I secretly dated my brother’s best friend for three years, until his adopted sister came back. I immediately decided to break up with him and turned around to agree to the blind date my family arranged. We didn't invite outsiders to the engagement party, just close relatives. Right in the middle of the toasts, my brother's phone rang. He answered it and laughed jokingly: "You didn't even come to Chloe's engagement party? She used to follow you around calling you 'big brother' all the time when she was little." The other end of the line suddenly went dead silent. It took several seconds before I heard Arthur's hoarse voice ask: "Who is getting engaged?" 1 "What, did you and that mysterious boyfriend of yours split up?" My brother, Liam's tone was teasing; he was clearly enjoying the show. It's no wonder. For three years, I stubbornly refused to make my relationship public. He had warned me long ago: "A man who doesn't even have the guts to come home with you to meet your parents? What kind of responsibility can he take? You guys will break up sooner or later." I couldn't hear a word of it back then, firmly believing that true love would last forever. As it turned out, reality slapped me hard in the face. My tone was flat: "Yeah, we broke up." Hearing how decisive I was, the other end of the phone was quiet for a while. "Did he do something to you?" I had thought I didn't feel anything anymore, but that single sentence suddenly made my nose sting. I took a breath and shook my head at the empty air: "No, we just parted ways." "Alright. If he ever dares to bully you, I'll definitely teach him a lesson." "Chloe, there aren't many men you can rely on. If you really want to get married, you're better off finding someone from a similar background. At least it's real." "Okay, you set it up. I'll be back the day after tomorrow." I had just hung up the phone. Arthur pushed the door open and walked in: "Who were you on the phone with?" Afraid he'd see I had been crying, I didn't look back: "A classmate." "Hmm." He walked right past me and went into his study. In the three years we've been together, he has always been this cold. I always thought it was just his personality, that he couldn't be warm and affectionate with anyone. Until last night, when I came back early from a business trip. I originally wanted to sneak in and surprise him. The door to his study was usually shut tight, but that day it was slightly ajar. A warm yellow light spilled through the crack. I leaned in to knock, but I saw Arthur inside, looking uncomfortable. His eyes were glued to his phone, one hand moving beneath the desk. I froze on the spot. The person on the screen wasn't just anyone. It was his family's adopted sister, Mia. He was so engrossed that he didn't even hear me open the front door and leave. I sat in a hotel room all night, thinking about a lot of things. I finally understood. Arthur's coldness toward me these past three years wasn't because of his personality. His refusal to make our relationship public wasn't because he was afraid of my overprotective brother causing trouble for him. It was all because— He didn't like me at all. He just needed a smokescreen to cover up his feelings for that "sister." So, when I threw myself at him back then, I was the perfect human shield. That night, Mia posted an Instagram story: "Flying back tomorrow! Come pick me up ASAP~" 2 After getting off the phone with my brother, I took a cab back to the villa I shared with Arthur. I still had some things to pack and take with me. He was eating breakfast. When he looked up and saw me, he flatly told the housekeeper to make another portion. "I didn't know you were coming back at this hour, so I didn't prep yours." I nodded: "Okay." It wasn't that he didn't know; he just didn't care to know, and couldn't be bothered to ask. Arthur's movements paused. He looked up from his phone, a flash of confusion in his eyes. Yes, in the past, I would have definitely squeezed in next to him and stolen his breakfast. I would have said, "Who told you not to prep mine? Then I'll just eat yours." Or I would have hugged him from behind, pinched his ear, and asked if he didn't love me anymore since he forgot about me. Arthur is so smart; of course, he could immediately sense the change in me. But he didn't say anything more. He just nodded: "I'm heading to the office. Take your time eating." He took the suit jacket the housekeeper handed him. He hesitated for a moment. Just when I thought he might be waiting for me to bounce over and help him put it on like I usually did... He put the jacket on himself. The sound of his footsteps and the door closing vanished together. The housekeeper asked me: "Ms. Hayes, what would you like to eat?" I shook my head: "I'm not eating. Could you help me find a few cardboard boxes? I need them today." I dragged my suitcase back to the bedroom. When the housekeeper brought the boxes, I packed up all my clothes and daily necessities. Then I went to Arthur's walk-in closet. Over the years, I've given him quite a few ties, cufflinks, clothes, watches, and things like that. But he rarely used them. Unless I insisted he put them on, those things barely saw the light of day. Just like me, his girlfriend, who could only be hidden in the dark. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and packed the things I gave him into the box, one by one. It took a long time to finish packing. I sat on the edge of the bed to catch my breath. I received a text from Arthur: [I sent the driver to pick you up. He'll be there in half an hour.] Short and concise. He couldn't even be bothered to explain why. He took it for granted that I would never refuse him. I laughed self-deprecatingly. It was for the best. It was time to tell him we were done. 3 The lights flashed erratically in the club. This used to be one of my favorite places to hang out. I was spoiled growing up, with a fiery personality. My friends always joked that I was the little firecracker of the New York elite circle. At my brother's college alumni event, I saw Arthur for the first time and was drawn to his icy demeanor. I beat around the bush asking my brother if he had a girlfriend. My brother rolled his eyes: "With that iceberg face of his, who would dare get close to him?" I rejoiced inwardly. He was cold, I was hot. A perfect match. I started pursuing him relentlessly behind my brother's back. I even changed my college application choices from New York to Seattle, where Arthur was. When my brother found out, he was so angry he cursed me out. But despite his scolding, he still doted on me. He called Arthur and asked him to keep an eye on me. I secretly rejoiced: everything was going exactly according to my plan. Back then, I thought I was so incredibly smart, manipulating both Arthur and my brother. Only now do I realize how pathetically stupid I was. The waiter led me to the door of the private room. It was lively inside. I heard someone jeering: "Arthur, you keep that little girlfriend of yours hidden away so well, you rarely bring her out to see us guys. Now that Mia is back—and she's your favorite sister—we gotta ask: who's more important, the girlfriend or the sister?" I stopped in my tracks. I held my breath, waiting for his answer. Arthur took a sip of his drink and didn't say anything. Mia stamped her foot and pouted at him: "Arthur!" Only then did Arthur smile faintly. He set his glass down on the marble table with a clink. His cold voice rang out: "A girlfriend can be replaced, but there's only one sister. Who do you think is more important?" "Oooooh~~ So cheesy!" The group erupted in cheers. Mia stood up triumphantly, pointing her finger at more than half the people in the room: "You, you, and you. You lost the bet, pay up." Arthur didn't understand: "What's going on?" Mia explained: "They made a bet with me on whether you cared more about your girlfriend or me. The losers have to Venmo me twenty grand each." Amidst a chorus of groans, everyone pulled out their phones to transfer the money. Arthur looked at their exaggerated reactions and chuckled: "Serves you right!" I raised my hand and knocked on the door. 4 The previously lively atmosphere suddenly died. Arthur looked over; there was an empty seat next to him. He didn't bring me to meet his friends very often. But every time he did, he gave me enough face. Back when I was chasing him to the point of almost giving up, he was the one who suggested bringing me to meet his friends. That time, his friend told me: "Chloe, aside from Mia, Arthur has never brought another girl here." At that time, I just thought of Mia as his sister. I didn't think much of it. I even foolishly thought that Arthur was just cold on the outside, but actually cared about me deep down. Thinking about it now, maybe he was just putting on a show, or maybe it was just pure good manners. For him, it was a zero-cost tactic to make me even more devoted to him. Back to reality. I ignored the empty seat next to Arthur. I sat in the corner farthest away from him. Arthur's face darkened: "Chloe?" I smiled but didn't say anything. Mia picked up a glass of wine and walked toward me: "You must be Chloe. I'm Mia, Arthur's..." She paused, as if she didn't know what to say. Arthur chimed in: "Sister." Mia frowned, looking a bit impatient. She handed the wine to me, sounding almost petulant: "Right, sister. I just got back to the States. Here's to you, Chloe." I didn't even need to think to immediately sense Mia's hostility toward me. That was absolutely not the attitude a sister should have toward her brother's girlfriend. It turned out Mia liked Arthur, too. Thinking about Arthur jerking off to her picture in his study... I just felt it was utterly absurd. I gave a faint smile: "Welcome back, but I'm not feeling well, so I won't be drinking." The corner of Mia's mouth dropped: "Chloe, aren't you being a bit disrespectful? I came all this way back, and this is my welcome-home party. You won't even drink the wine I offer you?" "I told you, I'm not feeling well." Mia grew even more displeased and turned to look for Arthur: "Arthur, does she not like me?" Arthur's eyes were icy cold, and his tone carried no warmth: "Chloe, stop making a scene. Drink it." I almost let out a cold laugh: "Did you call me here just to make me drink?" He lifted his eyelids and said flatly: "Mia wanted to meet you." So, it was just because Mia wanted to meet me. It was just to make both of them wake up and stop having fantasies about each other. Using me as a prop. I stood up: "Now she's met me. Can I leave now?" Probably sensing that I was exceptionally uncooperative today... Arthur's gaze darkened. I knew he was angry. But I didn't want to humor him anymore. "What exactly have you been throwing a tantrum about since morning?!" The atmosphere in the private room turned cold because of his lowered tone. I looked into his eyes and smiled meaningfully. Arthur, I know all about the little game you two are playing. I'm not playing along anymore. I turned to leave, but Mia grabbed my wrist: "Chloe, I'm the main character today. I haven't agreed to let you leave yet." I twisted my wrist free and slapped her across the face: "Did your parents not teach you any manners?"
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