Chapter 3

Tears blurred my vision on the drive back, and I almost lost control of the wheel a couple of times.

I forced myself to pull over. I couldn't lose my life over a trash man.

When I finally made it back to Lake Tahoe, I checked into a hotel room and cried my eyes out into the pillows.

When I was done crying, I sat up and gave myself a pep talk. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Chloe, and most of them are better than a bottom-feeder like him. I don't need a man to survive."

I had never traveled alone before, so I decided to make the most of it.

I followed my itinerary, visited the trendy cafes, took photos by the lake, and even asked some friendly tourists to take pictures of me.

It took me just five days to go from a shy girl who was afraid to ask for directions to someone who could chat easily with strangers.

My phone was filled with beautiful photos of me smiling. I realized that traveling alone was actually amazing.

When the trip ended, I drove back home. Exhausted, I reached my apartment door, only to find my smart lock passcode didn't work.

I tried entering it several times, but the red light kept flashing: *Incorrect Passcode.*

I was so confused. It’s a huge pain to get locked out. Just as I was about to call a locksmith, I heard footsteps inside.

The door opened. Lily stood there, wearing *my* favorite silk pajamas, her messy hair draped over her shoulders.

She smiled sweetly. "Oh, Chloe, you're back! I'm so sorry, I couldn't remember the passcode you set, so I changed it. I'll send you the new one in a bit."

Excuse me? She changed the passcode to *my* apartment?

I was too exhausted to argue. I dragged my suitcase past her, heading straight for my master bedroom.

But when I opened the door, the sight made me freeze.

Two massive suitcases were sitting by my bed, overflowing with my clothes. My bedding had been replaced with a cheap Hello Kitty set, and the framed photo of me on my nightstand was replaced with a photo of Lily.

As I stood there in shock, Lily walked up behind me with a meek, apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. Ethan said this room gets the best sunlight, which is good for my recovery, so he let me move in."

She quickly added, "But don't worry, I'm the only one sleeping here! Ethan is sleeping in the guest room. Nothing happened between us, I swear!"

I looked at her, smiled, and quietly pulled out my phone to call Ethan.

He picked up almost instantly, his voice dripping with arrogance. "What's up, Chloe? Finally realized you were wrong? It's been five days. You must have cooled down by now."

"Just give me a proper apology, and I'll forgive you. We're together, after all. I'm not going to hold a grudge forever just because you dumped me at a rest stop."

I literally laughed out loud. The audacity of this man.

"Ethan, did your brain stop working? We broke up."

"Not only did you not pack your trash and get out of my apartment, but you actually let Lily move in? If shamelessness were an Olympic sport, you’d win gold."

"I am giving you twenty-four hours to pack all your crap and get the hell out. If I see either of you here tomorrow, I am calling the cops for trespassing."

Ethan snapped. His voice escalated into a yell. "Chloe Miller, that is enough! I already let it go, and you're still throwing a fit?!"

"I only let Lily stay here to recover! We are sleeping in separate rooms! Nothing is going on! Do you have to turn every little thing into a massive drama?!"

"Are you capable of doing anything besides calling the cops? Let me tell you, I do not agree to a breakup. Lily is still sick, and we are not moving out!"