Chapter 1

The night before our wedding, Caleb's inner circle gathered for a wild celebration.

His female best friend, Riley, handed me a gift that made my blood run cold. Inside the box was a full set of elaborate kinky toys.

Seeing my face pale, Riley let out a loud, boisterous laugh.

"Elara, don't you dare go easy on him. Caleb might act like a cold, disciplined surgeon during the day, but he's a total beast in bed."

"Back in January, he used just three of these things on me and sent me straight to the ER. I had to nurse those tears for two weeks."

Then, she hooked her arm around Caleb's neck with a playful smirk.

"Caleb, let your bro give you some advice. Once you're married, you have to be gentle."

"Elara looks like a fragile flower. Don't go overboard like that one time when you kept me in bed for two days straight right after I healed. I thought I was going to die."

My face was ashen, so she dramatically covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, we're just bros joking around. Elara, you aren't actually mad, are you?"

Everyone in the room waited for me to lose my mind. Instead, I forced a light laugh.

"Of course not. I should actually thank you for being a free tutor. After all, professional coaches for that kind of thing usually cost at least three hundred a night."

1

The moment I finished speaking, Caleb, who had been acting indifferent, finally looked up.

His expression was cold as ice, but the anger was directed at me.

"Riley was kind enough to get you a gift. What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I shrugged my shoulders carelessly.

"I meant exactly what she meant."

"But since your teacher worked so hard and even ended up in the hospital, you really should have given her a bigger tip."

The room went dead silent. Riley's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Caleb's face darkened, and his chair screeched against the floor as he stood up.

"Elara Thorne, how dare you talk about Riley like that!"

"Is this how your family raised you? To be so foul-mouthed and disrespectful?"

I leaned back against my chair, finding the whole situation pathetic.

"She brought it up first. If anyone is being foul-mouthed, it's definitely not me."

The atmosphere became increasingly awkward.

Caleb stared at me, ready to snap, when Riley let out a soft sob.

When everyone turned to look at her, she quickly wiped her eyes and put on a brave face.

"Caleb, please don't fight with Elara on my account."

"It's my fault. I have a big mouth. I'm so used to messing around with the guys that I forgot Elara was here."

With that, she raised her hand and gave herself a light slap on the cheek.

It was barely a tap, but Caleb's face twisted in pain as if he had been the one hit. "Why would you do that to yourself!"

Riley, with tears shimmering in her eyes, gave him a playful kick.

"Damn it, Caleb! Stop yelling at me unless you want me to break your legs!"

Caleb held her chin, checking her cheek with a focused intensity he usually reserved for surgery. Once he was sure she was fine, he glared at me.

"Tonight was supposed to be a celebration with my brothers. If you can't handle a joke, go home."

The others looked at me, some with blatant disgust in their eyes.

I ignored them and looked straight at Riley.

"So, it was a joke? You didn't actually get torn up by him?"

"Elara, that is enough!"

Caleb slammed his hand on the table and roared. His friends rushed to hold him back while Riley kicked him again.

"I just told you to be nice to her! Why won't you listen to me!"

The VIP room was a chaotic mess. I stood up and let out a cold laugh.

"I've seen enough of this 'brotherly love' for one night."

"Thanks for the drinks, but keep the gifts for yourselves. Since you've used them before, you clearly have the experience."

I grabbed my bag and walked out, ignoring Caleb's furious shouting behind me.

The summer air was humid. By the time I got into the driver's seat, I was drenched in a cold sweat.

My throat felt tight and dry. I had to swallow hard several times just to steady my breathing.

How could Caleb do this?

We had been together for three years. Our wedding was scheduled for tomorrow.

And yet, behind my back, he was playing games with his 'bro' that landed her in the hospital!

I punched the steering wheel just as my phone buzzed.

It was a text from Caleb:

"You were incredibly immature tonight. Riley was just joking, and you had to make it disgusting."

"Luckily, Riley is a bigger person than you. She said she won't hold it against you, so we're moving past this."

"Go home. Tell your parents and the relatives that the dress needs some last-minute alterations. The wedding is postponed by one day."

I stared at the last message in disbelief and let out a jagged laugh.

The wedding dress needed alterations? How come I, the bride, didn't know about this?

Driven by a dark impulse, I opened the group chat Caleb had added me to tonight and clicked on Riley's profile.

Her social media feed was public.

Five minutes ago, she had posted a new video.

In the video, Caleb's wrists were tied behind his back with a black silk tie. He was kneeling in front of her.

She sat on a chair like a queen while the other guys threw flower petals around her.

I turned up the volume. I heard Caleb laugh, sounding helpless and fond as he barked like a dog for her.

The caption read: "A perfectly good party ruined by someone who can't take a joke. Such a buzzkill."

"At least my dog is well-behaved. He postponed the wedding just to make it up to me with another party tomorrow night."

"Ugh, I guess I'll forgive him. I'm too soft-hearted for my own good."