Chapter 1 The Outsider Wearing His Ring

Three days after our engagement, Callum Pierce's friends threw him a little celebration.

I drove downtown to pick him up from the hotel restaurant.

The door to their private room had been left slightly ajar. Laughter drifted into the hallway, loud and effortless.

I stepped closer.

Through the crack, I saw Callum sitting next to Mara Collins, the girl he'd known since they were kids. They were pressed so close their shoulders nearly touched.

Mara was laughing as she reached over and pinched his cheek.

My stomach tightened.

Callum caught her wrist and lowered her hand.

"Mara, I'm engaged now." His voice was calm, almost gentle. "You can't keep acting like this. Natalie won't like it, and I don't want to make her unhappy."

For one foolish second, warmth rushed into my chest.

I almost smiled.

I was about to push the door open when one of his friends spoke up, "So what made you decide to marry Natalie all of a sudden?"

A short laugh followed.

"I thought you were just passing time with her."

My hand froze on the door.

Callum looked at Mara.

Nothing changed on his face.

"My mom's been pushing me to settle down. Natalie is the perfect fit. She's sweet, pretty, obedient, rich, and has no family to complicate things."

Then he gave a small shrug. "She's basically my mother's dream daughter-in-law."

The words hit harder than a slap.

Before I could move, Mara gave a tiny gasp.

She had cut her finger on a steak knife.

Callum was on her in an instant, taking her hand like she'd been seriously hurt. "Mara, can you be careful for once?"

Mara tugged her hand back, pouting. "I thought we needed boundaries. Let go."

Callum let out a helpless laugh. "You rejected me ninety-nine times. Am I not allowed to be a little mad?"

His tone softened almost immediately. "Okay, I'm sorry. Let me see."

Then he lifted her injured finger to his mouth.

One of his friends groaned. "God, you two are still like this after all these years?"

Another voice chimed in, amused and a little drunk. "You should've ended up together. Instead, some outsider gets the ring."

The word 'outsider' sank into me.

I thought back to the first time Callum introduced me to his friends—the sideways glances, the smirks they tried to hide.

Back then, Callum had wrapped an arm around my waist and explained it away. "They just think I got lucky, finding a woman as beautiful as you."

Now I understood.

They had never thought he was lucky. Instead, they had thought I was ridiculous.

Inside the room, Callum was carefully wrapping a bandage around Mara's finger.

"She doesn't want to be trapped in a marriage," he told them, his voice low. "I respect that."

Mara burst out laughing and gave him a slap on the shoulder. "Oh, come on. Natalie barely knows anyone here, so I'll be her bridesmaid."

She leaned toward him, eyes bright with mischief. "Then it'll be like you're marrying me. More exciting that way, right?"

Callum didn't pull away.

Mara tilted her head, looking at him as if she already knew the answer. "You'll always be there for me, won't you?"

Callum reached over and ruffled her hair. His voice softened so much it made my chest ache. "Always. I'm your backup plan."

The room went quiet for half a second.

Then one of his friends sighed. "Just don't let Natalie find out. Women always sense this kind of thing. If she makes a scene, it'll be a mess for everyone."

I stood in the hallway, perfectly still as I watched them through that narrow crack for a long time.

Then I turned and walked away.