The night before our engagement party, my A-list celebrity boyfriend, Liam Scott, lost a race on a reality TV show. The penalty? He had to play a “couple for a day” with his childhood best friend, Rina. But he took the act a little too far. Right there, on camera, he exchanged rings with her. Liam just laughed it off when he explained it to me later. “It was all for the show, Luna. We grew up together, practically shared a crib. You think I’d ever be serious about her?” But Rina, nestled against his side, flashed the new ring on her finger. “Liam’s first ‘proposal’ was to me, guys. Don’t you think that’s worth a celebration?” The crowd was full of their childhood friends, and they all started cheering. “C’mon, none of us have ever beaten Liam on the track,” one of them yelled. “He obviously threw the race for Rina. Hey, if Rina can beat me, I’ll give her anything she wants!” The energy was electric. I stepped out from the shadows, my helmet tucked under my arm. Every head turned in my direction, and the boisterous atmosphere immediately went cold. I pulled the helmet over my head, my eyes locking on Liam’s disapproving face. “What are you all staring at me for? You wanted a celebration, right? As the fiancée, I thought I’d add to the fun.” 1 I swung my leg over the gleaming new motorcycle. Liam’s brow furrowed. He strode over, his hand clamping down on mine just as I was about to ignite the engine. “Luna, don’t be ridiculous. It’s Rina’s birthday, everyone’s just teasing her. Racing isn’t a game. What if you get hurt?” He softened his voice. “Just be a good girl and cheer for me from the sidelines.” It was always the same story. No matter what they were doing, my role was always the cheerleader. I subtly pulled my hand free from his grasp. Staring into those soulful eyes that could make a puppy fall in love, I contradicted him for the very first time. “I don’t think I’ll be cheering for you today.” I jutted my chin toward Rina. “Your ‘girlfriend’ for the day is over there. Let her do it.” A few snickers rippled through the group. Someone joked that I was jealous, telling Liam he’d better smooth things over. A flash of embarrassment crossed Liam’s face. “I’m just worried about you. You’ve never even touched a bike before. I’m scared you’ll get hurt.” He lowered his voice, leaning in. “We all grew up with Rina. Ask anyone here if they actually see her as a girl.” The glances exchanged around us were suddenly thick with insinuation. This wasn’t the first time. They had all grown up in the same exclusive neighborhood, their families moving in the same elite circles. Whenever the seven of them got together, they created an impenetrable bubble with Rina at its center. Because they didn’t see her as a woman, they’d pass out drunk in the same bed. Because they didn’t see her as a woman, she could call him away from our date nights to help her buy tampons. Because they didn’t see her as a woman, he’d ditch me on our anniversary to go drinking with her when she was in a bad mood. I used to fight him on it, but it always ended the same way. Once, he even snapped at me, “We’ve always been this close. Are you going to accuse the other five guys of sleeping with her too?” After that, I never brought up Rina’s name in an argument again. Until now. Only this time, I wasn’t here to argue. Rina sauntered over, draping an arm casually around Liam’s shoulders. She grinned at me. “He’s right, Luna. This is just how we are. They really don’t see me as a girl. We used to have peeing contests as kids to see who could go the farthest.” She patted Liam’s chest. “You didn’t grow up with a crew like this, so you wouldn’t get it. Just listen to your boyfriend like a good girl. We’ll let you have him back when we’re done playing.” No one seemed to think there was anything wrong with what she said. Liam’s expression was hardening, his disapproval of my ‘childish tantrum’ written all over his face. I fought down the wave of nausea rising in my throat and twisted the throttle. Over the engine’s roar, I met Rina’s gaze and said coldly, “Since it’s a birthday party, wouldn’t adding one more make it even more exciting?” “Let’s stick to your rules,” I continued. “If you beat me, you can have any gift you want.” Seeing me defy him so openly, Liam’s face tightened. The mask was slipping. Another guy from their group nudged his friend, smirking. “Damn, Liam’s losing his touch. Guess he can’t keep his fiancée on a leash.” The warmth vanished completely from Liam’s expression. His eyes on me turned to ice. “Luna Jiang.” He used my full name. “You really want to do this? Fine. But don’t come crying to me to end the game when you lose.” I scoffed. Rina saw my expression and raised an eyebrow. “Well, well. Looks like I have a lot of challengers tonight.” She adopted a regal air. “Alright, here’s how it’ll be. We’ll do it king-of-the-hill style. You have to beat everyone who wants a shot at me. Only then do you earn the right to challenge me.” She pointed a finger at the big guy who had started the heckling. “Mark, I know what you’re capable of. If you go easy on her… I’ll double the prize!” Mark stepped forward, playing the peacemaker. “Hey, Mrs. Scott, look… it’s Rina’s birthday, so she makes the rules. Maybe we should just call it a night? This bike is a beast, hard to handle.” “I’ll cover the double prize myself!” he declared. The crowd erupted. “The prize should come from Liam! What’s your deal, Mark? You got a thing for your friend’s girl?” Mark’s face turned bright red. Liam shot me a sideways glance, then smirked and gave Rina a light pat. “The night’s not over yet. Your future sister-in-law is right here.” Rina just hopped onto the seat behind Liam, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. A chorus of whistles went up. I was used to it. I revved the engine and snapped my visor down. “Enough talk. Let’s ride.” 2 The wind howled past my helmet. Behind me, I could hear a collective gasp of shock. No one had expected me to actually know how to ride, let alone be good at it. I leaned hard into a series of tight curves, steadily pulling away from Mark. Liam shot me a look, his expression filled with something I couldn’t quite read. Surprise? The cheers and shouts didn’t break my focus. On the final turn, I calculated my entry line, planning to accelerate hard on the exit. Just then, a blinding beam of light shot out from the side of the track, aimed directly at me. It was Rina, holding a high-powered flashlight she must have grabbed from somewhere, waving it wildly in my direction. My vision exploded in a wash of white. I cursed under my breath, instinctively slamming the brakes and fighting to keep the bike balanced. But I was going too fast. The front wheel skidded out at the apex of the turn. The bike went into an uncontrolled slide, the shriek of metal on asphalt tearing through the night. I wrestled with the handlebars, using every ounce of my strength to stay upright, but my knee and elbow scraped hard against the pavement, a searing pain shooting through me. Mark’s bike blurred past as he crossed the finish line. I managed to push myself and the bike up, barely standing. The throbbing in my elbow and knee was beginning to spread. I took off my helmet, my gaze fixed coldly on Rina. She tossed the flashlight aside and came jogging over, all feigned concern. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry, are you okay? I was just so excited! You were riding so well, I wanted to cheer you on, I had no idea… that you’d lose control.” Liam rushed to my side, his brow deeply creased. “Serves you right for trying to show off when you don’t have the skills,” he muttered, his voice laced with annoyance. Mark circled back, clearing his throat. “Luna… let’s just say you won that round. Seriously, your technique is way better than mine.” I tried to smile, but the pull on the scrapes on my face made me wince. The peanut gallery started up again. “What’s with you today, Mark? Playing the white knight?” “Yeah, man, bad form. Liam’s about to get married. You can’t be moving in on his girl now.” Mark fell silent, trapped. I waved a dismissive hand. “A loss is a loss. No need for charity.” I turned my attention to Rina, my voice flat. “What do you want?” Her eyes landed on the necklace I was wearing. Liam had fastened it around my neck the day we made our relationship official. It was a unique pendant, a delicate gear with a diamond at its center that spun a full 360 degrees. He’d said it was a symbol of how inseparable we were, our love stronger than steel. I hadn’t taken it off in three years. I reached back, unclasped it, and tossed it straight at her. She caught it deftly, letting it dangle from her fingers. Liam’s face darkened instantly. “Rina, that’s…” She tilted her head, looking at his strained expression. “What’s wrong, Liam? Luna’s willing to part with it. Are you telling me you’re not?” Liam’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He finally looked away. “…If you like it, you can have it.” Rina smiled, a triumphant glint in her eyes. She turned her back to Liam. “Put it on for me.” As Liam fumbled with the clasp around Rina’s neck, the other guys crowded around me, eager for more action. “Wow, Mrs. Scott, you’re full of surprises! I’m next!” “Me too!” But Rina cut them off, her eyes sparkling with a new, malicious idea as she looked at me. “Hold on. Luna’s so good, if we’re going to keep playing, we need to set the stakes first. We wouldn’t want anyone thinking we’re ganging up on you.” Her gaze roamed over me, and then her face lit up. “I remember, your marriage certificate was calligraphed by your grandfather, right? You know how rare his work was. Why don’t we bet that?” The moment she said it, the chatter died. Everyone stared at her, their expressions a mixture of shock and unease. She flashed me a perfectly innocent smile. “Let’s make that the prize, what do you say? If you lose, you just let me… admire it for a bit. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to steal your…” She paused, casting a long, meaningful look at Liam. Liam’s breath hitched. He spoke in a low, placating tone. “Rina, that’s enough.” I had to laugh. Even he knew she was taking it too far. But he always let her. That marriage certificate was my grandfather’s final work, the only thing he left me. On it, he’d written his blessing for Liam and me, wishing us a hundred years of happiness, a life without sorrow. Rina, however, was not intimidated by Liam’s tone. She stuck her chin out. “What are you so nervous about? I can’t even look at it? If you’re going to be this stingy, I might just tell everyone about the time you—” Liam clapped a hand over her mouth, the tips of his ears turning bright red. He turned back to me, his voice coaxing. “Luna, why don’t you just show it to her? Then we can call it a night. No more racing.” Of course. Between them, Rina always won. I watched their intimate little struggle, the throbbing in my knee and elbow a dull, distant ache. My heart felt hollow, empty. I nodded slowly. “Alright.” Liam let out a breath of relief. And then I spoke my next words. “If I lose, the certificate is yours.”
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