During my senior year, when I lost both my parents, Ethan was the one who stayed by my side.
His warmth and care made me fall completely.
But when had he changed?
Probably when Chloe came back from abroad.
I still remembered the first time she showed up—she threw her arm around Ethan’s shoulders with a laugh:
“Ethan, missed your daddy yet?”
Ethan Miller playfully punched her back. “Get lost—who’s whose dad?”
I stood awkwardly to the side.
Only then did Ethan remember to introduce me: “My wife, Sophia Harris.”
Chloe Carter grinned and reached out her hand to me. “Hi, Sophia! Don’t mind us—we’ve been like this since childhood.”
I forced a smile and shook her hand.
Ethan added quickly, “Chloe’s always been a tomboy, loud and careless. We’re really close, but don’t read into it.”
I nodded, trying to adjust to their intimacy. But Chloe kept showing up more and more often.
She would drag Ethan out under the excuse of a “bro hangout,” and even insisted on throwing a bachelor party the night before our wedding.
Every time, Ethan would emphasize, “We’re just buddies.”
But today, Chloe’s words had doused me in cold reality.