Chapter 1

On the day I got laid off, I called my boyfriend, Liam. He never picked up.

Soaked from the rain, I pushed open the front door of our apartment, shivering as I clutched the cardboard box of my belongings.

Inside, the place was packed. Loud music blasted, and to my shock, my parents, my relatives, and all of our friends were there.

In the center of the crowd stood Liam and my best friend, Chloe, dressed in a tuxedo and a white bridal gown, throwing a massive wedding party.

The box slipped from my hands, crashing to the floor.

Liam walked over to me, his expression chillingly calm. "What are you doing here?"

I stared at him, my voice shaking. "What is this?"

His eyes flickered with a brief flash of guilt, but he just sighed. "Chloe and I got legally married last year. Today is just the reception."

Without thinking, I slapped him hard across the face.

"Get out. All of you, get the hell out. This is my apartment." I screamed.

The next moment, our mutual friends shoved me back.

"How could you hit him like that?"

"Seriously. We only kept it from you because we didn't want you to be devastated. Liam would have broken up with you ages ago anyway."

Amidst the chaos, my parents stepped forward, looking at me with deep disappointment.

"Elena, this apartment isn't yours," my dad said. "Your mother and I bought it, and we've already gifted it to Chloe as a wedding present."

"Today is their big day," my mom added. "Don't make a scene. Just go to your room."

I stood by the doorway, laughing through my tears. It was so absurd.

Five years of dating. Three years of living together. My boyfriend had become my best friend's husband. My own parents secretly bought them our home as a wedding gift. And all of my friends had been happily keeping the secret.

Right now, I was nothing but a joke.