Chapter 1

Prologue

1

The tenth time I got down on one knee, Foster Mason walked away before I could even finish the sentence.

He did it for her. Again.

Eight years of history, and I was still second place to his "sick" childhood bestie.

This time, I tried to hold him back. I gripped his sleeve, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Just take the ring before you go, Foster. It won't take more than a few seconds."

"Is she really so important that you can't give me those few seconds?"

Foster looked at me with pure, unfiltered annoyance. He sighed like I was the one being unreasonable.

"Veda, stop making a scene. It's not like I'm saying I won't marry you eventually!"

"Mila has a fever. You know her immune system has been trashed since she was a kid. She needs me."

And just like that, he ditched me for her. Again.

I stared at the velvet box in my hand. This was the last time I'd ever ask.

I had gone all out for this proposal. I invited all his friends to witness what I thought would be our happiest moment.

But reality slapped me hard across the face.

Ten times. That was the count. Nine times before this, Mila Montgomery had called with some emergency, and Foster had run to her side.

He always left me standing there alone.

I sat on the edge of the fountain, wondering if he ever actually loved me.

I was tired of living in this constant state of anxiety and doubt.

I decided right then that there wouldn't be an eleventh time. I needed to find the version of myself that didn't revolve around him.

Foster and I met in the university's debate club. He was charming, sharp, and exactly my type.

We were paired up for a regional competition. To be honest, I was only there because a friend dragged me along to fill a spot.

But the moment I saw Foster Mason, I was a goner.

I stayed in that club, pushing myself to master a subject I knew nothing about, just to keep up with him.

It was the first time I had ever chased a guy.

I didn't know how to play games, so I just did everything I could to support him from the sidelines.

He was so gentle back then.

Whether he was teaching me rebuttal techniques or just talking about his day, he was like a summer breeze.

With his help, I became one of the top debaters on the team within a month.

In that one month, I decided he was the one.

There was always another girl around, though.

He told me they were just friends, so I chose to believe him. I didn't want to be the jealous girlfriend.

Later, I found out they grew up together. Her name was Mila Montgomery, and she was his first love.

I told myself it didn't matter.

I believed that as long as he loved me now, the past stayed in the past.

I knew Mila was sickly, and Foster felt a sense of duty toward her.

Sometimes I'd go with him to check on her.

But more often than not, he'd just leave me behind.

We were together for eight years.

Every year, I'd bring up marriage. Every year, I'd propose.

He never gave me a straight answer.

He always used Mila's health as an excuse to stall.

"It's over," I whispered to the empty air.

A sharp ringtone shattered my thoughts. I looked at the screen and let out a sarcastic laugh.

The caller ID read: "The Love of My Life."

When he left to find Mila earlier, a part of me already knew it was coming.

Maybe I'd been hurt so many times that I had finally gone numb.

"Veda, I know I shouldn't have left like that, but you need to stop making these huge public displays. It's embarrassing for me, okay?"

His voice was full of blame. I froze, stunned.

He was actually making this my fault?

"And stop being so petty. Mila really isn't feeling well. You need to learn to be more accommodating."

"I've been accommodating her for eight years, Foster. Who accommodates me?"

There was a long silence on the other end. He didn't know what to say.

I had never talked back. Not once.

Even when he was angry or said hurtful things, I'd just take it because I loved him too much to fight.

I hung up the phone. I didn't want to hear another word.

My fingers moved on their own, opening Instagram. I checked Mila's stories.

The image on the screen felt like a physical blow to my chest.

"I knew you cared. You left your own engagement party just to be with me when I needed you."

She knew. She knew exactly what she was doing.

"Veda Vance, you're such an idiot," I whispered to myself. "Are you really going to keep letting her hurt you?"

I took a deep, shaky breath and exhaled the weight of eight years.

I blocked Foster's number immediately.

The few friends who were still hanging around the venue looked at me with pity.

I forced a smile, though it felt like my face was cracking.

"You guys should head home. Foster had an emergency."

They cleared out pretty quickly after that.

My phone buzzed again. It was my best friend, Finn Nolan.

He was the one who had dragged me to that debate club in the first place.

"I heard about the proposal. Tenth time's the charm, right? Did he finally say yes?"

Finn's voice was cautious. He knew the history. He knew Foster's track record.

I had bragged to Finn that Foster would definitely agree this time.

Finn had only given me a look I couldn't read at the time. Now I realized it was pity.

He saw the truth long before I did.

"No. But there won't be an eleventh."

Finn went silent. He didn't believe me. He knew how much I had compromised for Foster over the years.

I had ghosted my friends for Foster. I had skipped parties and trips just to be home whenever he wanted me.

Everyone knew I was his doormat.

"Did he go to Mila again?" Finn asked.

He didn't even have to guess. He knew that was the only thing that could pull Foster away on a night like this.

He couldn't understand why Foster picked a frail ghost of a girl over someone like me.

I had been the perfect partner. I gave him everything.

"Don't talk about him," I said. "We haven't hung out in forever. Let's grab drinks tonight. All of us."

I knew what Finn was thinking, but I was done.

I hadn't felt an ounce of real love from Foster in years.

Why would I want to spend the rest of my life feeling invisible?

"That's the spirit! I'll call the guys. We thought we lost you to that guy forever."

Finn's laugh was a relief.

I set a time and place, then turned to head home.