Chapter 1

"Chloe, are you okay with this? Really?" Mrs. Davis held my hands, her grip tight and warm. Her eyes, usually sparkling with life, were clouded with concern.

I managed a small smile, though it felt brittle.

"I am, Mrs. Davis. More than okay."

The offer had been a shock. When Liam, the boy I had loved my entire life, brought home a vapid social media influencer and declared her his girlfriend, my world had shattered. His parents, the Davises, saw my heartbreak. They had always treated me like a daughter, and now they wanted to make it official. They wanted to adopt me.

"Oh, Chloe, sweetheart." A tear escaped her eye and traced a path down her cheek. "I'm so happy! George, did you hear that? She said yes!"

Mr. Davis came over, his usually stern face soft with emotion. He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"We'll call the lawyer first thing in the morning," he said, his voice thick. "We'll get the paperwork started immediately."

It felt warm, being wanted like this. It was a balm on the raw wound Liam had left. But there was something else, a new plan forming in the back of my mind-a way out.

"There's something else," I said, my voice quiet but firm. "I've been accepted into a graduate program. In London."

The happy atmosphere in the room fizzled. Mrs. Davis looked stunned.

"London? But... that's so far away."

"It's a prestigious architecture program," I explained. "It's an incredible opportunity for my career."

Mr. Davis looked from his wife to me, his expression thoughtful. He saw the resolve in my eyes, the silent plea for them to understand. This wasn't just about running away from Liam; it was about running toward my own future.

"When would you leave?" he asked, his tone accepting.

"The program starts in two months," I said. "I want the adoption to be finalized before I go. I want to leave as Chloe Davis."

The implication hung in the air. I was setting a condition. I was drawing a line.

"Of course," Mrs. Davis said, her voice trembling slightly. "But where will you stay until then? You can't go back to your apartment, not with it being right next to Liam's."

"You'll stay here with us," Mr. Davis declared, leaving no room for argument. "Your room is always ready for you."

"Okay," I whispered, the fight draining out of me. It was easier to agree.

A heavy silence fell before Mrs. Davis spoke again, her voice hesitant.

"What about Liam? We'll have to tell him."

Just then, my phone buzzed on the coffee table. A notification from Instagram. It was a picture Brittany King, Liam' s new girlfriend, had just posted. A selfie of her and Liam, his arm wrapped around her, both of them beaming. The caption read: My man treating me to the best dinner ever. So in love!

The picture was taken at the restaurant where Liam and I had celebrated every major milestone since we were kids. My stomach churned.

I took a deep breath, the air burning my lungs. I had to face him. I had to be the one to tell him.

"I'll talk to him," I said, my voice stronger than I felt.

My mind drifted back. Liam and I. We were inseparable. Our families were so intertwined in business and friendship that everyone just assumed we would end up together. He was the one who held me when my parents died in a car crash. He was the one who promised to build me a house, our house, with the perfect studio for my architecture work.

Then, a month ago, everything changed. He brought Brittany home. Sweet, bubbly, and utterly manipulative. He said they were in love.

His parents were furious. They saw right through her superficial charm. They saw my devastation. That' s when they offered me a way to stay in their family, a way to solidify my place, not as a future daughter-in-law, but as a daughter.

"If you can't be our daughter-in-law, then be our daughter," Mrs. Davis had said through her tears.

And I, heartbroken and lost, had finally agreed. I would become his sister. It was a painful, twisted solution, but it was a way to cut the cord of hope that was strangling me.

I stood up, my legs feeling unsteady.

"I'm going to see him now."

I drove to his condo, the one right next to mine, the one he was supposed to share with me. The lights were on.

When I stepped out of my car, I saw them through the large living room window. Brittany was sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. They were kissing, a deep, passionate kiss that made me feel sick.

My heart, which I thought couldn't break any further, splintered into a million more pieces.

I walked to the door and rang the bell, my hand shaking.

Liam opened it, a look of surprise on his face.

"Chloe? What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," I said, my voice flat.

He glanced back at Brittany, who was now pouting from the couch.

"Can it wait? Brit and I are kind of busy."

"No, it can't," I insisted, my gaze unwavering. "Things are going to change."

He sighed, an annoyed sound. He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. He was always so handsome, so charming, and so utterly clueless about the pain he caused.

"Fine, what is it?" He said it with a lazy smile, then turned and blew a kiss to Brittany. She giggled, a high-pitched, grating sound.

The sight of it was the final push I needed. I reached into my bag and pulled out the small, velvet box. It contained the key to his condo, the one he' d given me years ago, a symbol of our shared future.

I placed it in his hand.

"I won't be needing this anymore." I looked him straight in the eye, my voice clear and cold. "Goodbye, Liam." Then I added the word that would change everything. "Brother."

I turned and walked away without looking back.

I heard his sharp intake of breath, a strangled sound of confusion and shock.

"What did you just call me?" he yelled after me, his voice cracking.