Chapter 1

One month before the wedding, my fiancé decided to let his ex-girlfriend move into our new apartment.

"June, Celine doesn't have anywhere to stay. Our place just got finished. She can crash there—it's safe, it makes sense."

"We're getting married next month. Don't I get a say in this? I already told her yes."

He hung up before I could answer.

I stood there, frozen, staring at the apartment I'd spent one hundred and twenty days designing with my own two hands. It had just passed final inspection that morning.

Yeah. The apartment had passed.

But the wedding? I suddenly didn't want it anymore.

……

"Still mad?"

"Look, I went out of my way to get you that salted caramel cake you love. Waited in line almost forty minutes."

Ethan dropped to one knee in front of me, opened the box, forked off a small piece, and held it up to my mouth.

"Try it. It's no good once it melts."

I stared at that little piece of cake and remembered how it always went. Every time we fought, this was his move.

There was one night we argued about the wedding venue. He drove three blocks over at midnight to get me hot chocolate from that place I liked. Came back with his hands red from the cold.

Back then I thought he was clumsy but sincere. He was willing to spend time on me. That meant he cared.

"Ethan, I've been handling this apartment on my own for four months. Picking out materials, watching the contractors, every single weekend—how many times did you even come by?"

The smile on his face stiffened for a second, then came right back.

"I know it's been a lot on you. But work's been insane lately."

"Once we move in, I'll cook you dinner every night. Call it making it up to you, okay?"

I looked him in the eye. "Celine. Do you still love her?"

He looked away.

"No… I just, she's had a rough time. She just moved back, her lease fell through, she couldn't find anywhere on short notice…"

I glanced down. The cake was starting to collapse. Frosting was slowly bleeding into the bottom of the box.

Like us. Right now.

"Ethan. This is our home."

He was quiet for a moment, then sighed.

"June, I know this is hard on you. But it's just a small favor. She asked—I couldn't just turn her away."

"And come on, we've got a whole life ahead of us. It's not worth wrecking things over something this small."

He glanced at my expression, then took my hand.

"Look, I knew you were upset. That's why I went all the way out there to get you the cake."

"You know you're the only one I care about."

I did know.

I knew that when I worked till three a.m., he'd leave a light on for me.

I knew that when I got my period, he'd bring me a heating pad and tea.

I knew that most things I said, he remembered.

And that's exactly what made this moment feel absurd.

"Put the cake in the fridge," I said. "I'll have it tomorrow."

He thought I was softening. He exhaled, smiled a little, and stood up to head to the kitchen.

When he came back out, he cleared his throat.

"So… I'm gonna run the keys over to Celine in a bit. She'll move in tonight. She's kind of in a rush."

I looked up at him. His eyes darted away.

I let out a cold little laugh. "Ethan. We're getting married next month."

He nodded.

"Right, exactly—so the place is just sitting empty until then. Might as well let Celine use it. No sense wasting it."

Then he turned and headed for the door.

At the door he paused, like something wasn't quite sitting right.

"I'll be back soon," he said.

But I knew. Some things weren't coming back.