Chapter 2

In our Snapchat group chat.

Maya sent a voice note, her voice sickeningly sweet and babyish:

"Chloe, what am I going to do when I move to Chicago? I'm going to miss you so much!"

Ethan immediately followed up with a text, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world:

"We should pitch in and help Maya rent a nice apartment. It's not safe for a girl to live alone in a new city."

I didn't reply.

They just kept chatting away without me.

"Ethan, you're not Chloe's husband yet! Don't you dare touch my bestie's money, even if it's for me!"

"Oh, stop pretending. Who was the one crying on FaceTime last time because some creep followed her after a night shift? Let's get you a safe place so you don't cry again."

"Hmph, and who was the one who used 'chasing away a creep' as an excuse to drink half my bottle of Cabernet, pass out on my couch, and force me to drag him back?"

I quietly closed the app.

Maya was my college roommate for four years. She came from a poor background, so I constantly helped her out financially. Her favorite catchphrase was always, "What would I do without you?"

And Ethan was my childhood sweetheart of over ten years. The only reason they even knew each other was because of me.

My phone suddenly buzzed. It was a notification saying my car allocation had been approved.

I had been eyeing that dream car for over six months. Finally, I could buy it.

As I was planning the payment, the cat's voice drifted over lazily in my head:

"Why waste money on a depreciating car? Buy real estate! It's way better!"

I froze. "Property in this city? I don't even have enough for a down payment."

The cat rolled its eyes, its tail swishing imperiously.

"Who said anything about buying luxury condos? Buy the pigsties!"

"Yours truly has connections in the feline world. A fat orange cat from the city planning commissioner's house told me that area is about to be acquired for a massive Disneyland expansion. Eight hundred thousand dollars will turn into ten million. Do you get it, dummy?"

I stared at the "Congratulations, you're approved!" notification for five seconds, then resolutely canceled my car reservation.

Ethan's call came through a second later. He demanded, "Why did you cancel the car reservation?"

I realized that since he knew more about cars, I had used his phone number for the reservation updates.

Then, his tone shifted effortlessly.

"Actually, since Maya is moving to a new city, commuting will be tough for her. Why don't we use that money to buy her a car instead?"

Wow.

They really were leeching off of me and me alone!

How did I never notice this before?

Looking back, when Ethan and Maya first met, they acted like enemies, both complaining that the other was stealing my attention.

But at some point, their dynamic shifted.

Ethan started buying duplicates of everything for Maya. He even invited her to our holiday dinners, Valentine's Day dates, and anniversaries under the guise of "loving me so much that he loved my friends too."

Back then, I thought he was incredibly sweet and considerate.

Now I realize I was just the shield.

On the phone, Ethan was still rambling, making plans for my money.

"Out of that $300,000 you saved, give Maya $100,000 for her rent, and use the other $200,000 to buy her a decent car. That should be plenty."

I casually replied,

"Sure, go ahead and look at apartments and cars for her. I need to take a shower. Talk to you later."

Ethan clearly didn't expect me to agree so easily. His voice filled with pure joy.

"Chloe, you are so understanding! You're the best—"

In the past, when he praised me for being "understanding" and Maya chimed in with "thank you, bestie," it warmed my heart.

Now, looking back, that wasn't gratitude. It was them gloating over how easy I was to exploit.

My stomach churned, and I felt physically sick.

I hung up, opened my laptop, finished the fellowship application, double-checked everything, and hit submit exactly one second before the midnight deadline.

Whew.

As the "Submission Successful" notification popped up, I took a deep breath.

Want to use my spot to get a promotion and a raise?

Want to use my money to move in together and play house?

In your dreams!