Chapter 1

I turned and walked out, and Sean Deaver didn't even bother to follow me.

As Jodie Steele watched me leave, she tugged at Sean's sleeve.

"Do you think Sasha's really mad?" she asked, looking worried. "Maybe you should go talk to her."

"Relax." Sean chuckled. "She can't stay mad at me. Give her two hours, tops. She'll come crawling back on her own."

He didn't seem bothered by what had just happened. Instead, he turned his attention to Jodie.

"Jodie, how do I look in today's outfit? We look like a couple on camera, don't we?"

The hallway lights were harsh and pale, but I imagined my face looked even worse.

I'd put up with this for five years. Getting married had been the last thing I'd been willing to compromise on, and even then, I'd lowered my expectations time and time again.

On camera, Sean played the perfect boyfriend to Jodie.

Jodie was afraid of the dark and thunderstorms, so for the sake of their content, he'd once left me stranded by the roadside in the middle of the night.

It was pouring, yet he hadn't even bothered to leave me an umbrella. He'd simply driven off.

Another time, he'd abandoned me while I was running a high fever with a bad cold, all because he wanted to drive across the entire city to buy Jodie some viral dessert everyone was raving about.

Whenever we argued about things like this, Sean always said the same thing.

"Honestly, Sasha, this is all your fault."

He said it was because I'd missed a frame while editing that Jodie's face had accidentally appeared in the video. Viewers had jumped to conclusions, naturally assuming that Jodie was the girlfriend who'd been by his side for two years.

The account went viral overnight, and the entire internet was gushing over what a perfect couple they made.

"If we clear things up now, our account's traffic will tank," he'd told me.

And as time went on, he became even more unapologetic.

"You never wanted to show your face in the first place. Now that Jodie is appearing on camera in your place, our account has more room to grow. Isn't that a win-win?"

Every word he said made my chest tighten.

The reason I refused to show my face was the scar on it—the one I'd gotten while saving Sean.

Back then, he'd started making videos so I could see him at home even when we couldn't be together. He'd wanted to make me happy. But somewhere along the way, he'd forgotten why he'd started in the first place.

These days, the account's popularity mattered more to him than my happiness.

I was about to hail a cab when someone grabbed my wrist, his grip painfully tight.

I turned, stopping in my tracks the moment I saw Sean. A sliver of hope lingered in my heart, thinking maybe he'd come to apologize.

"Sasha, you're coming back with me," he said, trying to drag me back. "The person handling the editing and special effects got into an accident and can't make it. You're the only one who's good enough to handle it right now."

I wrenched my hand free. "I'm not going."

"It's all for the account." He frowned, trying to persuade me. "Stop throwing a tantrum."

The last shred of hope inside me vanished.

"I'm done with the account," I declared, letting out a bitter laugh.

Sean clicked his tongue, irritation plain in his eyes. "Sasha, can you please stop acting like this? Didn't I already tell you? I'll marry you as soon as filming wraps."

I stared at him, feeling nothing but cold emptiness inside.

"You've been saying that for years." I paused, my voice growing hoarse. "For all these years, I've had to stay hidden behind the scenes. I can't even hold your hand in public when we go on dates."

"Are you seriously jealous of your own best friend?" Sean asked, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. "You know everything between Jodie and me is ed. You're the only one I love."

His impatience was so unmistakable that my breath caught for a moment.

All I'd ever wanted was to be acknowledged openly, without having to hide. Why did something as simple as that feel so impossible to ask for?

I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I told you. From now on, I'm done having anything to do with that account."