’t tell me you’re too scared to compete.”

I wasn’t.

But Sebastian cheated.

He had barely finished writing the puzzle when Chloe filled in the entire solution.

She lifted her chin and looked at me, her voice breezy.

“You lost the bet, so pay up. Give me the ring.”

Sebastian tore his indulgent gaze away from Chloe. When he looked at me, his brows pulled together slightly.

“You owe Chloe this after what happened five years ago. It’s just a ring. Give it to her.”

I quietly agreed.

She could have more than the ring.

She could have the wedding too.

Sebastian didn’t know that his best friend, Julian, had already told me everything that would happen today.

I hadn’t believed him.

So Julian had made a bet with me.

“If you lose, you’ll marry me tomorrow.”

I lost twice in one day.

I looked down and immediately texted my assistant, telling her to prepare another wedding.

...

By the time the ceremony reached the ring exchange, I had started to think Julian’s warning from last night wouldn’t come true.

“Wait.”

Then Chloe suddenly spoke, interrupting the ceremony.

Behind her stood several friends she and Sebastian shared—the same crowd they’d run with since UCLA. Every one of them watched me with amused anticipation.

“How about a Sudoku match?” Chloe asked.

My heart sank, and I instinctively looked at Sebastian.

He didn’t seem surprised. He looked resigned, but unmistakably indulgent.

“Chloe never managed to beat you in college. She insists on having one more chance.”

Chloe turned to Sebastian with a bright smile.

“I’m definitely going to win this time, right?”

Sebastian said nothing.

I couldn’t stop myself from reminding them, “The ceremony has already started. Are you sure this is when you want me solving Sudoku?”

The next step was supposed to be the ring exchange.

Then we would be pronounced husband and wife and seal our vows with a kiss.

“Don’t be a sore loser,” Chloe said.

“If I’d been better than you at Sudoku back then, maybe Sebastian would be marrying me today.”

The words came out of nowhere.

Sebastian looked at me, then at Chloe.

Only then did Chloe explain, drawing out every word.

“I made a bet with Ivy. If I lost, I’d leave the country and never bother either of you again.”

“No, I—”

Sebastian cut me off before I could finish.

“Then have the match.”

The decision was made. His eyes were cold when they settled on me.

I swallowed the words on the tip of my tongue.

“Sebastian can create the puzzle,” Chloe said. “Whoever wins gets to finish the ceremony and wear the ring.”

“You’re the national Sudoku champion. Don’t tell me you’re too scared to compete.”

Her mocking certainty made my stomach turn.

The people behind her started egging her on.

“Bold as ever. Aren’t you worried about what people will think when they see that ring on your finger?”

Chloe laughed. “What’s the big deal? I’m only wearing his ring. It’s not like I’m actually marrying Sebastian.”

“But if his bride loses her wedding ring to you, that’ll be humiliating.”

“And she runs MindEdge. The company specializes in brain training for teens, and Sudoku is its signature program. If this gets out, who’ll still trust her to teach their kids?”

From the way they talked, it was obvious they already knew I would lose.

But I kept my eyes on Sebastian.

“What do you think?”

Chloe and the people behind her meant nothing to me.

Sebastian’s answer was the only one that mattered.

He gave a dismissive shrug.

“Have the match. Isn’t this how you forced Chloe out of the country for five years?”

I should’ve known that would be his answer.

But hearing it still stunned me.

Unable to give up, I tried one more time.

“If I lose, she can have the wedding too. How about that?”

Sebastian frowned.

Chloe immediately scoffed.

“You’d really give it up? Or are you only saying that to force Sebastian to cheat for you?”

Just as I had when Julian warned me the night before, I decided to give Sebastian one last chance.

But after hearing Chloe’s accusation, he only said coldly, “Stop making dramatic threats. You know that doesn’t work on me.”