Just seconds before the car crash, my best friend threw herself over me. When she woke up, she had amnesia. She mistook my fiancé as her own boyfriend. To help her recover, our group of five friends decided to play along with the lie. The first month, the pre-wedding trip that was supposed to be mine was given to her. She held Ethan Sterling's hand, kissing him to the cheers of our friends, leaving me behind to carry all four of their bags. The second month, my best friend moved into the house Ethan and I had bought for our marriage. My name was erased from the deed and replaced with hers. My sister, Clara, comforted me. "Chloe, Natalie only lost her memory because she saved your life. We are just playing along to help her recover. It's temporary." I believed her. I forced a smile and played my part in their endless, ridiculous drama, scene after scene. Until the ninth month. I finished my bridal makeup and rushed to the wedding venue. Only to find Natalie Davis already wearing my wedding dress, smiling brightly as she leaned on Ethan's arm to greet the guests. Clara patted my shoulder and tried to soothe me. "Natalie accidentally found your dress last night. We couldn't bear to break her heart and tell her the truth, so we decided to let her have this wedding first." Ethan's best friend, Tyler, chimed in with a grin. "Yeah, Chloe. You've stepped back eight times already. What's one more?" My heart ached, and my engagement ring suddenly felt suffocatingly tight on my finger. I looked up and saw Natalie wearing my backup wedding band. It fit her finger perfectly. That's when I realized that the wedding dress—the one that had felt a size too small on me— fit her like a glove. All the guests knew the truth, yet they still cheered and loudly called her "Mrs. Sterling." It turned out that the only one who actually took this "temporary lie" seriously... was me. I let out a bitter laugh and slipped off the tight wedding ring. If that's how they wanted it. Then I would let them have their ninth and final piece of theater.
The wedding ring clinked loudly as I threw it into the trash can. The two in front of me froze in shock. Clara frowned, opening her mouth to speak, but Natalie's squeal of joy cut her off. "Chloe! You're finally here! Look at me, don't I look absolutely gorgeous today?" She twirled in front of me, holding up the skirt of her gown, chatting away as if nothing was wrong. "I passed by the bridal shop a while ago and casually told Ethan how beautiful this dress was. I can't believe he remembered!" "And this ring! It's exactly my style." "Ethan told me everything. Thank you so much for helping him plan the wedding these past few months, Chloe. I'm so lucky to have a best friend like you." I stood frozen. No wonder the dress I spent months choosing was suddenly swapped by Ethan at the last minute. No wonder the backup ring had a diamond twice the size of my original one. The wedding I had painstakingly planned... was never meant for me in the first place. I let out a mocking laugh at myself. Clara panicked, quickly cutting in before I could say a word. "Of course you're beautiful, Natalie! You are the most stunning bride ever. We have to capture this moment!" Tyler caught on quickly and raised his camera. "Yeah, exactly! Everyone, let's get together for a group photo!" Hearing this, the guests gathered around, holding party poppers. Clara and Tyler quickly squeezed in next to Ethan and Natalie. The four of them stood in the front row. It was a perfect, complete picture. Tyler shoved the camera into my hands. "Chloe, you're the best photographer here. Take some good shots for us." The spotlight fell on them. Natalie leaned her head against Ethan's shoulder, her white gown glowing. Ethan looked down at her, his eyes filled with pure tenderness. Everyone crowded around them, congratulating the perfect couple. It was exactly the wedding I had dreamed of for years. Someone in the crowd started chanting. "Kiss her! Kiss her!" Ethan's ears flushed red. He hesitated for a second. But Natalie was already on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his. My mind went completely blank as cheers erupted around me. Tyler raised his voice, urging me. "Chloe, what are you doing? Snap the picture! Capture the most important moment of their lives!" I raised the camera mechanically. *Bang!* A party popper went off. Amidst the falling confetti, I pressed the shutter. One shot, two shots, a dozen shots. Amid the rising cheers and screams, Ethan held Natalie, switching poses for one kiss after another. Everyone was laughing and smiling. I was the only one with tears stinging my eyes. After what felt like an eternity, a timid voice spoke beside me. "Excuse me, miss. The reception has started. Do you need me to add a seat for you?" I snapped back to reality and realized the lobby was empty. Everyone had already taken their seats in the grand hall. All three hundred seats were filled. And, as fate would have it, there was no seat for me. A bitter smile played on my lips. "No, thank you." Since there was no room for me, I didn't want it anymore. This five-person friendship... I was officially done with it.
Leaving the reception, I submitted my resignation letter to the company. The HR manager replied instantly. "Are you sure about this, Chloe? Do you need us to inform Mr. Sterling?" "No need to tell him." The HR manager didn't push further. "Alright. It's late. Please come to the office tomorrow morning to hand in your official paperwork." After confirming, I went home to pack. My phone buzzed. On Snapchat, in the group chat named "Natalie's Recovery Project," Clara tagged me. "Chloe, did you throw a tantrum and leave again?" "Natalie was so looking forward to this wedding with Ethan. We couldn't bear to let her down, so we planned a mock wedding for her." "We were worried you'd be upset, so we didn't tell you the truth." Tyler chimed in with his usual mocking tone. "Yeah, Chloe. Natalie lost her memory saving your life. Don't be so petty all the time." Ethan sent only a few short words. "Be good. I'll throw you an even bigger wedding next time." Promises like this... I had heard them a thousand times. On the day of the pre-wedding trip, Ethan said he would take me somewhere farther next time. On the day I gave up the house, Ethan said he would buy me a more expensive one next time. I waited and waited, only to receive broken promises time and time again. This time, I was done waiting. With a swipe of my finger, I left the group chat. Then, I turned back to my packing. Under my pillow, I found a journal. It was the love diary Ethan had written for me. The day Natalie moved into our house, worried she would feel uncomfortable, the three of them threw away our couple photos and our customized couple ornaments. They erased every single trace of my history with Ethan. Only this journal had been secretly hidden by me. It had been my only comfort through countless sleepless nights, helping me survive the pain. But from now on, I didn't need it anymore. I tossed the journal into the trash. I turned around, only to notice that the roses I had planted on the balcony had been replaced with sunflowers—Natalie's favorite. The once-minimalist walls were now covered in her cute stickers. Without me realizing it, Natalie had slowly filled every corner of my home, erasing me piece by piece. After packing for hours, I realized my belongings couldn't even fill half a suitcase. I laughed bitterly. Before I could zip my suitcase, the front door swung open. The four of them walked in. Natalie was barefoot, clinging to Ethan's back. Clara carried her shoes, while Tyler held the train of her wedding gown. Seeing me, their laughter froze instantly. Ethan gently put Natalie down, instinctively trying to explain. "Chloe, Natalie had too much to drink because she was happy. I had to carry her back." A drunken Natalie looked up, her tone annoyed. "Hey! Ethan, I'm your wife! Why are you so worried about what she thinks?" With that, she reached up to pinch his ear. But her legs gave out, and she fell right back into his arms. Ethan let out a helpless chuckle. "Alright, alright, my little drunkard. You're right, okay?" Natalie huffed, pointing a finger at me. "Chloe, you've been living in our house for months. Now that Ethan and I are married, it's not convenient. You should move out." How hilarious. Ethan and I had bought this house three years ago. I had personally chosen every single piece of furniture. And yet, after living here for just a few months, she acted like she owned the place. Seeing my cold expression, Clara quickly tried to smooth things over. "Natalie, finding an apartment is hard right now. Chloe is great at keeping things tidy. Just think of her as a live-in housekeeper." Tyler nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You newlyweds will be busy. It's perfect to have her do the chores, right, Chloe?" Ethan shot me a warning look. He was telling me not to say anything I shouldn't. Everyone stared at me, waiting for me to force a smile and agree, just like I always did. But this time, I only let out a soft chuckle. "No need to go to all that trouble. I'm leaving right now." With that, I grabbed my suitcase and walked toward the door. The three of them froze in shock. Ethan instinctively reached out to grab my arm. Behind him, Natalie suddenly gagged. Ethan panicked, turning around to rush her to the bathroom. Clara and Tyler hurried after them. One patted her back, one handed her tissues, and the other started making a hangover soup. Once again, I was left standing there—the invisible fifth wheel. I smiled bitterly, picked up my suitcase, and walked out without looking back.
I found a random hotel to stay for the night. After drafting my resignation letter, I made a call. "I accept the job offer you extended earlier. I will fly out to London tomorrow." The person on the other end responded with joy. After booking my flight, four hours had passed. My phone lit up with a call from Ethan. After a brief hesitation, I answered it. Ethan's voice sounded exhausted. "Chloe, did you leave the group chat?" "Stop throwing tantrums. I've talked to Natalie, and she said you can move back in." "But you'll have to handle the cooking and cleaning." I let out a cynical laugh. "Ethan, do you guys really think of me as your maid?" Ethan sighed defensively. "Don't be ridiculous. You know Natalie's condition." "Just be good. Natalie wants to host a dinner party tomorrow and made a list. Make sure you buy the groceries and come home on time." A long shopping list popped up in my messages. Coke chicken wings for Natalie, braised pork for Ethan. Fresh juice for Clara, potato chips for Tyler. Dozens of items, meticulously listed. Not a single thing was for me. Once again, I was completely excluded from their world. My heart went entirely cold. I didn't want to waste my breath arguing. I hung up the phone and blocked his number. The next day, carrying my resignation letter, I hadn't even stepped through the office doors when Natalie rushed toward me, followed by an aggressive crowd of reporters. Before I could react, Natalie slapped me hard across the face. A notebook was thrown to the ground, splaying open before me. It was the love diary Ethan had written for me—the one I had thrown in the trash yesterday. "Chloe Miller! I was wondering why you refused to leave my husband's house!" "It turns out you've been fantasizing about my husband in this diary every single day! We're supposed to be best friends, how could you do something so disgusting?!" My head spun from the slap. Before I could catch my breath, the reporters swarmed me, shoving microphones and cameras into my face. "Miss Miller, is it true that you stayed as Mr. Sterling's secretary for six years, even turning down high-paying executive offers from other companies, just to climb into his bed?" "Have you been staying at Miss Davis's home these past few months just to steal her husband?" The blinding camera flashes made it impossible to open my eyes. Passersby stopped to watch, and a wave of insults washed over me. My head spun, but I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed out the truth: "I didn't write those diaries! Ethan wrote them for me!" "You're the one with amnesia! You mistook Ethan as your boyfriend!" "The person Ethan was supposed to marry was me!"
The crowd fell silent for a second. In the next moment, Clara pushed through the crowd and rushed at me. *Slap!* Another hard blow landed on the other side of my face. With tearful eyes, Clara turned to the cameras and apologized. "I'm so sorry everyone. My sister has been obsessing over Mr. Sterling for years." "But I never imagined she would write something so disgusting, let alone slander Mr. Sterling like this." Holding my burning cheeks, I stared at her in utter disbelief. Tyler and Ethan pushed through the crowd and stepped forward. Tyler sneered at me. "Chloe, you're trying to steal Natalie's husband? Are you really that desperate for a man?" Ethan suppressed the guilt in his eyes and spoke with cold composure. "Miss Miller and I are just ordinary colleagues. We have never crossed any boundaries." "My only wife is, and always will be, Natalie." The very last spark of hope in my heart was brutally extinguished. The crowd jeered mockingly. "I knew it. How could Mr. Sterling ever want to marry someone like her? She must have fabricated the whole diary." "Fantasizing about her best friend's husband and then turning around to frame them? What a pathetic bitch." The harsh words pierced my ears like needles. In the chaos, someone shoved me hard from behind. I lost my balance and fell painfully onto the hard pavement. Ethan's eyes contracted. He instinctively stepped forward to help me. But Natalie grabbed him, clutching her head in pain. "Ethan, my head hurts so much." The three of them panicked instantly, rushing to help her away. I looked down. A pool of blood was slowly soaking through my pants. Seeing the blood, the crowd gasped in horror. The reporters and onlookers finally began to scatter in panic. Right before I blacked out from the excruciating pain, my phone buzzed with a message from Ethan. "Natalie's condition will worsen if she finds out the truth." "I've called an ambulance for you. Consider today a lesson." "Don't ever say things like that again." Ethan, you got your wish. There will never be a next time. When I opened my eyes again, the doctor handed me a medical report, his eyes filled with pity. "I'm sorry, Miss Miller. We couldn't save the baby." My mind went completely blank. I stared numbly at the miscarriage report. It turned out I had been pregnant for two months. I had lost my child before I even knew she existed. A sharp, agonizing pain ripped through my chest. My phone buzzed. Natalie had sent me a photo of her own pregnancy test. My entire body went rigid. Her messages kept coming. "Chloe, let's be honest. My amnesia actually cured six months ago." "But I fell in love with Ethan, so I decided to keep pretending to play along." "I saw your medical checkup report. I knew you were pregnant. Today was entirely intentional. I am the only one allowed to give Ethan a child." "Look around you. Everyone is celebrating my baby's arrival. In our world of five, you are nothing but trash." She forwarded a screenshot of a group chat. The group name was: "The Core Four." I wasn't in it. I scrolled through the messages, one by one. The four of them were chatting excitedly. In just three hours, they had sent thousands of messages. They talked about who would be the godparents, and how to decorate the nursery. They discussed baby names and wondered if the child would look more like Ethan or Natalie. My heart froze over completely. I took the miscarriage report and signed it. Then, I handed it to the doctor along with my resignation letter. "Doctor, please deliver these to Ethan Sterling for me." Since I was nothing but trash in their world of five, then for the rest of my life, I wouldn't leave any room for them either. ... On the other side of town, Natalie was gently rubbing her belly, surrounded by the adoration of Clara and Tyler. Watching this scene, Ethan felt a nagging headache. That night, he had drunk too much. In his drunken stupor, he had mistaken Natalie for Chloe. He didn't expect her to get pregnant from just that one night. Ethan sighed heavily, trying to reassure himself. It was fine. Chloe would understand. He would make it up to her later. Just like he had done countless times before. Yet, for some reason, an indescribable sense of dread washed over him. Making an excuse to get some fresh air, Ethan stepped out of the ward and dialed Chloe's number. The call wouldn't go through. He had been blocked. He tried sending a message on Snapchat. Blocked there, too. The dread in his chest intensified. A moment later, a doctor rushed over with a grave expression. "Mr. Sterling, we have reviewed the medical files. Miss Davis's amnesia was fully cured six months ago." Ethan instinctively denied it. "That's impossible!" The doctor gave him a complex look. "Also, Miss Miller had some documents for me to deliver to you." Ethan frowned as he took the papers. When he saw the resignation letter, his heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he flipped to the next page. The document underneath made him freeze as if doused in ice water.
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