Chapter 1

A week before we were supposed to get our marriage license, my fiancée, Maddy Sterling, posted a photo of a positive pregnancy test on her Instagram.

The caption read: "Starting a family with the one I love."

My brother commented below: "Thank you, baby. You've worked so hard for our little one."

My mother added: "My first precious grandson. Grandma loves you already."

I hit the like button and left a comment of my own: "Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness."

A second later, Maddy called me, screaming.

"What's with the sarcasm! Your brother is sick, he can't handle the stress! Besides, this baby still carries your family name, doesn't it? What more could you possibly want?"

I let out a soft laugh and posted a new status:

"Who wants to marry me in a week?"

1.

Not long after I posted that, my mother's call came through.

"What the hell is that post supposed to mean! Delete it right now. Stop making a fool of yourself!"

Listening to her usual tone of blame, I didn't feel the familiar sting of heartbreak this time.

"If you don't delete it, don't blame me for disowning you as my son!"

After throwing out her ultimate threat, my mother hung up.

She was waiting for me to crawl back and apologize, just like I always did.

I set my phone aside and waited for another call.

But thirty minutes passed, and Maddy still hadn't called.

I picked up my phone again.

Unsurprisingly, my brother, Silas Hale, had posted an update.

"I really am the most useless person here. I don't deserve to live in this world."

The photo showed him sitting on the edge of a rooftop.

Maddy commented below: "You still have me! The baby and I both need you."

The suicide threat―it was an old trick.

Silas had played this card countless times.

But Maddy fell for it every single time.

My thumb scrolled down to my own post.

The top comment was from Maddy:

"What kind of game are you playing now? If you trigger Silas's episode, I'll make you regret it!"

Then came the comments from our mutual friends.

Most of them called me heartless, saying I was being petty while my brother suffered from clinical depression.

I looked at the word "depression" and couldn't help but laugh mockingly.

Just then, an unknown number flashed on the screen.

When I answered, a familiar female voice spoke.

"Is this Zeke? It's Sera Cheney."

Hearing that name, the image of a shy girl flashed in my mind.

Sera was my high school desk mate.

We used to be very close, but we drifted apart after I started dating Maddy.

"Zeke Hale!"

Sera suddenly called my full name with an intense seriousness.

"That post you just made... are you serious about it?"

"Yeah," I murmured.

The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds before her voice returned, sounding even more determined.

"Zeke, can I marry you in a week?"

I let out a confused "Huh?" by instinct.

"Zeke, I've liked you for a very long time."

"I will never leave you for someone else. I will always be on your side, unconditionally. Will you please consider me?"

Hearing her firm tone, I suddenly remembered our high school days.

Sera used to bring me breakfast every single day.

Every time I returned to the classroom after a basketball game, there would be a bottle of water on my desk.

It turned out Sera had been showing me her devotion in her own way all along.

When I didn't respond, she whispered my name softly.

I snapped back to reality and said quietly:

"Sera, if you're serious, then I accept."

Her voice was clearly tinged with excitement.

"I'm away on a business trip right now, but I'll be back in a week! We can go straight to the courthouse then."

I caught the joy in her voice, and a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

"Okay. I'll wait for you."

Before hanging up, Sera suddenly asked nervously if I would break my promise again.

Back when we were applying for college, I had promised to go to M University with her.

But in the end, my family forced me to change it to C University because that's where Silas wanted to go.

That was how I had failed her before.

This time, my voice was steady.

"Sera, I won't break my promise this time."