Chapter 1

On the eve of our engagement party, Chelsea finally agreed to wear my grandmother's heirloom silk gown after six months of begging.

Yet hours into the banquet, she still had not shown up.

While desperately dialing her number, I stumbled upon a post from her childhood best friend:

"Someone worked days of overtime on a business trip, but still came to the pool with me just because I asked."

Attached was a selfie of him and Chelsea in the pool.

The fabric of her swimsuit looked sickeningly familiar.

Looking at the room full of waiting guests, I called off the engagement on the spot.

After six years of loving her, I was simply done.

1.

Once the guests cleared out, Chelsea finally called.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me, but I somehow answered anyway.

Chelsea's voice sounded rushed and annoyed.

"Come pick up Drake and me at the country club."

I lowered my gaze, keeping my voice flat. "I'm already nearby."

The club was less than two hundred yards from the banquet hall.

"Why are you nearby?"

A second later, realization seemed to hit her with a faint gasp.

"Oh, right. I totally forgot about today. We can just do the engagement party next time. Pick us up first."

I stayed silent, but she pressed on. "It's just an engagement party. Stop throwing a tantrum and come get me."

Right. Just an engagement party.

To her, six years of devotion, my feelings, and my family heirloom meant nothing at all.

She insisted on a business trip right before the party, promising to return the day before.

Yet the moment she landed, she went straight to Drake Hunter.

I hung up, a suffocating tightness crushing my chest.

Moments later, Chelsea posted on social media:

"My boy loves his workouts so much."

The photo showed Drake flexing by the poolside.

A wave of revulsion hit me, and I let out a dry laugh.

It was only now that I realized how completely disposable I was in this relationship.

Six years of obsession vanished in an instant.