Chapter 1

Before my birthday party even started, Ethan cast his phone screen onto the massive TV in our VIP lounge booth.

He started an anonymous poll in our Snapchat group.

The question was: Should I stay with my girlfriend to cut her birthday cake tonight, or take my childhood best friend, Melanie, to her movie premiere?

A thirty-second countdown.

The votes rolled in instantly.

Melanie: 17 votes.

Me: 1 vote.

Everyone assumed that one single vote was mine.

Ethan leaned back on the leather sofa, a smirk playing on his lips when he saw the results.

"Well, majority rules."

Melanie immediately slid her movie ticket into his palm.

"See? Even everyone else thinks you should be with me tonight."

I stood there in my favorite dress, staring at my birthday cake. The candles weren't even lit yet.

Someone in the booth let out a sharp whistle.

"Come on, Chloe, don't be a sore loser."

Right. This kind of voting had been going on for three years.

When we argued, they voted to decide who should apologize first.

When we went on dates, they voted to decide whose hand he should hold.

Even when I asked him if he loved me, he would throw the question into the group chat.

"Let's let everyone judge this," he'd say.

I used to think that if I could just win once, it would mean he had finally chosen me.

But I never won.

Not even tonight.

Ethan stood up and grabbed his jacket.

As he walked past me, he casually ruffled my hair.

"Be good. I'll make it up to you when I get back."

I stared at the poll results on the big screen, locked my phone, and pushed the cake knife toward him.

"No need."

"Ethan, I'm opting out."

1

The VIP booth fell dead silent for a few seconds.

Ethan's hand froze mid-air, just above my head.

Melanie was the first to let out a soft giggle, as if she had just heard a harmless joke.

"Chloe, don't be like that. It's your birthday."

Ethan pulled his hand back, his brows furrowing deep.

"Chloe, everyone is watching. Don't throw a tantrum just because you lost."

In the past, the moment he raised his voice, I would be the first to bow my head.

I was afraid of making him unhappy, afraid of his friends mocking me, afraid of being called "too dramatic" over nothing.

But this time, I just reached down and pulled the candles out of the cake, one by one.

"I'm not the one making things look ugly here."

Melanie immediately tugged at Ethan's sleeve.

"Ethan, forget it. I don't need to see the movie anymore."

Though she said she didn't care, she held the ticket so tight her knuckles turned white.

Our mutual friends immediately started chiming in.

"The poll is closed, we can't break the rules!"

"Yeah, Melanie, just go. Chloe can celebrate her birthday tomorrow anyway."

Ethan checked his watch.

The movie started in twenty minutes.

He remained silent for a moment, then shrugged into his coat.

"I'll drive her there."

"If you still want to celebrate, wait for me here."

"Don't make me have to comfort both of you every single time."

I looked up, meeting his eyes.

"I said, no need."

He ignored me, walking straight past me.

Melanie followed closely behind him. As she passed me, she let out a gentle sigh.

"Chloe, you know he hates being forced to choose."

The moment the door clicked shut, the music in the booth blasted back to life.

The poll on the giant screen was still active.

Melanie: 17.

Me: