Chapter 1

My cousin Carter loved testing my girlfriends.

No matter how many times I told him to back off, he never stopped.

Once he hooked them, he’d dump them and announce in the family group chat that my girl wasn't worth keeping.

Now, he was at it again. Little did he know, this time, the trap was tailor-made just for him.

And he had no way out.

Carter had been divorced for three years, coasting through life on his ex-wife’s massive alimony checks.

One day it was an Instagram model, the next a college girl. He lived for the thrill.

Lately, he set his sights on a new target: Stella, my girlfriend of six months.

I wasn’t surprised he found out about her. My mom had bumped into Stella when she stopped by my apartment to pick up some things.

My mom’s biggest flaw was her toxic envy. She was obsessed with keeping up appearances.

Carter had married rich, and even after the divorce, he had endless alimony. Plus, Aunt Claire never missed a chance to rub it in my mom’s face.

Finding a girl richer than Carter’s ex had become my mom’s life mission.

And the fact that I hadn't settled down was eating her alive.

I met Stella at a club. She stood out in the crowd, and it took me over six months of chasing to finally win her over.

She was younger, prettier, and far wealthier than Carter’s ex.

Naturally, my mom was ecstatic.

She immediately blasted the news in the family SnapChat group, even sending gift cards to celebrate my "upcoming wedding."

I sighed and dropped a waving emoji in the chat:

"It’s not that serious, everyone. Chill."

Mom instantly fired back with a photo.

"With a face like that and a Birkin on her arm, you’re telling me it’s not serious?"

Carter chimed in:

"Wow, Logan, where’d you find such a smoke show? Want me to test her loyalty for you?"

I didn't reply. Whether I liked it or not, I knew he was going to try.

Only this time, I was ready.

On day one of our relationship, I warned Stella: I have a gorgeous cousin who loves hitting on my girlfriends. If he adds you, ignore him.

Stella teased, "Afraid I’ll fall for him?"

I gave a faint smile. "Afraid he’ll ruin your life. Every girl I’ve dated ended up wrecked because of him."

She cuddled into my arms. "Not a chance. I’m only marrying you, Logan."

Thanks to my heads-up, Stella rejected Carter’s friend requests.

She even complained to me several times:

"Your cousin Carter is relentless. He’s made ten burner accounts just to add me."

I planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Keep holding the line. Don’t fall for his flashy games."

Her thumb swiped, declining yet another request. Then she turned to me:

"My parents want to have dinner with you.

We’ve been together for six months and you still haven't met them. They already love everything I tell them about you."

I paused, gently stroking her hair.

"Let’s wait a bit. Work is insane this quarter. Once things wrap up, I’ll take them out."

"You don't need to treat them! The second you show up, they’ll be thrilled. We can just dine at my family’s hotel restaurant!"

Running out of patience because he couldn't reach Stella, Carter insisted on crashing at my rental for a while.

Of course I refused. But my mom, dying to show off the luxury high-rise Stella had upgraded me to, couldn't wait to give him my address.

So when I got home from work, Stella and Carter were already sitting on opposite ends of the couch, scrolling through their phones.

Stella dragged me into the bedroom, annoyed. "I ignored him, but how did he even get in here?"

I acted nonchalant. "My mom probably gave him the keys. He’s always like this. Just pay him no mind."

She swore she wouldn't. Still, a knot tightened in my gut. I couldn't stop picturing them side by side on that couch.

Could Stella really be that shallow? It took me six months of effort to win her heart. Could Carter really break her down in a single night?

I felt uneasy. Part of it was self-doubt; the other was wondering just how long Stella could hold out.