Chapter 3

"Sienna, move. I told you, today is the day I propose to my girlfriend."

She stood in the doorway, blocking my exit, her words sharp and insulting.

"Nathan, that woman will never say yes to you. Look at you! You reek of desperation!"

"Any woman with eyes in her head would run the other way!"

The sound of their laughter echoed in my ears. I finally snapped. "Sienna, not every woman plays with people's feelings like you do!"

"My girlfriend is a good person. She's nothing like you."

My words hit a nerve. She couldn't stand being challenged.

She threw the door open. "Fine! Let's go, girls. Let's go watch Nathan's little proposal party."

"Let's see if anyone actually wants a simp who's been rejected ninety-nine times."

They followed me, their faces full of mockery, but I wasn't afraid.

I opened the door to the other room, straightened my jacket, and walked in.

The moment I stepped inside, I was wrapped in a warm, enthusiastic hug from Chloe.

The room was filled with our friends and family, their cheers and blessings making me feel safe and accepted.

"Chloe, I hope you'll say yes. Forever and always, just the two of us."

I knelt on one knee and slid the custom-made ring onto her finger.

As our friends applauded, we embraced.

Behind me, Sienna's face had turned pale, her body trembling with rage.

She was about to storm into the room, but her friends pulled her back.

After the party, as our guests were leaving, I noticed a flood of texts on my phone.

They were all from Sienna.

"Nathan, I know today was just an act. If you come and apologize tonight, I'll forgive you."

I scoffed. Sienna still thought she was a princess and the whole world revolved around her.

"Sienna, Chloe and I are getting married."

She sent back a laughing emoji. "Playing pretend? You really think Chloe will go along with this?"

"Just admit you were wrong, and I'll stop being mad."

I turned off my phone.

Just then, Chloe walked over to me.

"Nathan, are you sure you don't regret this?"

I looked at her, my voice firm. "I don't regret it."

My mind flashed back to the day I first met Chloe.

Sienna had been driving, with Jax in the passenger seat. She had insisted I come along, forcing me to watch them flirt.

At an intersection, she was so busy kissing him that she crashed into a pole.

Jax had a few scratches. But a heavy object in the back seat had flown forward and crushed my foot.

Sienna had immediately pulled her precious Jax from the car and rushed him to the hospital.

Before she left, she locked the car doors. "Nathan, Jax is hurt. I have to get him to the ER."

"You stay here and watch the car."

I was left alone, trapped and helpless, calling for help.

That day, Chloe was on her way to a blind date her family had set up. She saw me trapped in the car.

She smashed the window, pulled me out, and took me to the hospital.

She stayed with me until I recovered, a ray of sunshine in my dark world.

It was the first time I felt like I was worthy of being cared for.

During my hospital stay, Sienna only complained.

"You ruined my new car! So your foot is a little crushed. Jax was bleeding!"

She didn't know that I had almost lost my foot, that I was a hair's breadth away from needing an amputation.

If Chloe hadn't been there, my life would have been completely different.

When Chloe learned about my history with Sienna, she didn't laugh at me like everyone else.

Instead, she made a proposal. A fake marriage.

It would get her family off her back about finding a husband, and it would be my ultimate revenge.

Thinking about it now, I looked at Chloe again. "Chloe, no matter why we're doing this, I promise you, I will be loyal to you for the rest of my life."