Chapter 1

Chloe Miller’s wild photos were spreading like wildfire in our Snapchat group chats.

She was on a king-sized bed covered in rose petals, wearing a skimpy playmate bunny outfit, complete with a fluffy white tail clipped to her back.

In the photos, she was dripping with sweat, her legs draped carelessly over the bed in a highly suggestive pose. Anyone with half a brain could tell she had just finished a "hard battle."

My friends were spamming the group chat. A few of my closest bros were blowing up my phone with back-to-back FaceTimes.

"Ethan, man... is that Chloe?"

The moment I saw the photos, I went straight to Chloe for an explanation.

But she looked completely unfazed, even rolling her eyes.

"We only had the engagement party. We haven’t even signed the marriage license yet. Don’t start acting like a controlling freak."

"Sure, I agreed to marry you. But are you saying I’m not allowed to have physical needs before the wedding?"

Chloe slammed the door and walked out, leaving me standing there frozen in the empty room.

It was almost funny. She made it feel like I was the one who did something wrong.

Before I could even process it, another friend sent me a different photo.

This time, Chloe was in a tiny bikini, wrapping her arms tightly around a man on a beach.

In the first photo, the guy was on top, so I couldn't see his face. But in this one, his face was crystal clear.

It was Jasper Vance, her college sweetheart. The "one that got away."

I looked down at the engagement ring on my ring finger. It felt like a massive slap in the face.

I pulled it off and sent Chloe a text: The wedding is off. Go have fun with your boy toys. We are done.

I turned off my phone, a wave of bitter pain washing over me.

Chloe and I grew up together. We were childhood sweethearts.

Our grandfathers, Grandpa Arthur and Grandpa Thomas, had been brothers-in-arms in the military. They had practically set up our match the moment we were born.

Ever since I was a kid, my parents told me to protect Chloe and never let anyone bully her.

And I did. I treated her like a princess.

I thought I was finally about to marry the girl of my dreams, but the universe had just played a massive joke on me.

Only now did I realize that my twenty years of devotion were nothing but a joke to her.

A few minutes after I sent the text, Chloe called. Her tone was arrogant and dismissive.

"What? Is Master Ethan throwing a tantrum? You think you can just call off the wedding like that? You better figure out how you're going to explain this to our families first!"

Over the years, Chloe had changed boyfriends faster than I changed clothes.

I had always turned a blind eye.

I always excused it. I told myself she was young, that she didn't know what she wanted, and that she would settle down once we got married.

I never expected that even with the wedding right around the corner, she would still have zero respect for me.

I clenched my fists, fury rising in my chest.

"I don't need to explain anything. As of today, the engagement is off. Don't ever contact me again."

The line went silent for a few seconds. Chloe probably couldn't comprehend why I was suddenly standing up to her.

"Ethan! Have you lost your mind? You never cared when I was with other guys before!"

Chloe's screaming must have disturbed the man next to her.

Through the speaker, I heard a condescending chuckle. "Is the rich boy jealous, babe? Just explain it to him. It was just a game of truth or dare. Why is he taking it so seriously?"

"It’s not like you aren't going to marry him anyway."

I let out a cold sneer. What kind of "friends" play a game of truth or dare that ends up in bed, wearing kinky outfits in wild positions?

What was next? Was she going to have Jasper's baby and tell me it was just a prank?

Over the phone, Jasper kept teasing, "Babe, you better explain. I think Ethan is actually mad this time."

I didn't want to listen to his pathetic voice anymore. But just as I was about to hang up, I heard Chloe's cold, arrogant reply.

"Why should I explain? Just watch. In a few days, he’ll be groveling at my feet, begging for my forgiveness."

She was so sure I would never leave her.

She turned to Jasper and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to go to Mauritius? I booked first-class tickets. As long as you stay sweet, I'll give you whatever you want."