Chapter 1

When I found out my childhood friend was going to meet his arranged marriage partner, he was lying on my bed, casually flipping through a financial magazine.

I thought he was joking, so I ran my fingers gently over his collarbone.

"Julian, you're not seriously going to that blind date with the Sterling heiress, are you?"

He closed the magazine nonchalantly. "Yeah. Make sure the housekeeper presses that white suit in the closet."

My breath hitched. "For real? Then what are we?"

He chuckled, his tone completely dismissive. "We grew up together, Sienna. You'll always be like a sister to me."

"We're adults. We sleep together occasionally. Don't overthink it."

Julian and I shared our entire childhood, and for the last five years, we played the role of lovers in high society.

For five years, we did the most intimate things imaginable. The only thing missing was an official ring.

But now, tracing the red mark he left on my collarbone, he told me not to overthink it.

While he was in the shower, I called my parents.

"Mom, Dad, that corporate marriage alliance you mentioned last time? I accept."

The line went silent for a few seconds. My mother’s voice came through, filled with worry.

"Sienna, don't do this impulsively. Marriage isn't something you do out of spite."

I shook my head. "Mom, Julian is right. We’re just childhood friends. If he's moving on with a corporate marriage, I can't stop him."

"But you clearly—"

"Mom," I interrupted. "We were never what you thought we were."

I hung up and sat on the edge of the bed alone until Julian walked out, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"What's wrong?" He walked over, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, his voice thick with post-shower laziness.

"Who upset my favorite girl?"

"Nothing." I pulled away from his embrace. "My parents just set me up with a marriage of convenience."

He froze for a second, then quickly laughed. "Sienna, you're not seriously marrying some random guy just because I'm going on a date, are you?"

There it was again. That dismissive, mocking tone.

He was so sure I’d always be there, always at his beck and call.

I looked down at myself, at the marks he’d left on my skin last night.

A wave of sadness hit me. I reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, but he snatched it away first.

"You know you have a sensitive stomach. Why are you drinking cold water?"

With that, he poured me a cup of warm water.

He remembered all my habits. He knew everything I liked, every health issue I had.

He even kept track of my period.

But he didn't love me.

I lowered my head and asked softly, "What is she like? Miss Sterling?"

He came up behind me again, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Remember that ballet dancer we saw in Paris three years ago?"

"I said back then, a woman like that is fit to be Mrs. Vance."

My fingernails dug into my palms. Of course I remembered.

Julian had watched her perform once in Paris and spent a whole week talking about how elegant she was.

But back then, I was naive. I thought he was just projecting my image onto her.

After all, we looked so much alike. She wasn't even as striking as I was.

It turned out he had kept her in his mind for three years.

So, what did our five years mean to him?

Seeing my pale face, Julian added, "Sienna, don't go falling in love with me."

"Isn't what we have right now perfect?"

"If I actually married you, my life would be so boring."

He smiled casually, his warm breath tickling the back of my ear. "Jealous?"

His hand slipped under the hem of my nightgown, but I gently pushed it away.

"Julian, let's end this."

He froze, his brows furrowing. "Sienna, stop playing games."

"I'm not." I looked up into his eyes. "You're getting married. If I don't wake up now, I'd just be pathetic."

He stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly let go. His tone went cold. "Suit yourself."

After he left, I sat in silence for a long time.

We had known each other since we were kids, and after we turned eighteen, we crossed every line.

For five years, I was his plus-one at every high-society gala, and I stood by him through the hardest times of the Vance Group's restructuring.

We were business partners by day and lovers by night.

He would get jealous if I smiled at other men, and he’d cancel all his meetings to spend my birthday with me.

Everyone assumed we would naturally end up together.

I, too, thought we were just one confession away from forever.

But it was all just wishful thinking on my part.