Chapter 1

In my fifth year of dating Ryan Cole, I brought up marriage three times.

The first time, he said, "Lily fell at home. I need to take her to the hospital to get checked out. We'll talk when I'm back."

The second time, he said, "That limited-edition figure Lily wants goes on sale in-store today. I have to go line up. Don't rush me."

The third time, I asked him point-blank: "Ryan, do you actually want to get married, or do you want to break up?"

He stared at me for a long time without speaking.

Finally, he said, "Emma, stop. We'll get married, just not right now. I promised Lily I wouldn't get married until she finds a boyfriend."

I had my answer. I didn't push it.

I picked up my phone and called the jeweler I'd already been in contact with.

"That custom men's wedding band I ordered—cancel it."

"I don't need it anymore."

Ryan didn't know I'd given him three chances to choose me.

After the third, I was done waiting.

Once I confirmed the cancellation with the jeweler, I called a secondhand furniture and appliance buyer.

They came quickly.

The man followed where I pointed, saw the TV, the refrigerator, and the couch in the living room, and froze.

"Miss, are you sure you want to sell all of this? The TV, the fridge, the couch—they're practically brand new. Shouldn't you talk to your boyfriend first?"

I shook my head. "No need. Give me a price. Whatever you can haul out today, take it."

He didn't ask again after that. He quoted me a number.

Once we agreed, his face broke into a grin.

"These are big pieces—I might not get them all in one trip. Mind if I come back a few times?"

"That's fine."

Ryan came home from work just as the buyer was directing his guys to carry the TV out the door.

He stood in the entryway, his brow creasing instantly.

"What's going on? Where are they taking the TV?"

"I sold it."

I didn't hide it.

"You sold it?" Ryan let out a disbelieving laugh, his eyes full of shock. "You sold the TV—what's Lily supposed to watch when she comes over? You know she loves binge-watching her shows…"

He trailed off, as if something occurred to him, and the tight crease in his brow softened.

"Fine. The old one was too small anyway—bad for the eyes after a while. You sold it, I'll just buy a bigger one."

When I'd first suggested buying a TV, he'd been completely against it.

"We're both busy with work. Who has time to watch TV? It'd just sit there collecting dust."

He'd forgotten—I was the one with no sense of security.

On the nights he worked late and I was alone in this cold, silent apartment without a single sound, I was afraid.

So I'd bought the TV despite his objections.

I thought that when I was scared of being alone, it could keep me company in Ryan's place.

What I hadn't expected was that, once the TV was there, the person who watched it most wasn't me.

It was his childhood friend, Lily Evans.

I said nothing.

Ryan pulled out his phone and started browsing for a new TV.

After placing the order, he didn't forget to look up and remind me: "Stop fighting Lily for the remote from now on. She's still like a kid. Be the bigger person and let her have it."

Five years together, and I'd heard this line more times than I could count.

Whenever Lily was around, nothing in this home belonged to me anymore.

I had to give way to her in everything.

In the past, every time I heard something like that, I'd blow up at Ryan.

But this time, I just nodded calmly.

"Got it. I'll never fight her for it again."

Not just the remote.

I wouldn't fight her for him either.

Ryan heard my promise, and something like relief flickered in his eyes.

He sighed. "Emma, if only you'd been this reasonable all along."