Chapter 2

After walking out of the house, I wandered aimlessly down the streets.

I bought a six-pack of beer and sat by the harbor, watching the sunset.

My phone kept buzzing with new messages.

My friends had found out about Chloe, and they were all sending messages of support.

"Ethan, where you at, man? Want us to come over and grab a drink?"

"Don't sweat it, bro. I did some digging. That Jax guy is just a broke gold-digger..."

...

I didn't reply to any of them. But every time I saw Chloe's name, my chest tightened.

Fortunately, the cool breeze blowing off the water gradually calmed my racing mind.

I didn't know how much I had drank, but the sky had turned pitch black, and the harbor lights were starting to flicker on.

"Fuck!"

I cursed out loud, throwing the empty beer can into the water.

"You absolute bitch!"

I screamed into the empty air, throwing one can after another into the water. Yet, the suffocating weight in my chest didn't lighten at all.

"Hey! You over there! No littering in the water!"

A park ranger with a flashlight came marching toward me.

I quickly jumped up and bolted.

Normally, I would have lost her in seconds.

But with the alcohol sloshing in my system, my feet were heavy, and she ended up chasing me for ten whole minutes.

By the time I finally shook her off, I collapsed onto a curb, panting heavily.

I lifted the warm, half-empty beer can that had been shaking in my hand, ready to take a gulp.

Suddenly, a shadow blocked the streetlight. A voice like silver bells echoed in my ears.

I looked up. Under the dim golden light, a woman was standing right in front of me.

Our eyes met. Her eyes seemed to hold a soft, swirling ocean, making it impossible for me to look away.

It was Sienna. Our college campus queen.

What was she doing here?

The harbor lights outlined her flawless face. Her long hair danced in the wind, carrying a faint, sweet scent of gardenias.

Her nose twitched slightly, and she smiled softly. "Have you been drinking?"

I cleared my throat, threw the beer can on the ground, and quickly crushed it with my shoe.

"No. Just... collecting cans for fun."

She watched me quietly, then raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk.

"Right. I was going to say—the great Ethan, heir to the Miller Group, couldn't possibly be running away from a park ranger for littering."

Uh...

I kept quiet. The silence between us felt like a lifetime.

"Oh? Is your face red? What's wrong? Did the breakup hit you that hard? Guess you're not as tough as you look."

Sienna reached out, her slender, fair fingers gently pinching my cheek. A subtle smile played in her eyes.

Maybe it was the alcohol talking.

Or maybe it was just a crazy impulse.

I grabbed her wrist, looking straight into her eyes.

"Sienna... do you want to come back to my place for a drink?"

"My dog Tommy can do backflips."

The second the words left my mouth, I saw a flash of shock in Sienna's eyes.

Honestly, between consenting adults, an invitation like that was pretty obvious.

And I instantly regretted my impulsiveness.

She was the ultimate goddess of our entire social circle, every guy's dream girl.

There was no way she would agree to such a ridiculous, forward request.

I must have been out of my mind to say that.

Just as I was about to apologize, she bit her lower lip slightly and whispered,

"Okay."