Chapter 1

At our wedding, right in front of everyone, my fiancée slipped the ring onto her male best friend's finger.

The entire hall fell dead silent.

Holding the mic, her voice was dripping with tenderness. "Back when we played house as kids, I promised I'd marry you. Consider this ring that promise fulfilled."

Her best friend's eyes turned red. He slowly held out his hand.

She lowered her head and slid the ring over his knuckle.

The officiant frantically tried to save the moment: "What a beautiful, pure friendship! The groom won't mind, right?"

Murmurs erupted across the banquet hall.

Neither of them paid any attention. My fiancée stared into his eyes, her face glowing with adoration, while he reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair.

I stood just two steps away, looking like the biggest clown on earth.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally turned around.

She walked up to me, extending an empty hand.

"Ethan, will you marry me?"

I took a step back. "No. I won't."

My fiancée froze completely.

She looked up at me, the velvet ring box still open in her hand. The spotlight hit the diamond, glaring and harsh.

It was as if she hadn't heard me correctly.

Her lips twitched twice before she squeezed out, "What did you just say?"

I unbuttoned my tuxedo jacket and took another two steps back.

"I said, I won't."

"You two look way better together anyway. The ring is on, the officiant is here, and the room is full of friends and family. How about I just take a seat and enjoy the dinner while you two carry on?"

The smug smile on her best friend’s face instantly vanished.

Panicking, he began frantically tugging the ring off his finger, rushing toward me as he pulled.

"It's not what you think! It was just a childhood—"

"Save your breath."

I raised a hand, cutting him off.

My fiancée stood up abruptly, golden confetti sticking to her bridal gown. She lunged forward to grab my hand.

I stepped aside, letting her grasp air.

"Ethan, listen to me, it was just a joke! He's like a little brother to me. I watched him grow up!"

"Then marry him," I snapped.

She didn't look at me. Instead, she glanced over at Brandon, her gaze lingering on his face for a full second.

My mom’s face had gone completely dark. She stormed up to the stage in three quick strides, pointing directly at Chloe’s face.

"Chloe, do you really think my family is a pushover?"

Chloe flinched and ducked her head. "Mrs. Miller, it's really not like that—"

"Don't you dare call me that."

My dad walked up right behind her.

"My son is standing here in front of six hundred guests, humiliated by you like this. Who gave you the right to speak to us?"

Down in the front row, Chloe’s mom couldn't sit still any longer.

She hitched up her dress and jogged onto the stage, her face flushed red, grabbing my mom's arm.

"In-law, please, just listen! It was just kids messing around! Brandon grew up right next door to Chloe. It's purely brother-and-sister love, absolutely nothing more!"

My mom ripped her arm away.

"Brother-and-sister love requires exchanging rings at her own wedding? Why don't you hand over the marital house to him while you're at it?"

Chloe’s mom’s expression soured instantly.

She pressed her lips into a tight line, blocking the front of the stage, and hissed under her breath, "Isn't that taking it too far? It was just a harmless little ceremony stunt! The officiant already smoothed it over!"

"You can smooth it over all you want, but I sure as hell won't."

My mom seized my wrist, gripping it so tightly my bones ached.

"Let's go."

My dad moved behind us, shoving away a couple of groomsmen who tried to block our path.

Just as we reached the steps, Chloe’s dad cut us off.

"You want to call off the wedding? Fine. But return our twenty-thousand-dollar wedding contribution first."