Chapter 1

When we were dating, Carter always called me the tortoise from *The Tortoise and the Hare* because I was always one step behind everyone else.

He never took me to his friend group's parties. He’d say, "Sloane, you’re not that sharp, and your reactions are so slow. How am I supposed to introduce you? Be good. You don't want people laughing at me, do you?"

Later, when my career took off and I had both fame and fortune, the host asked me to give an acceptance speech.

I stood on the stage, looking down at Carter. I shook my trophy at him. "In the story of the Tortoise and the Hare, the tortoise is always the one who wins in the end."

It was the middle of the night, and I was half-asleep.

"Baby, I love you so much."

I heard Carter’s quiet whisper. I barely opened my eyes and saw a faint glow coming from under his blanket.

It was the light from his phone screen.

"I love you most, babe. I’d risk anything to text you."

"Don't worry, she’s been asleep for hours."

I heard it loud and clear this time.

I quietly closed my eyes and forced my breathing to remain steady.

He was sending Snapchat voice notes to someone.

His tone was exactly how he used to talk to me when we first started dating—dripping with sweet, cheesy affection.

Out of nowhere, a knife twisted in my chest. I didn't know who was on the other end. Maybe I really was just too dense to notice the signs before.

This obviously wasn't the first time he’d done this.

Carter kept whispering sweet nothings into his phone.

"Sloane? She’s so slow it’s painful. I thought she was cute at first, but she can’t even compare to you."

Hearing his words, I turned over. He instantly went silent.

After a moment, he whispered my name to test me.

"Sloane? Babe?"

I kept my breathing deep and even, pretending to be fast asleep.

He let out a sigh of relief and whispered a final goodbye to the girl on his phone.

"Go to sleep, baby. It's late. Goodnight."

The room fell silent again.

Carter smoothly pulled me back into his chest, wrapping his arms around me. He always used to say he couldn't sleep soundly without holding me.

I wanted so badly to scream in his face. I wanted to tell him that being slow didn't make me stupid.

How could he cheat on me and then hug me to sleep like nothing happened?

Before the tears of betrayal could spill over, I firmly pried his hand off me.

But he was already fast asleep. He just rolled over to the other side of the bed without a care in the world.

Heartless people really do sleep like babies.

The tortoise and the hare were never meant to be together.

In the fable, the tortoise kept crawling behind him, slow and steady.

Until the hare stopped to enjoy a different view.