Chapter 2

"Want to know the truth about that ring? Go to the jeweler on Silver Bridge Road tomorrow morning. Pull the security footage."

I looked up from the screen.

Sienna was sniffling, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"Chloe, did I do something wrong to upset you?"

Julian said quietly, "Chloe, let's just talk this through."

I threw the ring right into Julian’s chest.

"Don't wear it. Don't give it to me."

"It's filthy."

I turned around and walked out of the school gates.

Julian shouted my name from behind.

"Chloe!"

I never looked back.

That night, the balmy June breeze chilled me right to the bone.

For the first time, I realized that standing in the middle of a loud, laughing crowd could feel as cold as a frozen grave.

Early the next morning, I arrived at the jeweler on Silver Bridge Road.

When I explained I wanted to verify an order history, the clerk behind the counter was polite enough.

"Miss Evans, yes. This custom piece was indeed ordered by Mr. Reed."

I asked, "What was the original engraving requested?"

The clerk typed a few keys.

"C&J."

My chest loosened for a split second.

Then the clerk added:

"However, someone came in three days ago to modify it."

My fingers gripped the edge of the glass counter.

"Who?"

"A young woman. She had Mr. Reed’s order confirmation barcode on her phone. She told us you both decided to change the engraving to S&J."

I demanded, "Do you have surveillance footage?"

The clerk hesitated. "Store policy doesn't allow customers to view our tapes."

I pulled out my student ID, driver’s license, and my copy of the deposit receipt, slamming them onto the counter.

"This ring was bought for me. Someone tampered with it. I need to know who."

She looked at me for a long moment, then sighed softly.

"Just a quick look. Don't tell my manager."

On the grainy monitor, a girl wearing a dark baseball cap walked up to the counter.

She kept her head down, handing over her phone.

The clerk produced the order slip.

She smiled, said something brief, and signed the modification form.

I stared at the screen, cold sweat slicking my palms.

The clerk whispered, "Miss Evans... are you alright?"

I shook my head.

"Make a copy of that signature for me."

"I can’t do that."

"Then I call the police."

Startled, she snapped a photo of the slip with her phone and forwarded it to me.

On the signature line, in clear, slanted cursive, was written:

Sienna Brooks.

As soon as I walked out onto the sidewalk, Julian’s call came in.

I swiped to answer.

His voice was breathless with anxiety.

"Chloe! Where are you?"

"Outside the jewelry store."

There was a two-second silence on the other end.

"I checked, too," he muttered. "It was Sienna who changed it, wasn't it?"

I said nothing.

He said, "I'm going to see her right now."

"Don't bother."

"Why?"

"Because she won't admit it."

"I still have to confront her!"

I let out a bitter laugh.

"And after you confront her, Julian? What then?"

He choked on his words.

I continued, "She’ll cry. She’ll tell you she didn't mean it, that she just loves you too much. And what will you do? You’ll scold her once, feel guilty, and let it go."

"Chloe, I would never do that!"

"You've done it before."

The line went dead silent.

Back in freshman year, Sienna gave Julian her first love letter.

Julian didn't accept her feelings.

But he didn't turn her down, either.

He shoved the envelope into the back of his desk and pretended it never happened.

Sophomore year, Sienna drank too much at a party and clung to Julian, sobbing:

Can’t you ever look at me instead of Chloe?

I was standing outside the hallway door that night. I heard everything.

Julian said:

Stop crying.

You're important to me, too.

I told myself back then that they were just childhood friends.

I was too young to understand that refusing to reject someone is just a coward's way of encouraging them.

Julian's voice dropped low.

"Chloe, I know I messed up in the past. But the only girl I love is you."

I asked quietly, "And her?"

"She’s just a friend."

"Just a friend? Then how did she get your personal pickup code?"