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I Lost the Game, Gave Away Three Future Husbands
I Lost the Game, Gave Away Three Future Husbands
Author: Steal a Star Candy

Chapter 1

Author: Steal a Star Candy
Julian Brooks texted me privately that night, telling me to calm down.

[Don’t get upset over a stupid game.]

[The five of us are going to stay together for a long time.]

I did not reply. I simply stared at the name of a college that was 1,600 miles away and hit 'Confirm'.

I stayed on the page that stated ‘Application Submitted’ for a long time. It was not until the screen went dark that I saw my own reflection staring back at me.

There were no tears. I was not even as heartbroken as I thought I would be.

It turned out that when disappointment piled up high enough, finally deciding to leave did not hurt nearly as much.

My phone buzzed several times in a row.

Marcus Hayes had sent a photo to our group chat.

Millie was standing in front of a birthday cake while wearing a paper crown.

Marcus was holding the crown steady for her, Ryan Pierce was leaning over to light the candles, and Julian was holding the glass of juice she had not finished.

Under the photo, Marcus wrote: [Millie is officially tonight’s Queen of the Game!]

I stared at the photo for a few seconds before turning off my phone screen.

What they did not know was that tonight was not just our post-exam celebration. It was also my 18th birthday.

Millie and I were only three days apart. She said it would be too much trouble for everyone to celebrate two birthdays so close together, so she suggested we celebrate them together. I agreed.

However, the strawberry cake Marcus ordered only had Millie’s name on it. Ryan had only bought one paper crown. Even the flowers Julian brought were her favorite—pink roses.

They had not forgotten it was my birthday too. They just assumed I was mature enough not to make a big deal out of it.

My bedroom door suddenly opened. Julian walked in and placed a velvet box on my desk.

“Happy 18th birthday.”

Inside was a silver four-leaf clover bracelet that looked oddly familiar.

Millie had been wearing an identical one at the party, except hers was surrounded by tiny diamonds.

Julian quickly explained when he noticed my silence, “We picked Millie’s together. I thought the design was nice, so I figured I’d grab one for you too.”

It turned out my 18th birthday present was just something he had picked up while he was at it.

I closed the box. “Thanks.”

Julian did not leave. Instead, he pulled out the chair beside me and sat down. “Don’t take the game personally. Millie’s always been insecure. If none of us had picked her for the rescue question, she would’ve spent the whole night overthinking it.”

“So, you all picked me to be left out instead?”

He froze for a second before giving me a helpless smile. “You’ve never been the type to care about stuff like this.”

I never cried, so I could be the one they sacrificed. I never made a fuss, so they never had to worry about how I felt.

I nodded. “You’re right.”

A quiet relief softened his features, and the gentle warmth settled back into his eyes.

“Pack your identification documents for tomorrow. We’re going to the travel agency. Millie wants to take graduation photos at the snowy mountains. You’re the best photographer, so you can help us out.”

“Okay.”

Julian affectionately ruffled my hair before leaving.

Once the door clicked shut, I opened the electronic contract the travel agency had sent that afternoon.

The travel list had four names—Millie, Marcus, Ryan, and Julian.

My name appeared on the final page, not as a fellow traveler but as an emergency contact.

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