Chapter 1

“That’s great, Miles! I knew you were a generous man!”

Joy Wren practically sprang from her chair and grabbed my hand in delight.

She then fished out a business card from her bag, as she had done a million times before. Then, she handed it to me. “Go to this developer, Grand Vigor Real Estate. I’ve already made an appointment with their manager, Mr. Wallace. He’s the top salesperson.”

I took the card. It was still warm from her hand, but a chill went through me.

She had planned this the whole time.

I drove us to the city center. Joy, who was sitting in the passenger seat, called her family excitedly.

“Dad! Miles said yes! We’re going to see the place now. Get there quickly!

“Hello? Uncle Bill? It’s Joy! Dad’s getting a new apartment. Yes! You should all come down. Please help us look it over, and tell us what you think!

“Hello? Aunt Mary…”

I stared ahead with an indifferent face. All I could hear was what sounded like a flock of sparrows chattering around me.

By the time we arrived at the sales office, I saw that Joy’s relatives had gotten there before us.

“Oh, Miles, you’re an absolute godsend for our family!”

Brenda, one of Joy's aunts, held my hand. “Absolutely! Joy is so lucky to land a catch like you. This is surely a gift from God.”

Mary chimed in from the side, but her eyes were fixed on the limited-edition watch on my wrist.

From the crowd, Mr. Wallace led us into the showroom.

It was a penthouse-style apartment of nearly 2,200 square feet. The unit was lavishly decorated and had an open, panoramic view.

Joy’s father, Patrick Wren, paced around the room with his hands clasped behind his back.

“These floor tiles won’t do. They need to be replaced with more expensive tiles. Something that shows class.

“That crystal chandelier looks tacky. Get rid of it. I want one that cascades all the way down to the floor.

“This balcony is too small! I’ve seen those stunning sky gardens on TV. I want one of those.”

I watched calmly without offering any response as they discussed the interior design among themselves.

Just then, Joy’s phone rang.

She answered it. Her tone instantly softened as she asked, “Lucas, where are you? We’re all at the showroom.

“Hurry! Everyone’s waiting for you.”

After hanging up, she turned to explain things to me. Her face wore an expression of absolute certainty.

“I invited Lucas, too. He has better taste than you. He’ll advise us on the design.”

Lucas Julian was Joy’s childhood friend. We had been dating for three years, and he had always been the third wheel in all that time.

When we went to the movies, Joy would buy three tickets because Lucas said he was bored alone.

When we traveled, our couple’s trip would turn into a group of three when he said he was in a bad mood and wanted a getaway.

When I gave Joy a birthday present, Lucas would post it on his social media the very next day with the caption, [Thanks, Joy.]

Joy always said, “Miles, don’t overthink it. I only see him as a younger brother!”

A few minutes later, Lucas walked in. He was dressed in trendy streetwear.

“Joy! Patrick!” he said brightly in greeting. Only then did he seem to notice me. He offered a small apologetic smile.

“Miles, I hope I’m not interrupting!”