Chapter 1

On the day of my wedding to James Jonas, his best friend, Mia Rodriguez, appeared in front of me, pregnant.

She cried with tears in her eyes, “Ames, you have everything. Please, just give James to me. I’m having… his baby…”

I ripped off my veil and threw it on the floor.

Turning around, I saw James' panicked eyes.

Perhaps he remembered our contract: If anything goes wrong with this wedding, his fortune will be mine.

Chapter 1

I’ve known James Jonas for five years. From college sweethearts to walking down the aisle, countless people envied our relationship.

"A perfect match, a pair made in heaven, the ideal love story…"

I’ve heard these words so many times, but they never meant much to me.

I knew James’s heart was with someone else.

He’s known Mia Rodriguez for ten years, five years longer than he’s known me.

The strange thing was that James and Mia always referred to each other only as best friends. Their bond seemed so pure, untouched by even a hint of romance.

They ended up at the same college, in the same major. Yet, for reasons I still don’t understand, James decided to pursue me—a girl from a completely different department.

Back then, I had dreamy ideas about college romance.

James was handsome, polite, and incredibly charming.

So, when he asked me out for the second month in a row, I finally said yes.

During the first week, everything felt perfect. It was like the beginning of one of those romance movies. However, soon, I noticed something, or rather, someone, that didn’t sit right with me.

Mia.

She was an average-looking girl who wore her hair short.

She’d call me, “Ames,” with a bright smile while casually slinging her arm around James’ shoulders, saying things like, “James, you’re unbelievable! Bagging such a gorgeous girl so quickly. Got any tips for me?”

Now, Mia was at least a foot shorter than James, so whenever she threw her arm around him, her face would naturally end up close to his ear.

Too close.

Their closeness felt intimate, though James acted like it was perfectly normal.

It kept happening again and again.

I couldn’t understand why James, who now had a girlfriend, still had such a physically close female friend.

At first, I convinced myself I was overthinking things and brought it up to him casually. What I didn’t expect was his response. It left me speechless.

“Mia and I have been close friends for over five years. That’s just how we’ve always been. I can’t just cut her off because I’m in a relationship. That would be an insult to our friendship!”

I decided to talk to Mia as well.

Her response was equally ridiculous.

“What are you even talking about? James and I are just friends. Always have been. Whatever romantic nonsense you’re imagining, that’s not us. James is more suited to dating… well, someone like you!”

Mia paused, looking me up and down as if trying to decide whether calling me a “little girl” would stick.

Admittedly, I was taller and had a more mature look than her, so she faltered.

Fine, then.

Even if their friendship was so pure, I wasn’t going to stick around to see it.

I broke up with James shortly after.

Chapter 2

I originally thought we’d part ways peacefully, going our separate directions and never crossing paths again. Who knew James would refuse to accept the breakup?

"Are you out of your mind? I’ve said it a hundred times. Break up, break up, break up! Why do you keep showing up outside my lecture hall every day?!"

“And you know what’s worse?” I pointed at Mia, utterly baffled. “Why the heck are you bringing your so-called best friend with you? What? You can’t think for yourself anymore? You need her to make all your decisions?”

The words came out in one angry breath without a pause, which said a lot about how furious I was.

James scratched his head, putting on his usual innocent guy act.

“I… I thought that since you’re both girls, she’d understand your emotions better and could…”

From behind him, Mia chimed in, “Yeah, Ames, don’t misunderstand James—”

“Ames, my foot!”

At the time, I was in the middle of PE class. In a fit of rage, I hurled the basketball in my hands directly at James.

Fate is a funny thing. Sometimes, it’s beautiful; other times, it’s downright cursed.

When my parents dragged me along to apologize to James, it turned out our families knew each other.

“Oh, look who it is! Little Amy! You’ve grown so much! I remember holding you when you were just a tiny bundle of joy. Do you remember me? Joe?”

My dad and James’s dad, Joe Jonas, were best friends back in college. If Joe’s family hadn’t moved overseas to start their business, we might’ve had some kind of childhood betrothal.

However, there was something odd about the way my mom looked at Joe. She stayed behind my dad, unusually quiet.

My clueless dad didn’t notice a thing, of course.

After some small talk, our families soon knew all about my relationship with James.

“Amy, our boy here is terrible at expressing himself. If he’s done anything to upset you, feel free to teach him a lesson.”

He gave James a flick of his bandaged head. “Let him learn his lesson. But—”

Then his tone shifted.

“Don’t let someone who doesn’t matter ruin something that could be special, okay?”

Standing there in the hospital room that reeked of disinfectant, I glared at James, who was giving me that same stupid grin he always had.

Was I blind? What on earth did I ever see in him?

Also, he looked so much like his dad!

I glanced over at Joe again. Dashing, polite, the picture of sophistication. Except for his eyes—

They were watching my mom like a snake sizing up its prey.

That night, I went to check on my mom.

She was sitting in the massive master bedroom, staring silently out at the moon, tears streaming down her face.

“Mom, what’s wrong? You barely said a word at dinner. It’s not like you.”

With my dad out attending yet another business event, it was just the two of us in the house.

“I’m fine,” she said, quickly wiping her tears away and forcing a smile. “I was just remembering some sad things from the past. Don’t worry about me. You should get to bed. You have an early class tomorrow, right?”

I took her hand gently. “Mom, I saw everything today. Joe—”

The moment I said his name, she flinched.

“Don’t… don’t say anything more!”

Later that night, after she finally fell asleep, I quietly left her room.

Chapter 3

Thanks to his dad's overly enthusiastic meddling, James and I got back together.

I don’t know what Joe said to James, but Mia started showing up less and less around us.

When Valentine’s Day rolled around, James surprised me with a big bouquet of roses.

“Thank you!”

I smiled shyly, leaning into his arms before planting a soft kiss on his cheek. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mia standing at a distance, staring at us.

Tears rolled down her face.

So, she cried when she thought no one was watching?

I glanced back at the bouquet of roses in my hands.

It was funny. I'd told James before that I didn’t like roses. So who suggested roses in the first place?

“Ames, I got us two tickets to the newest sci-fi blockbuster. Want to go see it?”

I lowered my gaze and answered softly, “Sure, whatever you want.”

James spun me around in excitement, smiling like a fool. “Ames, you’re the best!”

When I glanced back to where Mia had been standing, her eyes were red as she walked away.

At the dimly lit theater, James went to buy popcorn while I left the bouquet at the counter for safekeeping.

Turning a corner, I ran into Mia.

Well, what a coincidence, or maybe not.

She was with a group of guys who often hung out with James.

“So this is the girl James calls his girlfriend? Wow, she’s drop-dead gorgeous. A total goddess!”

The group burst into laughter, and Mia coolly brushed her bangs out of her face.

“Yeah, this is James’ girl. What movie are you two here to see?” she asked, her tone casual but her eyes sharp.

Before I could answer, James came back.

As luck would have it, we were seeing the same movie, with seats right next to each other.

Mia snatched the popcorn out of James’s hands and started dividing it among the other boys.

“Come on, James, share with us! We didn’t have time to grab snacks before the movie started.”

The group joked and nudged each other as they made their way into the theater, leaving James holding the one remaining box of popcorn.

He looked at me nervously.

“Why are you staring at me, James? Let’s go. The movie’s about to start.”

I took his hand and led him toward the theater, the dim glow of the hallway lights blurring the vision.

Chapter 4

It was hard to tell if it was a coincidence or deliberate, but Mia's seat ended up right next to James.

With a cheeky grin and her popcorn in hand, she chirped, "Perfect! After the movie, we can grab dinner together."

I kept my eyes fixed vaguely ahead. I had no interest in joining their conversation.

This movie must’ve been the kind they all liked. By the second half, James and the others were huddled together, whispering enthusiastically.

Me? I was so bored I couldn’t stop yawning.

Seeing them chatting away happily, I decided to take a quick nap. Who would’ve thought that by the time I woke up, even the credits had finished rolling?

As we left the theater, Mia was eagerly discussing the movie’s plot with James.

The two of them grew more engrossed in their conversation, gradually drifting farther ahead of the group.

That left me trailing behind with James’ buddies.

Maybe my silence made everyone think I was upset because they started trying to cheer me up.

One guy cracked jokes, while another went off to buy me a smoothie and snacks.

"Don’t mind Mia. She’s known James forever. They’ve got all these shared interests and always get carried away talking. We’ve learned to just stay out of it."

I smiled warmly, trying to be understanding. "I get it. They’re best friends. It’s normal for them to have a lot to talk about."

It took James thirty minutes to realize he’d left me behind with his entourage. By the time he came jogging back, he looked genuinely apologetic.

“Ames, I’m so sorry, I—”

I raised my hand dramatically, cutting him off mid-sentence.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You and Mia haven’t caught up in a while, right? A little extra chatting is no big deal. I’m not that petty.”

Handing off the smoothie and snacks to his friends, I looped my arm through James’ with a sudden burst of affection.

“James, I’m starving! Let’s go eat!”

I swear, I had never used such a sugary tone since I was a kid. However, it worked like a charm!

James’ face went beet red, and his friends were instantly fired up, hooting and hollering in delight.

The only one who wasn’t amused was Mia. She stood frozen, fists clenched at her sides, her eyes suspiciously shiny.

Gone was her bubbly, talkative demeanor from earlier.

Chapter 5

In the private room, the only person I knew well was James.

Mia, however, was in her element, rallying the crowd to keep pouring drinks for him.

Some of the guys looked a little guilty, sneaking glances my way as they raised their glasses.

It wasn’t hard to piece it together. Mia had probably put them up to this.

I had to admit she had her ways. Getting this many people to follow her lead wasn’t easy.

Then again, they’d all been friends far longer than I’d been in the picture.

As the alcohol started to take effect, James suddenly turned to me, his face flushed, and pulled me into a drunken hug and kiss.

“Ames, Ames, you’re so beautiful. I like you so much.”

Smiling faintly, I placed my hand between his alcohol-scented lips and my face.

“My dad likes you, too. He said I have to marry you.”

Internally, I scoffed. Joe could keep dreaming.

Before James could lean in again, Mia stepped forward, prying him off me.

“James, calm down. Look, even Ames is tired of you now.”

Then, somehow, Mia managed to position herself right in James’ path. His next attempt to kiss me landed squarely on her lips instead.

Mia’s reaction was immediate. She shoved James back hard, and he stumbled onto the floor. A glass of water tipped over, drenching his head.

The splash was loud enough to snap him halfway out of his drunken haze.

Mia’s eyes brimmed with tears, glistening, but not quite falling. She glanced at me, then locked eyes with a dazed James for what felt like an eternity.

Like a whirlwind, she bolted from the room.

James, now sitting on the floor, touched his lips in confusion before scrambling to his feet and dashing after her.

“Haha! Don’t take it personally, Ames,” one of James’s buddies joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“How could I be upset? It was just an accident, after all,” I responded to their awkward attempts to act like everything was fine.

My response seemed to shock them. They were probably surprised at how much I seemed to not care about my dignity.

Or maybe they just thought I was crazy.

We stayed in the private room for another hour, waiting. Finally, James came back, dragging a tear-streaked Mia along.

They’d clearly cooled off in the night air, and the tension between them was now replaced by a cautious distance.

“James, you’re back! Let’s head home!” I said cheerfully, pretending nothing had happened.

I didn’t care what had gone on between the two of them outside. All I knew was that it was late, and I was ready to go to bed.

James’s buddies took the opportunity to make a quick exit, probably relieved to escape the awkward atmosphere.

I hailed a cab and invited James to ride with me. After all, we lived nearby and were headed in the same direction.

James hesitated, glancing between me and Mia. Finally, as though steeling himself, he turned to her.

“Mia, don’t take what happened tonight to heart. It was all my fault for drinking too much. From now on, let’s stay good friends, alright?”

I slid into the cab first, rolling my eyes where no one could see. Was the alcohol affecting his brain?

By the time James joined me, I had already composed myself, my face soft and gentle once more.

“All taken care of, James,” I said sweetly. “I called Mia a cab, too. No need to worry.”

Chapter 6

Since the last encounter, things between James and Mia have become complicated.

Even though James still accompanied me to class, his mind was clearly elsewhere. His eyes often wandered to empty spaces, and a conflicted expression lingered on his face.

I didn’t think too much about him while I diligently took notes during lectures.

What could he possibly be struggling with? Did he trade his IQ for those good looks?

Caught between Mia’s subtle pressure and my constant attention, James seemed to buckle under the weight. He even started losing weight at an alarming rate.

Oh dear, how heartbroken I was for him!

So, naturally, I took it upon myself to restore his health. Every day, I dragged him to the cafeteria for nutritious meals.

I piled his tray with chicken, beef, and vegetables, all while wearing a worried expression.

“James, are you getting too tired from keeping me company in class? You’ve lost so much weight. Eat more, okay? Otherwise, I’ll feel so bad for you.”

He gave me a tired smile and reached out to pinch my cheek affectionately.

“Ames, you’re so good to me!”

I immediately returned his affection with a bashful look.

The better I treated James, the closer we became. He started relying on me more and more.

However, no matter how much I occupied his time, his thoughts still strayed to Mia.

After I’d monopolized him for a while, Mia finally cracked and sought us out.

Our duo quickly became a trio, with her tagging along wherever we went.

Every time I showed up to a class together, I was flanked by my two bodyguards. Even the professors couldn’t help but glance our way.

One day, while the three of us were out shopping, we ran into James’ father.

Dressed sharply in a tailored suit, Joe cut a striking figure. He was tall, refined, and exuded charm.

“Ah, Amy! Out with James, I see? Tell me, what caught your eye? I will buy it for you.” He said warmly before turning to Mia, as if only just noticing her presence.

“But isn’t it a bit odd for a couple on a date to bring someone else along? How can you have fun like that?”

Mia stood nervously at James’ side, fidgeting with the hem of her jacket.

“Joe, I… I’m just…”

I stepped forward, closing the distance between me and Joe.

“What can you do? If a girl admires James so much that she insists on tagging along, let her. At least when I eventually break up with James, she can swoop in to comfort him so he won’t be too lonely.”

The moment the words left my lips, all three of them froze and stared at me in utter shock.