Chapter 1

Today marks the sixth time my boyfriend, Kian Vance, stood up my parents.

My parents and I waited at the bistro for four solid hours. During that time, I called him dozens of times, but it went straight to voicemail.

Just as I was about to try one last time, Kian's childhood best friend, Felicia Frost, posted a location tag at a boutique hotel on the outskirts of town.

"From eighteen to eighty, we're in this together," her caption read.

The photo showed the broad back of a man. On his bare shoulder, there was a script tattoo in English.

A mutual friend commented, "First love goals! I'm shipping this cp so hard."

I silently gave the post a like. Then, I added a comment of my own.

"Make sure you're buried in the same grave when you kick the bucket. Don't come back to haunt decent people in your next life."

1.

The food had just been served when Kian finally called. I declined it without a second thought.

A second later, a text message popped up on my screen.

"Don't start with the jealous drama, okay? We grew up together. What's wrong with staying close until we're eighty? People with dirty minds like yours see everything as a scandal!"

"Besides, Felicia had an emergency out here, and I came to help her. It started pouring rain, and she's not in good health. I only booked a room so she wouldn't get sick in the storm."

More messages flooded in, one after another, all making similar excuses. The only thing he didn't mention was the dinner he promised to have with my parents.

I stopped reading. My heart ached, mostly for my mom and dad.

I looked up at them, feeling a wave of guilt. They weren't young anymore, yet they had flown across the country just to meet the man I was dating.

And Kian hadn't shown up once. Not a single time out of six tries.

My parents were clearly reaching their limit. They had been patient only because they knew how much I loved him.

"Mom, Dad, I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I made you come all this way for nothing again."

My mother looked at me with pity. My father remained calm, his voice level.

"We won't comment on your relationship, Zoey. That's your choice to make. We just came here to see you."

My eyes stung with tears. In the five years I had been with Kian, he had never once traveled to visit my hometown with me.

He was a high-profile corporate lawyer. He always complained that his time was worth thousands of dollars an hour.

Yet, one phone call from Felicia was all it took for him to drop everything. He would drive across the state for her or take a week off to go on vacation with her.

The difference between love and neglect was glaring. I had just been lying to myself for five years.

Sometimes, letting go only takes a single moment of clarity.

I dropped my parents off at their hotel and didn't get back to our apartment until eleven.

Kian was sitting on the sofa, his face dark with anger. As soon as I walked in, he started his interrogation.

"Where the hell have you been until this late? You didn't pick up my calls or answer my texts!"

I listened to him try to flip the script on me. I cut him off mid-sentence.

"Do you even remember what you were supposed to do today?"

"What was I supposed to do? I was working! Or are you going to..."

Kian stopped abruptly. The realization finally hit him.

"I'm sorry. Did your parents already leave? Tomorrow. I promise I won't forget tomorrow!"

"Don't bother," I said quietly.

I walked straight past him into the bedroom. After a quick shower, I crawled under the covers and turned off the light.

A few minutes later, Kian came in. He had showered too and was wearing his robe. He slid into bed next to me like nothing had changed.

"Are you still mad at me?"

I kept my back to him, silent. Kian wrapped his arm around my waist, his breath warm against my ear.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I messed up this time."

"Felicia got into a minor car accident and called me. I was so worried about her that it slipped my mind."

When I didn't respond, he grabbed my shoulder and forced me to turn around.

Under the faint moonlight, I saw the tattoo on his shoulder. It triggered the memory of Felicia's post, and a wave of nausea hit me.

"What? Did Felicia not satisfy you enough tonight?"

Kian bolted upright, his face twisting with rage.

"Zoey Quinn! Are you ever going to drop this? I explained everything! I even apologized, so what else do you want?"

"I was even planning to take the day off tomorrow to spend time with your parents!"

I looked at his patronizing expression and felt nothing but coldness.

"Kian, don't force yourself. Let's just break up."

I grabbed my pillow and left the room to sleep in the guest suite.

Kian stood there stunned for a few seconds. Then, he slammed the bedroom door so hard the walls shook.

The next morning, I was about to call my boss to request a day off when a text came from my mom.

"Your dad and I decided to head back early. Work hard and come visit us when you can."

I froze, then immediately dialed her number.

"Mom? Why are you leaving so soon?"

"Your father is itching to get back to his fishing spot with his buddies," she said gently.

"Anyway, we're about to board. Talk soon."

The line went dead. My heart felt heavy with shame.

I worked only a short flight away from my hometown. Yet, for years, I had revolved my entire life around Kian, rarely making time for them.

A sudden thought flashed through my mind. I got dressed and drove straight to the office.

"Manager Lin, I want that transfer to the Chicago branch."

My boss looked surprised by my sudden initiative.

"What brought this on? I've been asking you to go for months and you kept refusing. If you go, the project manager position is yours."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I finally realized that making money is more important than anything else."

Manager Lin smiled and handed me the paperwork. As I walked out of his office, my phone rang. It was Kian, and he sounded livid.

"Zoey, why didn't you wake me up? And where's my breakfast? I have a major client meeting today!"

I listened to his entitled shouting and let out a dry laugh.

"Kian, I'm not your maid. I don't owe you anything."

"Zoey, you're getting a little too confident..."

I hung up before he could finish.

For five years, I had treated him like royalty. I did all the cooking, the cleaning, even picked out his clothes for him every morning.

He had taken my devotion for granted. He thought it was a law of nature, and now that I had stopped, he saw it as a crime.

I was so glad I woke up from this nightmare.

Once I decided to let go, my productivity skyrocketed. I finished a full day's work by mid-afternoon.

As I stepped out of the office, it started to rain. My phone buzzed again. It was Kian.

"You're off work, right? I didn't drive today. Get the car and come pick up Felicia and me."

He spoke like he was ordering an Uber. He even had the nerve to bring Felicia along.

Did he really think I was that pathetic? That I would drive home in the rain just to come back out and play chauffeur for him and his mistress?

"I'm busy."

I hung up and hailed my own cab. Once home, I ordered a large bowl of spicy noodles.

I loved spicy street food, but Kian always said it was "trashy" and "beneath his status."

He refused to eat it and forbade me from having it in the house.

Yet, I had seen a photo on Felicia's private feed of him in his expensive suit, sitting at a plastic table on the sidewalk, happily eating those exact same noodles with her.

His likes and dislikes weren't about the food. They were about the person he was with. And I wasn't the one who mattered.

I was halfway through my noodles and a beer when Kian walked in with Felicia.

They were both soaking wet and miserable. They looked at me, sitting there comfortably in my pajamas, and Kian lost it.

"Zoey! Is this what you meant by being busy?"

"Just because I missed one dinner with your parents? They'll be around forever! Is it really worth being this petty? You..."