"If he ever gives you trouble, you come to me. Cole and I go way back, but I won't take his side. I've got your back."

A few people around us clapped and cheered.

"That's our Sloane! Still has a flair for the dramatic!"

Sloane paused, then looked past me to Cole, who was sitting on my other side.

"Hey, what's with you? We haven't seen each other in three years. Why so quiet?"

The partygoers kept drinking and chatting, but their eyes were glued to the three of us, terrified of missing a single beat of the drama.

Cole's ears turned a tell-tale red.

He didn't even dare to look at her. He raised his glass, his tone straining to sound lighthearted. "I don't know what to say. We're not exactly close anymore."

Sloane let out a soft laugh. "So it's my fault we lost touch?" She raised her glass. "Well, we can fix that. Let's make a point to keep in touch."

Cole glanced at me before answering, "I'm on a tight leash now. If you want to find me, you'll have to go through my fiancée first."

They clinked their glasses and shared a smile, as if wiping the slate of the past clean.

Their words were simple and direct, with no hidden meaning I could decipher. And yet, sitting between them, I felt like I was suffocating.

Perhaps it was because after three years together, I knew Cole's body language all too well. And tonight, I could see he was wound far too tight.

The night devolved into a blur of drinking, singing, and party games, leaving most of the guests stumbling drunk by the end.

Cole lost to Sloane in a drinking game and had to choose Truth or Dare.

Sloane, who had been the picture of elegance all night, finally dropped the pretense. Tipsy, she tilted her head and asked playfully, "If I show up at your wedding, will you leave with me?"

Instantly, the already excited crowd went wild.

"Finally! The gloves are off!"

"Yeah, now this is the real show!"

"Come on, Cole, tell us! Would you leave with her?"

Cole's eyes were bloodshot from the alcohol. He stared at Sloane, his gaze a vortex of conflicting emotions. Then, with utmost seriousness, he uttered a single word, "I will."

The room erupted.

"I knew it!"

"This is going to be good! Someone's crashing the wedding!"

Their cheers drew the attention of everyone in the entire venue.

Sitting between them, I felt like the walls were closing in. I couldn't breathe, and my hands started to tremble.

I didn't know how to react. I mumbled something about needing fresh air and made my escape to the terrace.

I held back my tears and sent a text to my best friend, Chloe Montgomery.

"Can you come pick me up as soon as possible?"

Her call came through immediately. "What's wrong? Did someone mess with you?"

"No, just... don't ask. Can you just come, please?" My voice was trembling, and I was barely holding it together.

Chloe's tone turned urgent. "I'm on my way! Ten minutes—no, seven!"

"It's not that urgent. Drive safe."

"Shut up!"

...

Seven minutes later, Chloe's Lamborghini screeched to a halt, the tires smoking.

The moment I saw her, my defenses crumbled, and tears streamed down my face.

Chloe grabbed my hand, her voice a low growl. "What the hell did you do to her?" Her eyes snapped to Cole. "Are you blind? Can't you see she's upset? And you're just standing there?"

Chloe's family was ridiculously wealthy. She had always been cool and defiant, and right now, her presence was overwhelming. The entire room fell silent.

Her sharp gaze landed on Sloane. "Oh. It's you."

Sloane stood up and took my hand, smiling as if we were the best of friends. "We were just playing a game. Why so serious? I can be a bit oblivious and didn't realize you'd take it to heart. My bad."

Chloe pulled me behind her and snarled, "Get your hands off her. You're not oblivious. You're a venomous bitch."

By then, Cole had sobered up a bit. He stood up, rubbing his temples.

"Ava's tired. I should take her home."

Chloe scoffed. "I'm here now. You can go back to being a decorative statue."

The crowd stood by awkwardly as Chloe helped me gather my things, muttering under her breath.

"I told you so. With your looks and taste, you should be marrying into old money and living the high life. But no, you had to go and get tangled up with new money. That whole scene is nothing but backstabbing and fake smiles. A pure-hearted person like you doesn't belong there."

Calling a hundred-million-dollar company "new money" was an insult only she could get away with.

After gathering my things, Chloe picked up my bag. Seeing the vintage T-shirt inside, she didn't even bother to ask, just yanked it out and threw it on the ground.

"What is this piece of junk? Who gives this as a gift?"

The T-shirt skidded across the floor and stopped at Sloane's feet, wiping the smirk right off her face.

Then, Chloe took my hand and strode out.

Cole chased after us, grabbing my wrist at the door. "Ava, don't be mad," he pleaded. "It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. She asked that question so suddenly, my mind went blank."

I looked into his deep, sincere eyes and felt my resolve crumble.

"You mean that was your gut reaction? That deep down, you'd choose her?"

"Of course not. Ava, it was just a game. If I had said no, she would have been humiliated."

"So to save her from a little embarrassment, you thought it was okay to completely humiliate me?"

"Those were just words. I'm offering you a marriage."

I shook his hand off, letting out a breathless, bitter laugh. "And I should thank you for it? Cole, we've been together for three years. I never realized you were such a coward."

Just then, Chloe pulled the car around and laid on the horn.

Cole grabbed my hand again. "I'll take you home. We can talk on the way."

Chloe scowled. "If you've got so much free time, why don't you go drive for Uber in that SUV? Might help you clear your head."

Cole froze. For the first time, his prized SUV felt less like a status symbol and more like a mark of shame.

I got into Chloe's car. Before closing the door, I looked back at him. "Let's call off the engagement. We both need to think."

...

On the way back, I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw Sloane had posted a story.

It was a photo of the back of Cole's head in a car, captioned: "Some things are worth a three-year wait."

The emotions I'd been bottling up all night burst forth. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Three years of my life. For what?

I thought Cole's unwavering loyalty was love. I never imagined it was just a performance for Sloane's benefit. I was just a pawn in their years-long psychodrama.

Chloe wasn't the type to offer comforting words. She was a woman of action.

"Stop crying. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Just get a new one. My brother is handsome, rich, and has a body to die for. Hell, my dad’s still a silver fox. Take your pick!"

I cried until I was exhausted, finally letting out a watery laugh.

"Chloe, am I pathetic? I still need you to fight my battles for me at this age."

Chloe patted my head. "Don't be silly. Everyone's different. My mom passed away early, so it was just me, my dad, and my brother. None of the three of us are any good at expressing love."

"I was a rebel growing up, a headache for everyone. I rarely get a chance to be useful. But you... you're the kindest person I've ever met. Being with you is like a shot of pure sunshine."

"You're also the only doctor in town who could fix my skin issues. When I had that allergic reaction, if you hadn't come to see me every day, patiently calming me down and never getting angry, I never would have made it through."