Chapter 1 Love Built on Lies

"Ian, are we really doing the right thing?"

Ian sat across from Evie, his expression unusually gentle as he gazed at her with full attention.

We had grown up together. I had liked that quiet, gentle side of him ever since elementary school—but when it came to me, he had always been cold and distant.

That was why, seven years ago, when he came to find me, I had been so overwhelmed that I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

"Evie, you're always so kind. Why don't you think about how your sister treated you when you were little?"

My parents sat nearby, nodding again and again in agreement. "Evie, someone as soft-hearted as you would never survive out there on your own. You're our precious baby. How could we bear to see you suffer?"

Evie pouted, looking slightly dissatisfied. "I just feel bad for Lexi. She could've gone to college too, but now she's working three part-time jobs a week just to support me. She's a girl too. I heard she waits tables in the morning, fries food in the afternoon, and works the night shift at a convenience store. She's practically a machine."

Ian waved his hand dismissively. "What's so bad about that? Your sister's always been calculating. She stole your things growing up and bullied you whenever she felt like it. So what if we took her admission letter and her songs? We're only giving her a taste of her own medicine. Besides, I'm already by her side now. Shouldn't that be enough for her?"

I braced myself against the table, barely able to stand. I had drunk too much earlier, and my head was splitting apart. For a moment, I couldn't even tell whether what I was hearing was real.

Part of me refused to believe they could treat me like this, but the other part kept replaying those words over and over, rooting me to the spot.

I couldn't walk away. I had to hear what they would say next.

"Alright then… Ian, thank you. Everything I have today is because of you. With you by her side, Lexi must be very happy. Sometimes I even envy her."

Ian nodded proudly. "Don't worry. With me backing you, just focus on becoming a big star back home."

"Ian, that outfit doesn't look cheap. It's probably some luxury foreign brand, right? It must cost at least ten thousand. Lexi really spends a lot on you."

Ian glanced down at himself, completely unconcerned. "She should. I'm here with her, aren't I? I haven't gone back home in forever, and I'm playing the part of her husband for free. If anything, I'm the one getting the short end of the deal."

"Wow… Lexi really treats you well."

Yes, I did. For the sake of the clothes Ian wore, all I had for myself were a few plain white shirts—and my work uniforms.

The three of us had grown up together. I had never called Ian as sweetly as Evie did—not because I couldn't, but because I liked him too much to dare.

Evie, on the other hand, had always done whatever she pleased. Acting cute and playing spoiled had always been her best weapon, and it never failed. Our parents adored her for it.

They had always disliked me.

A few days ago, my parents brought Evie all the way from home to visit me. I was so happy.

I thought that maybe now that I could earn money, they would finally see me differently. During dinner, when my parents placed a piece of meatball onto my plate, I had been happy about it for half the day—completely oblivious to the fact that Evie's had already been piled high.

I worked three part-time jobs every week, all for one tiny hope that maybe my family would look at me a little differently.