Chapter 2

The moment I got home, Dad noticed how flushed my face was.

"Why are you burning up?"

He looked alarmed. "Weren't you celebrating with Serena, Chloe, and Vivian?"

"It's over."

My throat was so raw that every word felt like glass.

Dad went silent for a moment.

"All right," he said at last. "Then go overseas."

I nodded and went upstairs.

I'd barely lain down when Serena texted me.

"Where are you? You said you'd wait for us. You left without even telling anyone?"

No concern about why I'd walked away. Just blame.

In our five-person group chat, Kyle was the first to apologize.

"Sorry, Adrian. I booked the wrong table."

Serena replied immediately.

"This isn't your fault. If he had a problem, he should have said something at the restaurant instead of walking off and sulking."

Chloe and Vivian piled on.

"Exactly. Kyle, you didn't do anything wrong. It was one dinner. Adrian's being dramatic."

I stared at the screen.

The group chat was called The Prince and His Three Princesses.

I'd only been added later.

Serena had even given me a nickname when I joined: The Prince's Servant.

My head was pounding badly enough already.

I left the group.

For once, I wanted some peace.

That night, I dreamed about when we were children.

Serena, Chloe, and Vivian had once sworn they would stay with me forever. They used to argue over which one of them would marry me.

I was skinny and sickly back then. If anyone bullied me, the three of them got angrier than I did.

Then Kyle appeared.

He was a pretty-boy transfer student from a poor rural town, proud even when he had almost nothing.

I was the one who brought him into my social circle.

Looking back, I had also planted the seed of my own exclusion.

Once Kyle arrived, the three girls all started acting sweet and clingy with him.

They brought him drinks and helped him study.

They surrounded him every day, talking and laughing.

Everything that had once been mine seemed to become his.

The dream shifted.

Serena stood in front of me with a blade in her hand, her expression vicious.

"I won't let anyone hurt him!"

I jolted awake.

My pillow was damp.

It took a long time for my breathing to settle.

Then I picked up my phone and bought a ticket to leave the country.

By then, they had added me back to the group chat.

All three women took turns messaging me privately, scolding me for being immature.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like some spoiled brat again?"

"Adrian, this isn't okay. Do you care about our friendship at all?"

Then Serena sent hers.

"Kyle was upset all night. The three of us spent hours cheering him up. Just apologize to him."

I didn't reply to any of them.

I muted everything.

Then I went to Carter Group to finalize my transfer.

When I came out of the office, I ran into Kyle.

That was when I remembered something almost funny.

After graduation, I had used my family connections to get him a job at our company.

"Adrian."

He caught my arm and gave me a guilty look.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

My answer was flat.

Somehow, Kyle still managed to look as if I had bullied him.

"Kyle!"

Three voices called out at once.

Serena rushed over and shoved past me so hard that I stumbled.

She frowned at Kyle.

"Did he do something to you?"

Kyle shook his head.

He didn't need to say anything.

That expression was enough.

Chloe and Vivian turned on me at once.

"Adrian, that was out of line."

I was exhausted.

I didn't want another argument, so I turned to leave.

Serena grabbed my wrist.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. I knew that look. It meant she was angry.

"Apologize."

Her manicure dug painfully into my skin.

It still hurt less than the pressure in my chest.

For years, I had backed down again and again just to keep her from getting upset.

I didn't want to do it anymore.

I took a slow breath.

"Apologize for what? Did any of you even ask what happened before deciding I was guilty?"

They hesitated for exactly one second.

Then they chose Kyle. Again.

"Kyle doesn't act like this for no reason," Chloe said. "He's our friend, Adrian. Stop treating him like you're above him."

She and Vivian turned toward Kyle.

"Quit Carter Group. Come work with us instead."

Kyle glanced at me as if the idea pained him.

Serena made the final decision.

"Fine. Kyle, come work for me. I'll train you myself."

Then she looked at me.

"What do you think?"

I laughed softly and pulled my wrist free.

"Whatever makes you happy."