At my 25th birthday party, my childhood sweetheart got down on one knee, holding a diamond ring. "Diane, will you marry me?"

I nodded, my eyes misty with tears, but just as I reached out, he slipped the ring onto my best friend's finger instead.

The room went silent for a beat before erupting in laughter.

"Just kidding!" Livio Becker laughed. "You didn't take it seriously, did you?"

I forced a smile and looked over his shoulder at someone. "I bet he would propose tonight, and I was right. You lost the bet, so tomorrow we're getting married for real."

The moment those words left my mouth, the private room went dead silent. Then the laughter exploded all over again.

Livio Becker noticed I wasn't saying anything and jumped in like he was doing me a favor. "Okay, guys, ease up. Diane is the birthday girl. Let's cut her some slack."

Jordan Rivers locked eyes with me, his gaze steady and serious. "If that's the case, you might as well move in with me tonight."

I met his stare for a beat and nodded. My hands, dangling at my sides, curled into tight fists as my heart started to throb with pain.

In the past, I would have already bolted in tears. Now I just forced down the ache in my chest and walked straight over to Jordan.

"Where are you going?" Livio snapped, stepping in front of me. "It was just a joke, and now you're bailing with some random guy? Can't handle a little teasing?"

His tone was dripping with sarcasm. My best friend, Maggie Holloway, covered her mouth to hide her giggles. She only toned it down when she caught my sharp stare.

"Come on, Livio," she purred. "Diane's my best friend. Don't push her too far. She looks like she's about to cry."

The two people I cared about most mocked me like that, and it hit hard. I couldn't even describe the feeling; it was like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

It reminded me of what happened a week ago, when a trendy fusion restaurant opened in Skyelinville.

I knew Maggie loved trying new spots, so I booked a table, planning to treat her to a feast. That same day opened my eyes to some harsh truths.

Maggie and I were college roommates. We hit it off, becoming best friends.

I had shared my deepest secrets with her, including my crush on Livio. I never expected that once she found out he came from money, she would start a secret affair with him behind my back.

After dinner, I stepped away to pay the bill when I overheard her on the phone with Livio, talking about their bet.

"So, have you decided to be my girlfriend yet?"

"Nah, let's just keep it casual, or Diane will get hurt."

"Diane? She's been following me everywhere, and it's driving me crazy. But I've got a plan to make her quit. Just watch."

Maggie laughed heartily, asking about the details.

Livio's voice came through playful and smug. "Her birthday is in a week. I'll throw her a party, fake a proposal, and humiliate her in front of everyone. Then she won't have the nerve to chase me again."

Maggie's eyes crinkled with amusement, while I stood in the shadows, feeling a chill down my spine. It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing my heart, the dull throb making me shake all over.

...

After that, I couldn't stop replaying it all in my head, questioning what I'd done wrong. Why would the two people I loved most betray me like this?

Everyone knew I was head over heels for Livio, my childhood sweetheart. What they didn't know was that our families had arranged our marriage when we were kids.

From the time we were younger all the way through college, it was always him chasing me, desperate for us to make it official.

I'd always seen Livio more like a big brother since we were so close growing up. But as the years went by, his persistence started to win me over, and I developed real feelings for him.

Right when I was ready to say yes and be his girlfriend, he flipped everything around and rejected me, claiming I needed to focus on school.

Our roles reversed, and I ended up chasing him. But he was different now; the warmth in his eyes was gone, replaced by something cold.

I couldn't figure out what had changed him, but I told myself that if I was just a burden to him, I'd let go and move on. That was when his games started, dragging on for years with constant teasing and mockery.

I wanted to keep things civil, but he wouldn't stop toying with my feelings. I figured his obsession stemmed from resentment. After all, he had chased me for so many years, while I was ready to walk away so quickly. That bruised his ego.

He was desperate to prove I couldn't live without him, craving that rush of being put on a pedestal.

"How about you give us a little performance right here—break down crying like a baby?" Livio taunted. "If you do that, I'll act like I never heard a thing and let you off. Deal?"

His voice snapped me back as his cruelty ramped up. I stared him down, my voice ice-cold. "You're disgusting! Get out of my way!"

He hadn't expected me to curse him out, and his face darkened instantly. Without hesitation, I shoved him aside, took Jordan's hand, and headed straight out.

Livio froze, staring as we walked away. Then he exploded. "Diane Ward, this is pathetic! You really think faking a marriage will force my hand?"

"Fake marriage?" I snorted. "Whatever you say."

His lips pressed into a thin line. "This has gone far enough! It was just a dumb bet. Do you have to make a fool of yourself like this?"

He caught my frown and smirked, thinking he'd struck a nerve. "Face it, I don't love you. Once your game is over, you'll come running back. Don't expect me to be nice about it."

His arrogant attitude wiped out the last bit of feelings I had left for him.

"Fake or real, time will tell," I said, leading Jordan to leave.

Livio moved to stop us, but Maggie latched onto his arm. "Since Diane's got a fiancé now, I'll be your girlfriend."

She raised her voice on purpose, clearly trying to get under my skin.

Livio yelled after me, "If you step out that door today, don't ever show your face around me again!"

"Good riddance," I responded without breaking stride.

...

Outside the venue, I tried to pull my hand free, but Jordan tugged me into his chest.

"Using me and then dumping me just like that?" he muttered, gazing down at me with a mix of hurt and frustration.

I bit my lip and looped my arms around his neck. "I'm not dumping you."

He arched an eyebrow, not letting it go. "Then prove it. Move in with me tonight."

I didn't answer right away, and he pressed on. "Don't tell me you forgot what you promised me."

How could I forget? After finding out about Livio's bet, I'd caved and texted him a few times over the next few days. He had played it cool, like nothing was up, even mentioning the birthday party he was planning for me.

I knew it was all a setup to humiliate me, but I had still held out hope for one last chance to fix things.

Three days before my birthday, I asked Livio to meet up so we could talk things out honestly. But the second I suggested canceling the party, his face turned stone-cold.

"Do you have any idea how much work I put into this?" he snapped. "I wanted it to be perfect for you! Invites are already out to all my friends, and now you're telling me to cancel it?"

My heart twisted as I stared at his familiar features, hearing him spout those fake lines. Still, I pushed forward. "Can't we just skip it? I want to spend my birthday alone with you."

I could never forget his reaction. His eyebrows quirked up, and his eyes overflowed with mockery.

"The invites are sent," he said. "Canceling would make me look like an idiot in front of everyone. You don't want that for me, right?"

I stared at him for a long time before nodding. After he left, I called Jordan, who had always had a thing for me, and laid it all out.

"After the party's over, let's get married. I'm done with this chaos; I just want something stable," I said.

Jordan remained silent, which made me feel like overstepping. But then, he spoke seriously. "I'm in. You'd better not back out, or I'll drag you to City Hall no matter what."

Remembering that, I sighed and nodded. Jordan's face broke into a huge grin as he led me toward my apartment.

...

I'd rented a place in the same complex as Livio to stay close to him. As we walked through the gate, we bumped into him and Maggie heading out, hand in hand.

We passed them, but Livio grabbed my arm. "What's this? Not playing the good girl anymore? Bringing guys home now?"

Before I could respond, Jordan knocked his hand off and pulled me close. "Watch your mouth! It reeks of cheap insults."

Livio didn't get mad, but his eyes mocked me. "Wow, the fake marriage crew is really committing to the act. But I'm curious, Diane. How are you gonna spin this tomorrow when it all falls apart?"

I gave him a blank look and took Jordan's hand. "Let's go."

Thrilled about my response, Jordan shot a smug glare at Livio and followed me without a word.

Livio's face twisted. "How dare you ignore me again, Diane!"

Maggie stepped in front of me, trying to play nice. "Diane, stop messing around. Just apologize to Livio, and you guys can still be friends."

She winked at me with feigned concern, but I just rolled my eyes. "Worry about your own mess, Maggie."

With that, I continued my way toward the apartment building. At my door, I was about to unlock it when Livio pushed past me, punched in the code, and strolled inside like he owned the place.

"Still haven't changed the code? My birthday means that much to you, huh?" he teased.

My eyes narrowed, and I grabbed him. "What do you want, Livio?"