Chapter 2

I'd been with Elton for almost ten years.

But in everyone else's eyes, Kirsten was the one who truly deserved Elton.

On Elton's birthday five years ago, I had a custom-made ring tucked away in my pocket. I was planning to propose to him that day, but Kirsten showed up too.

The moment they met, they started trying to outdo each other. What began as a game of Truth or Dare soon turned into drinking games and rock-paper-scissors challenges.

It was as if Kirsten were the only person Elton could see.

Then, Kirsten suddenly slapped the table and grabbed her phone. She opened the game's official event page, which offered exclusive in-game skins to couples who entered the competition.

"Elton, are you up for the challenge? Don't tell me you're chickening out."

The lively atmosphere soon had everyone hooting and hollering.

One of my friends nudged me with an elbow. "Julianne, aren't you going to do something about this? How can you be so unbothered?"

Someone overheard and burst out laughing.

"Come on, Elton would never agree to that. He's been with Julianne for so long. Aren't they practically engaged already?"

Everyone thought so, as did I.

But the next second, I watched Elton push his phone toward Kirsten as well.

"Let's do it."

My smile froze. I grabbed Ethan's hand and demanded, "Elton, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Only then did Elton seem to notice me. He opened his mouth, a flicker of remorse crossing his eyes.

Kirsten, however, just smiled and spread her hands. "Chill, Julianne. It's just a game. The pairing will automatically end after a week. Besides, aren't you two getting married soon? Don't you trust Elton enough to let him play?"

With Kirsten backing him up, Elton grew impatient as well.

He shoved me aside and said, "It's my birthday today. Don't be a killjoy."

His words sent a chill straight through me.

Everyone exchanged awkward glances, and the atmosphere suddenly turned tense.

I struggled to keep my trembling voice steady as I said, "What game is this? We're the ones who are actually a couple. I can—"

Elton waved his hand dismissively. "No, you can't. You don't even know how to play the game. All you ever do is work on your boring designs."

My hand clenched tighter and tighter around the ring in my pocket, its sharp edges digging painfully into my palm.

"Do you really have to do this? You already have me, so why are you pretending to be someone else's boyfriend?"

Elton's expression darkened instantly.

"Julianne, what the heck are you trying to say?" He smashed the cake I'd painstakingly prepared for him onto the floor. "You just don't want me to enjoy my birthday, is that it? Fine! Then let's not celebrate it!"

Elton and I parted on bad terms that day.

I spent the entire night drinking, yet in the end, I still couldn't bring myself to break up with him. After so many years together, I couldn't just walk away from our relationship.

Even Mom tried to persuade me to take things less seriously, saying that it was normal for couples to argue now and then.

And yet, Elton and Kirsten went from playing a couple in the game to playing husband and wife.

Every year, Elton used this as an excuse to spend Christmas with Kirsten at her family home. And this year marked the fifth year they'd been playing this game.

Over the past five years, everything that happened had gradually worn away my love for Elton.

I never did give him that ring.

Just then, my phone screen lit up. Mom had texted me.

"Julianne, you've been with Elton for almost ten years now, haven't you? I don't have much time left. Will I live to see the two of you get married?"

Tears blurred my vision as they fell one by one onto the text on the screen.

"Mom, I will get married. But it won't be to Elton."