Chapter 1

The night before the wedding, everyone gathered to play Spyfall.

The word card I drew had the name of Julian's ex-girlfriend written on it—my fiancé's ex.

The game began. Victoria, Julian's sister, spoke with open contempt: "That country bumpkin who crawled back from the sticks."

Lucas, Julian's best friend, flicked ash from his cigarette. "Such a poser. I hated being anywhere near her."

Julian was silent for a long moment, then added, "Jealous. Painfully so."

My sister Mia nodded eagerly. "She's practically got a persecution complex. Always thinks everyone's freezing her out."

Something tightened in my chest. I'd met Chloe, Julian's ex, once—she was gentle, well-mannered, nothing close to what they were describing.

So I couldn't help defending her. "Smart. Beautiful. Fun, too."

The moment I said it, Mia burst out laughing.

"Evelyn, I didn't realize you were that full of yourself."

The next second, the whole room erupted.

Then, in unison, every finger pointed at me. I was voted out unanimously.

Only then did it finally register—*I* was the spy.

The name on their word cards was mine. Evelyn Raven.

And the person they despised was me.

...

While I sat there frozen, my best friend Sarah pushed the door open, back from her errand. She began handing out chilled beers, one by one.

Six people. Five bottles. Nothing for me.

An immense exhaustion crashed over me.

The six of us grew up together. When I was ten, I got lost, spent a year drifting through the slums before I was finally found and brought home.

After I came back, when they divided crêpes and doughnuts, only crumbs were ever left for me.

At our college graduation, everyone decided last-minute to move the celebration elsewhere. No one told me. I stood waiting until dark, until a kindhearted security guard finally clued me in.

By the time I made it over, they were already deep in laughter—not one of them had noticed I wasn't there.

This time was no different. My sincerity had earned me only mockery, spoken right to my face.

I decided, then, that some circles simply couldn't be forced. There was no point clinging to a place that would never hold me.

"You guys keep playing. I'm a little tired. I'm heading out."

I grabbed my bag and turned to leave a heartbeat before the tears could fall.

The door clicked shut behind me, but my legs felt like lead. I sank down into the shadows of the hallway, covered my face, and let myself sob.

Through the door, I caught faint murmurs.

"Julian, aren't you going after her? Your fiancée looked pretty upset."

Julian's voice came back flat, terrifyingly cold. "No need. She can process it on her own."

Victoria seized the opening. "We've been shutting her out since we were kids and she still acts like nothing's wrong. Country folk—they can swallow anything."

Another round of laughter rang out from behind the door.

...

"No need. She can process it on her own."

Victoria seized the opening. "We've been shutting her out since we were kids and she still acts like nothing's wrong. Country folk—they can swallow anything."

Another round of laughter rang out from behind the door.

Then came Lucas's voice: "She still has no idea we ditched her on purpose the day of that Taylor Swift tour, so Chloe could get her closure, right?"

"Sharing a hug and a goodbye kiss on the stage of a sold-out concert—now *that's* a romantic ending."

"Honestly, I don't think any of us have ever gotten over the fact that Julian and Chloe didn't make it."

"Tonight's little game—consider it us finally getting revenge on her behalf."

Sarah quickly hushed them. "Shhh… don't let her catch on. She spent one year on the streets and she's been playing the fragile card ever since. If she finds out, she'll milk the sympathy for all it's worth."

Sarah paused, then asked, "The thing about her mom's injury—that's not going to leak, is it?"

Mia's voice, brimming with confidence: "Relax. I already coached Mom and Dad. They love me the most. Whatever act I ask them to put on, they'll deliver."

Crouched by the door, my heart plunged straight through ice.

So that day, when Mom said she'd burned her arm making pizza—it was a lie. Dad wasn't actually flying to Sydney for business.

Every single one of them had lied to me. All so Julian and Chloe could have their romantic farewell kiss.

I don't remember how I got out of there.

Midsummer. A hot wind rolled off the river and swept over me, and still I felt frozen to the bone.

Slumped in the back seat of the bus, my mind was a blank canvas, splattered only with the echoes of their sneers.

With trembling hands, I dialed Sarah.

"Sarah. In the seven years Julian and I have been together—he and Chloe never actually broke up, did they?"

"You… you knew all along, didn't you?"

I gripped the phone, praying she'd tell me it was some sick, unfunny joke.

She didn't hesitate for even a second.

"Yes. I've always known."

"Look, at first I thought Chloe was just some homewrecker too." Sarah's tone was infuriatingly casual. "But the more time I spent with her, the more I realized—she's a genuine angel."

"She leaves her umbrella for stray dogs in the rain. She buys pads out of pocket for undocumented girls working under the table… She's so kind. God, who *wouldn't* love her?"

My nose burned. Tears spilled unchecked.

"And me, Sarah?! Do I *deserve* to be stomped on like garbage by every single one of you?!"

Silence on the other end for a beat. Then a matter-of-fact scoff.

"Evelyn, I'm doing this for your own good."

"You're always so petty, holding grudges over every little thing. You're honestly acting like a crazy bitch."

...

Silence on the other end for a beat. Then a matter-of-fact scoff.

"Evelyn, I'm doing this for your own good."

"You're always so petty, holding grudges over every little thing. You're honestly acting like a crazy bitch."

"Those two are ten thousand times better matched than you and Julian ever were."

I listened, disbelieving, to the voice bleeding out of my phone.

My best friend. When she was being bullied at that private high school, I stood in front of her and nearly took a box cutter to the face. When her ex-boyfriend was cheating, I was the one who kicked down the hotel room door to get her justice.

And now, she was standing on the opposite side of the line without a shred of hesitation.

I hung up. The wedding event planner called next.

"Miss Raven, regarding your castle wedding with Mr. Julian Grant—there are a few details I need to confirm with you."

"The roses for the venue arrangements have all been swapped out for lilies, and the dessert bar has been switched entirely to oat-milk-based items."

I went rigid.

"Did… did Julian make those changes?"

"They were Chloe's suggestions. Mr. Grant said… to leave the arrangements entirely to her."

The last of the warmth drained from my chest.

I have a severe lily allergy. Even brushing against the pollen sends me into anaphylactic shock. Julian knew this. He knew it perfectly well.

And yet, for a single word from Chloe, he could dismiss even my life as if it were nothing.

In that instant, my heart died.

I typed and typed into the message field—accusations, curses, hurt—but in the end, I deleted every last word.

"The details are fine," I said, my voice steady. "You've only gotten one very important thing wrong."

*The bride.*