Chapter 1

I had just transferred the hard-earned money from my fifth side hustle to my boyfriend, Ethan, when a viral video popped up on my Instagram feed.

It was a grand proposal that was breaking the internet. The sheer luxury of the setup was breathtaking.

On screen, a man knelt on one knee, tears glistening in his eyes.

"I regret so much that I didn’t confess my feelings to you before we went to study abroad. We let other people get in our way for so many years."

I sighed, thinking it was just another beautiful love story, and was about to swipe away.

But then the camera panned. The man’s face came into full view. It was Ethan.

And the girl crying tears of joy opposite him was my younger sister, Chloe.

The only difference was that they both looked a bit more mature, a bit older.

My eyes darted to the background banner. It read: "July 2030."

This was Ethan... four years into the future.

Suddenly, a cold realization washed over me.

Ethan’s stubborn insistence on going to London to study with Chloe wasn’t for my sake. It was never about me.

Just then, two calls came in simultaneously—one from my supervisor at my next gig, and another from Chloe demanding her monthly allowance.

I declined both.

If they were meant to be, it would be extremely impolite of me to keep getting in their way.