Chapter 1

My boyfriend, Ethan Carter, tried to break up with me for the sixth time.

This time, I didn't go crawling back.

I moved out of our apartment, changed my number, and left the city.

Six months later, I pushed open the door to the private room where he was having dinner with his friends.

Ethan raised an eyebrow and stood up, walking toward me.

"So the silent treatment's over?"

He reached for my hand. I stepped back.

He froze for a second, then laughed.

"Half a year and you're still mad?"

I let out a small laugh.

He thought I'd come back to make up.

He was wrong.

I lifted my hand and let the ring on my finger catch the light.

Meeting his stunned expression, I kept my voice flat.

"Sorry."

"I'm here to pick up my husband."

…

Ethan stared for a beat, then burst out laughing.

His eyes flicked to the ring on my finger before landing back on mine.

"Claire Bennett, that joke's not funny."

His mouth twisted, mocking.

"Six months, and you're telling me you got married?"

I let my hand drop and asked calmly, "Is there a problem?"

I looked at him.

"Silent treatment past three days means it's over. Your words, right? We went silent for six months. I got married. What's wrong with that?"

Ethan stared at me, then gave a soft laugh.

He stepped aside.

"Fine. Go on. Point out which one of them is your husband."

His lips curled.

"Perfect. I'd love to meet him."

Laughter erupted from inside the room.

They were all Ethan's friends.

The girl sitting dead center was Chloe Wilson, the new assistant at his company.

I frowned slightly, pulling out my phone to make sure I hadn't walked into the wrong room.

Before I could unlock it, Chloe was already up and walking over.

Her smile was still there.

"Claire, don't tell me you found out we were meeting here and showed up on purpose to say all that?"

She paused, glancing around at the group.

"Or did you actually marry one of Ethan's friends?"

She couldn't hold back her laugh.

The room joined in with playful denials.

"Claire, come on, you have to tell us. Which one of us did you marry?"

"Not me. Everyone knows your whole heart belongs to Ethan."

"Don't drag me into this. I'm staying single."

"Definitely not me. I've got a girlfriend."

One guy just stared at his phone, silent, looking uncomfortable.

I didn't react.

Chloe smiled and asked me, "So, Claire, who's your husband? They all say it's not them."

My expression didn't change.

Ethan lifted an eyebrow.

"You said you're picking up your husband. Who?"

I was about to say I'd walked into the wrong room, but Chloe cut me off, looking like she had it all figured out.

"Come on, Claire. If you just wanted to make up with Ethan, you could've said so. We wouldn't have judged."

Her lips curved.

"It's not like it's the first time. We get it."