Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Lucas Saville smirked, leaning back casually. "Well, if it isn’t Young Boss. So, how's my little sister taste?" Ethan Luciano chuckled, his tone careless. "Looks all sweet and innocent, but in bed? She’s a total freak in the sheets." Lucas’s eyes glinted. "So should I call her my little sister or my future sister-in-law?" Ethan frowned, shaking his head. "Future sister-in-law? Nah. She’s just practice. I’m trying to hook up with the cheer captain, Sylvia Dawson, but I don’t want her thinking I’m clueless in bed. Cynthia Saville’s just a warm-up." The words hit me like a punch to the gut, freezing me in place. My heart twisted painfully. Lucas was stunned for a second too, but then he burst out laughing. "Classic Ethan. Even your practice girl is someone else's dream girl. You've got serious pull, man." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to say, "Man, I bet Cynthia’s fanboys would lose their minds if they knew about this." Ethan snorted. "Cynthia? Please. She’s all over me. I barely have to lift a finger to get her in my bed." Lucas grinned, throwing his head back. "Well, at least she’s got a nice body. Though, between us, her chest doesn’t quite measure up to Sylvia’s." Ethan shot him a sharp look. "What? You into Cynthia now? Or don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for Sylvia too?" Lucas quickly threw up his hands, backing off. "Me? No way. Cynthia’s my sister in name, man. That’s a no-go. And Sylvia? I wouldn’t dare mess with your girl." He snickered. "Still, who would've thought that Cynthia, the quiet one, would be the type to jump into bed without a second thought?" Ethan just smirked. "She’s been chasing me for years. Figured I’d throw her a bone before I get serious with Sylvia. At least this way, she’s got something to remember me by." My mind felt like it had been struck with a sledgehammer. I dropped my gaze, trying to hide the shock on my face. They had no idea I’d secretly learned Italian, hoping to be the perfect partner for Ethan one day. I understood every cruel word. Ethan wrapped an arm around me, his lips brushing against my cheek as if he actually cared. If I didn’t know better, I might have believed he really loved me. Before my emotions completely shattered, I shot to my feet, mumbling something about the bathroom, and stumbled out of the room. I locked myself in a stall, clapped a hand over my mouth, and let the sound of flushing water mask my sobs. Ethan’s words replayed over and over in my mind. I could still feel the heat of his breath on my ear from the night before, whispering promises of a future together as he clung to me, refusing to let go. My phone buzzed, yanking me back to the present. It was a message from Ethan. "Where’d you run off to? I’ve got something important tonight, so I can’t be your prom date. These dances are lame anyway. Just chill at home. Oh, and don’t forget the morning-after pill. I got a bit carried away last night and forgot to use protection. Wouldn’t want you getting hurt. Take care." My stomach twisted. I remembered him holding me afterwards, whispering how I finally belonged to him. I’d been so lost in the warmth of the moment that I didn’t even care about it. However, now every word in that message felt like a slap to the face. I wiped my tears, forced myself to stand up, and stumbled out to the nearest pharmacy. I swallowed the bitter pill, my heart turning to stone as I walked back to my empty room. I lay down, staring at the ceiling, replaying the past ten years in my head. Ethan and I had been neighbors since we were kids. His father was a powerful mafia Don, and most kids were too scared to even talk to him, but not me. I was the one who stood by him, even when he pretended he didn’t need anyone. I knew better. I’d seen the flicker of happiness in his eyes, even when he tried to push me away. I fell asleep to the weight of a decade’s worth of memories, only to be jolted awake by my best friend Ava Trevor’s video call. "Cynthia! Why aren’t you at prom? This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing! Wait, oh my God, Ethan just walked in with Sylvia as his date! They’re kissing in front of everyone, and people are cheering them on! Do they not know Ethan’s supposed to be with you?"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Ava turned her phone camera toward Ethan. Ethan and Sylvia were in the center of the dance floor, locked in a deep, passionate kiss. His eyes were closed, completely lost in the moment. It hit me then—yesterday, when we slept together, we didn’t even kiss. In the heat of the moment, I had leaned in to kiss him, only for him to pull back. "Sorry, I’m just not into kissing. It’s gross. Saliva makes me feel sick," he had said. Like an idiot, I had believed him, yet here he was, making out with Sylvia in front of everyone without any hesitation or second thoughts. So, it wasn’t that he didn’t like kissing. He just didn’t like kissing me. Watching them on the phone, I felt a thousand tiny needles stab my heart, each one sharper than the last, until I could barely breathe. Just this afternoon, Ethan had casually told Lucas he wanted to go after Sylvia, and now, just a few hours later, they were already a couple. Classic Ethan. He always gets what he wants, no matter who he has to cru

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I hung up the phone, turning down Ava’s offer to come over and keep me company. Sadly, the memories from last night kept replaying in my mind. The way his strong arms held me close, his warm breath against my skin, and the sweet, whispered promises that made the bed frame rattle all night. I shook my head sharply, trying to push the thoughts away. I curled up on my bed, hugging my knees to my chest. My mind kept flipping between the Ethan who used to be so kind to me when we were kids and the cold, careless Ethan from today. I only managed to fall into a fitful sleep as dawn broke. Ethan hadn’t sent a single message all night. Once, when I got drunk and disappeared for a few hours, Ethan had nearly lost his mind trying to reach me. After that, he insisted we say goodnight every evening, just so he knew I was safe. It had become our habit, a small, comforting ritual. It was funny how even habits built over years could be shattered in a single night. Maybe this was for the best.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Not long after Ethan left, Sylvia updated her Twitter. "Mentioned pancakes in passing, and they showed up the next morning. Thanks for making it so easy to brag about you." Attached was a picture of maple pancakes, exactly like the ones on my breakfast table. Ethan’s chef never used to make pancakes, but Ethan had him learn because I loved them. He had once promised me that his special maple pancakes were just for me. I turned off my phone quietly, wiping away the tears that had welled up again. Mrs. Triton was still struggling to clean up the damaged pancake pieces Ethan had angrily thrown to the floor. The sticky syrup had seeped into the rug, leaving a stubborn, dark stain. "Just toss it out," I said, my voice flat. Even that rug was a gift from Ethan. In fact, I went around the house, gathering every single thing he had ever given me, boxing them up to be thrown out. After all, every gift felt as carelessly thrown my way as those pancakes that morning. Ethan didn’t reach out

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

In the Arctic, I kept myself busy on purpose. Ava and I watched the northern lights, chased whales and seals on a research ship, and packed our days with activities to keep my mind from drifting back to old memories. Despite his demands, I definitely didn't unblock Ethan. Regardless, Ava, who was always by my side, occasionally showed me his and Sylvia's Twitter updates. I could see they were having a great time in Switzerland. Strangely enough, Ethan, who never used to post much, now shares something almost every day. Sometimes, it was a shot from the Aletsch Glacier, other times it was a picture from the top of St. Peter's Basilica. Even though I was not keeping tabs on him like I used to, mutual friends still asked why I was not in these photos, or why I didn't go to Switzerland with him. After all, for years, I was the one always by his side in those shots. I just told them I had already promised Ava I'd go on this trip. Every mention of Ethan still hit a nerve, but I was tr