Chapter 1

Gabriel's POV

The rain came down in a gentle patter.

From across the street, I watched my girlfriend, Sophie Anderson, walk into a diner with my former best friend, Edward Brown.

"The usual, please. Extra spicy, and no pickles."

Edward's eyes met Sophie's, and for a moment, they stared at each other.

Then, Edward said, "You still remember what I like after all this time. Gabriel probably would've forgotten by now. After all, I was the one who hurt him."

Seeing his troubled expression, Sophie reassured him, "What happened back then wasn't your fault. Gabriel overreacted. He ended your friendship over what was nothing more than a misunderstanding."

Without warning, a sharp pang went through me.

Back then, someone had drugged Sophie. Without even talking to me, Edward had slept with her to get the drug out of her system.

Worse still, my mother found out, and she was so angry that she passed out.

When I confronted Sophie, she said, "I'm sorry, Gab. I was drugged. Edward was just trying to help me. Can't you see that?"

My girlfriend had slept with my best friend, and my mother had fainted from the shock. And somehow, I was supposed to understand?

Ultimately, I told Sophie I wanted to break up, and I cut ties with Edward.

But Sophie had chosen to stand by me. I thought that meant she understood how much I'd been hurt.

Now, I realized I was nothing more than someone she kept around out of guilt, a way for her to make up for what she'd done.

Just then, Sophie glanced up without thinking. As soon as she spotted me, the color drained from her face.

"Gab! What are you doing here?"

Edward and Sophie quickly pulled apart.

"What? Am I interrupting your time with another guy?" I glanced at Edward, then demanded, "Weren't you the one who said you can't let outsiders see your face?"

"Hear me out, Gab. Edward is a new coworker I referred for the job. He's not an outsider," she replied as she took my hand.

She referred him for the position, huh?

I stared at Edward—the person I hadn't seen in years—and my throat tightened.

Sophie and I had been in a long-distance relationship for three years. Her employer no longer accepted outside applicants. Instead, employees could refer family members for open positions.

I had asked her to help me get in. The first year, she told me, "You need certain professional certifications to qualify. You don't have any."

So, I studied hard, passed the exams, and got the certification. In the second year, Sophie said, "You also need some field experience."

Without a second thought, I went to a remote town and spent a year getting the experience I needed.

By the third year, Sophie told me there were no more referral openings and that I'd have to wait. But after making me wait, she handed the referral to the one person I hated most.

I stared at her in disbelief. "You said I need a professional certification. So how does Edward qualify when he only has an associate degree?"

At that, Edward spoke, his voice low. "Gab, I'm sorry. I know you hate me, but I didn't know you were trying to get this spot."

"You could've asked, couldn't you? You always take what's mine, and only then do you apologize," I growled.

Edward froze.

At the same moment, Sophie's expression hardened, and her grip on my hand tightened.

"That's enough!" she snapped. "Edward had to quit his job and leave because of you. Now, he needs a decent job to rebuild his reputation."

Her tone softened. "Besides, this job isn't a good fit for your background. I'll fight to get it for you next time."

Sophie always put me last. Even before things fell apart between Edward and me, she always went along with whatever Edward wanted whenever we went out to eat.

Whenever I got upset, she'd say, "Your friend is so picky. If I don't keep him happy, he'll badmouth me and convince you to dump me."

I thought she was afraid of losing me, so she went out of her way to please my best friend. It was only now that I realized what a fool I'd been.

Love wasn't about what someone said. It was about what they actually did.

I pulled my hand free, limp. "Let's break up."

Sophie froze. Edward, on the other hand, caught on and grabbed my arm.

"Sophie, don't blame Gabriel for this. If he wants the position, I can give it to him."

It was supposed to be mine, yet he talked as though he were doing me a favor by giving it to me.

"Fine. Then give me the offer letter," I said, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

As I spoke, I reached for the document in Edward's bag. But before I could touch it, someone caught my hand and shoved it aside.

My arm struck the edge of the table, and pain shot through it.

"Gabriel Sullivan! Stop it! What are you doing? Trying to steal it?"

Sophie's voice was laced with impatience as she went on, "I already told you I'd help you get a position next time. Why do you have to keep pushing?"