3

Adam called the very next day.

"Wren, Julian says you're selling the house, and you're going after Celia for stealing your proposal?"

"Yes."

"You've taken this far enough. You're causing a scene right before the wedding, and now both families are upset."

I was eating soup. My spoon clinked against the bowl.

"Did you know your fingerprint is registered in that lock too?"

"Yeah. Celia added my fingerprint."

"Did you ever ask why mine wasn't?"

He paused. "How would I know? Talk it out with Julian. Stop taking it out on the wedding."

"I bought that house, and I can't even get through the door."

"What's the big deal about spending one night at the office? You've always been independent, and Celia's not well—"

"So I'm supposed to just keep giving in forever?"

My brother's voice hardened. "I'm only looking out for you."

I set down my spoon. "Then come see me at the studio."

He hesitated. "I'm busy the next couple of days."

I stared at my cold soup and forced a smile.

"Got it."

That morning, I took the purchase contract and payment receipts to a law firm.

My lawyer, Dana, confirmed that the house belonged solely to me. She also drafted a notice requiring them to move out by a specified date, with arrangements for collecting their belongings.

"Have them move out first, then schedule the showings. That'll help avoid any disputes."

I nodded and tucked the notice carefully into my bag.

When I walked out of the law firm, Liam was standing at the bottom of the steps.

He held out a bag of medicine. "Your brother said your stomach has been bothering you."

I didn't take it. "I can't just take painkillers whenever I want. I've already seen a doctor."

His hand faltered. "Have you eaten anything?"

"I have."

He walked beside me for a few steps before speaking. "Celia says you won't even let her keep her luggage at the house."

I stopped.

"Did she tell you she wore my pajamas, slept in my bed, and used my proposal to land a client?"

"She said it was a misunderstanding."

"Did you ask me before coming here? Did you check whether any of it was really a misunderstanding?"

Liam looked at me for a long moment. "I'm just worried you're rushing into this. What if you regret calling off the wedding?"

The wind rustled the bag of medicine.

He used to wait downstairs for me just like this whenever I had a fever.

Back then, I thought my brother and Liam would always be there for me.

I pulled my scarf tighter. My eyes stung.

"Liam, I already regret it."

He went still.

"I regret giving all of you the code. I regret telling myself I was being petty every time I got upset."

He reached for me, and I took a step back.

"Take the medicine with you."

Julian's car was parked by the curb.

He saw us and came over, scowling. "Your stomach hurts? Why didn't you tell me?"

I looked at him and suddenly asked, "Is my medicine still in the nightstand?"

He frowned. "It should be."

"Did you buy the medicine Celia took last night?"

"Yeah. Hers has to be taken before meals, and I was worried she'd forget."

I nodded, my throat tight.

"Mine has to be taken before meals too. I've been taking it for three years, and you've never remembered once."

Julian opened his mouth.

I took the notice out of my bag and held it out to him.

"Move out by Friday. I'll have someone there to check everything you're taking."

"You really have to do this?"

"Yes."

When he didn't take the notice, I set it on the hood of his car and took a picture for my records.

That night, Celia posted a photo on Instagram of a table covered in food.

Julian was standing behind her, holding a bowl of hot soup.

Her caption read, "It's so nice having someone who remembers I have a sensitive stomach."

I stared at it for a long time, my grip on the phone slowly tightening.

Then I closed the photo and called the real estate agent to confirm showing times after they moved out.

"List it at market price. There's no need to rush into a price cut."

I'd bought that house with money I'd saved little by little.

I wasn't going to shortchange myself just to get rid of them.