As I turned to put my purse down, I froze. There was a purse identical to mine on the entryway table. It definitely wasn’t Sarah’s; she was more into edgy styles, not this classic, elegant bag. And on the shoe rack, next to Ashley’s sneakers, sat a pair of white heels that matched the purse perfectly.
It hit me like a ton of bricks.
“Crash!”
Ashley stood frozen, a shattered fruit bowl at his feet. “What are you doing here?” His voice was a mix of shock, panic, and a flicker of guilt.
“Funny story,” I said, my throat tight. “You invited me.”
His expression shifted. He yelled towards the living room, “Sarah! Emily! I dropped a bowl! Broken glass! Stay back!” Then, he shoved me roughly against the wall near the door.
“When did you find out? Are you trying to make me look bad?”
I looked at the flustered, faux–angry Ashley and started to laugh. A bitter, tearful laugh.
I’d known the Miller siblings for over a decade. We’d practically grown up together. I knew all of Ashley’s embarrassing childhood stories, his quirky hobbies. I thought I knew him inside and out.
But I’d been wrong.
“Sarah said you were bringing your mystery girlfriend home. I’m guessing she’s in the living room right now?” My voice wavered. “I’m just curious… if Emily is your girlfriend, then what am I?”
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chapter 1
He avoided my gaze. Finally, he mumbled, “I’m sorry. But today is important for me and Emily. Can you just… not make a scene?”
My heart clenched, but I kept my expression neutral. “So, Emily is the girlfriend you’re introducing tonight. Is that right?”
He wouldn’t look at me. He just nodded miserably.
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I laughed again, this time at myself, the fool. He’d dismissed me, erased our entire relationship with a single nod. A year of stolen moments, of what I’d thought was shared love, reduced to a cruel joke.
“Just… go,” he pleaded.
Before I could answer, Sarah’s voice exploded from the living room. “Ashley Miller! What the heck are you saying?! I invited Ashley here!” She stepped over the broken glass and smacked him upside the head.
“Are you being shy around Ashley? Asking her to leave? Don’t be ridiculous! She’s practically family!”
