Chapter 1

1

It was my birthday, and my best friend was throwing me a party.

Halfway through, I caught her and my boyfriend sneaking around in the garden.

Seraphina was sitting on Caleb's lap, her voice dripping with mock concern. "You aren't actually going to marry Summer, are you?"

Caleb let out a scoff of pure disdain. "Marry her? Not a chance in hell."

The absurdity of it hit me like a physical blow.

The man who had just promised to spend his life with me had been hooking up with my best friend behind my back.

I didn't look back when I walked away from them.

Later, Caleb would end up on his knees, begging for my forgiveness.

...

Today was my twenty-sixth birthday.

Seraphina Lyne, my ride-or-die since middle school, had organized a huge bash and invited all our friends.

My boyfriend, Caleb Evans, was supposed to be away on a business trip, but he'd flown back early just to be here.

He told me he couldn't imagine missing such an important day for his girl.

During the party, Seraphina claimed she was a bit tipsy and needed some fresh air.

I knew her tolerance was better than two glasses of wine, but her face was flushed, so I didn't question it.

I asked if she needed me to go with her, but she insisted on going alone.

A few minutes later, Caleb excused himself too, saying he had an urgent work call to take.

Our friends were still in high spirits, but we ran out of drinks. "Hey Summer, we're out of booze!" someone shouted.

I flashed a smile. "No worries, I've got more in the cellar. I'll go grab some."

To get to the cellar, I had to pass by the back garden.

Before I even reached the gate, I heard the heavy breathing and those unmistakable, filthy sounds.

My heart skipped a beat, and I froze in my tracks.

All our friends were inside the house, so who could possibly be out here?

"Oh, Caleb... harder..."

I heard a voice I recognized instantly.

It was Seraphina, the same girl who just claimed she was feeling unwell, and she was moaning my boyfriend's name.

They had always acted like they couldn't stand each other, bickering every time they met.

I never imagined they would ever use such intimate tones.

I crept closer, peeking through the rose bushes to see them locked in a heated embrace on a stone bench.

Seraphina was straddling him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

The moonlight caught their expressions―they were both lost in pure bliss.

There was no mistake; it was Seraphina and Caleb.

My legs went weak, and I stumbled back, covering my mouth to keep from screaming.

When they finally broke the kiss, Seraphina leaned against his chest, tracing circles on his skin. "Caleb, who do you love more? Me or Summer?"

Caleb chuckled, pinching her cheek. "You, obviously. Summer doesn't even come close."

Seraphina giggled, though her voice had a sharp edge. "Then what was all that talk about marrying her earlier? You're not serious, right?"

During the party, we'd played a game of Truth or Dare, and someone asked Caleb when he was going to propose.

He had actually pulled a custom diamond ring from his pocket, dropped to one knee, and looked me in the eye.

"Summer, I had this made just for you. Will you marry me?" he had asked.

Everyone had cheered, except for Seraphina, who looked like she'd swallowed a lemon.

At the time, I thought she just hated Caleb because she was looking out for me.

She had spent our entire relationship talking trash about him, acting like she wanted us to break up.

Now I realized she wasn't protective; she was jealous.

Caleb gave a cold laugh. "Marry her? Please. That's never happening."

Tears began to stream down my face, hot and bitter.

We had been together for seven years, and I truly believed he was the one.

The fact that he'd been sleeping with my best friend was a joke I wasn't in on.

Seraphina playfully punched his shoulder. "Then why the big proposal?"

Caleb pulled her closer. "Because the company needs her family's capital. Summer is boring as hell, but at least she's loaded."

I clutched my chest, feeling my world crumble.

So, he was only with me for my family's status and my bank account.

All these years, I was just a tool to be used.

Trembling, I pulled out my phone and dialed Caleb's number.

I watched him check the caller ID with a look of pure annoyance before hitting the green button.

When he spoke, his voice was suddenly filled with fake tenderness. "Hey, Summer? What's up, babe?"

Watching the mask slide on so easily made my blood run cold.

I wondered how many times he'd looked at me with that same disgust while acting like he loved me.

"I just... wanted to know if you made it back to the office yet," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady.

Caleb continued to flirt with Seraphina with his free hand while he lied to me. "Not yet, honey. Why do you ask?"

"Are you coming home tonight?" I asked.

I regretted the question as soon as it left my lips, wanting to hang up and stay in the dark.

Caleb planted a kiss on Seraphina's neck. "I don't think so. It's going to be a long night at work."

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, trying to suppress a sob.

Caleb seemed impatient when I didn't respond. "Summer? You still there? I really gotta go, this project is urgent."

He hung up and immediately went back to kissing Seraphina.

"Are we going back to our place tonight?" Seraphina whispered.

Caleb smirked. "You already know the answer to that."

I stood there, paralyzed by the realization.

They didn't just have an affair; they had a whole life together.

And here I was, spending my weeks decorating the new home I thought we were going to share.

I was such a fool.

I first met Seraphina in middle school.

She was brilliant but came from a struggling family, and her looks made her a target for bullies.

A lot of guys tried to force her into being their girlfriend back then.

Seraphina had too much pride to give in, which only made things worse for her.

One day, I heard a commotion in an alleyway on my way home and saw her cornered by a group of guys.

I've always been a bit of a hothead, and I hated the guys picking on her, so I stepped in.

They knew my family and didn't want any trouble with me, so they scrambled.

I reached out and helped her up.

From that day on, we were inseparable.

As long as she was with me, nobody dared to touch her.

We went to the same college, and Seraphina grew into a stunning woman who was popular with everyone.

I was genuinely happy for her success.

Then I met Caleb at the freshman orientation where he was the keynote speaker. It was love at first sight.

I joined the student council just to be near him, even though I was just another face in the crowd.

He was the Golden Boy of the campus, always surrounded by girls.

I didn't even get to speak to him until our junior year during the winter gala.

The lead girl for his performance had an emergency, and since I was a drama major, he asked me to fill in.

We spent every waking hour rehearsing together.

That was the first time I really got to know the man behind the reputation.

But because of the long hours, I started neglecting Seraphina.

She got jealous and picked fights with Caleb every time they were in the same room.

After the performance was a hit, Caleb and I stayed close and started dating.

I confessed my feelings while I was a little tipsy one night, and to my shock, he said he felt the same.

Seraphina was furious when she found out and didn't speak to me for weeks until I practically begged for her forgiveness.

Since then, she acted like she hated his guts.

I spent years trying to balance my relationship with both of them, keeping them apart to avoid conflict.

I never suspected that they had been playing me for years.

I was nothing but a clown in their twisted little show.