Chapter 1

My sister, Stella, had a string of bad relationships that convinced her all men were jerks.

The day I introduced her to my boyfriend, Ethan, she didn't hold back.

"He's no different from the rest," she said, "he'll betray you in the end."

Under the table, I tugged at her sleeve.

But Ethan didn't get angry. He looked Stella right in the eyes and said, word for word:

"If I ever betray Luna, I'll lose everything."

Stella just scoffed.

"We'll see about that."

After that, their relationship was icy, and I was stuck in the middle, torn.

Then I went away for a six-month work trip.

The night before I was due back, I was scrolling in bed and stumbled upon an anonymous confession thread.

[I fell for my sister's boyfriend. What do I do?]

The comments section was flooded with hate.

Until I scrolled to a reply from a burner account:

[Don't yell at her, everyone. It's not her fault; I was the one who pursued her.]

[She looks tough on the outside, but she's so fragile inside. The more I see that, the more my heart aches for her.]

My finger froze. I instinctively tapped on the profile.

It only had one video of a cat.

But a chill ran through me, and I couldn't stop trembling.

That cat was the one Ethan had given me.