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Chapter 1 

“Honestly, did you fuck Felicia?” A man’s deep voice seeped through the door’s crack, freezing me in my tracks as I was about to enter. 

Peering through the gap, I saw Conrad Wagner perched in his high–backed chair, his lips barely moving. “She made the moves, but i wasn’t interested.” 

“Don’t trash–talk her, Conrad. Felicia’s a catch in our circles. Plenty of guys are after her,” the speaker was Conrad’s close friend, Jefferson Daniels, who had also witnessed the ups and downs of my decade–long relationship with Conrad. 

“It’s too familiar, you know?” Conrad furrowed his brows in distaste. 

I was fourteen when the Wagner family took me in, meeting Conrad for the first time. Everyone told me 

Ime he was the one I was supposed to marry one day. And just like that, ten years had passed with us living under the same roof. 

“Yeah, I get it. You work together daily, barely lifting your heads from your desks, and eat at the same table at night. You guys probably know each other’s bathroom schedules all too well, Jefferson mocked before sighing. “Gone are the days when familiarity breeds affection. These days, it’s all about the chase, wanting what you can’t have. That’s what keeps things exciting.” 

Conrad remained silent, a tacit acknowledgment of Jefferson’s words. 

“So, are you still planning to marry her?” Jefferson’s question made my heart skip a beat 

Conrad’s parents had been pushing us to make it official, but he hadn’t said yes or no. I hadn’t asked him, either But Jefferson had done 

it for me. 

Conrad didn’t respond. 

“Not planning to marry her?” Jefferson prodded with a laugh. 

Conrad denied it, it’s not that*** 

“So, you want to marry her but feel like you’re settling, right?” Jefferson knew Conrad inside out, having grown up together. 

“Jefferson, ever heard the saying?” Conrad smirked faintly. 

Jefferson was all ears. “What saying?” 

“It’s like a tasteless meal you can’t bring yourself to throw away. Conrad lit a cigarette, the smoke veiling the face i’d adored for ten years. My heart clenched painfully. To Conrad, I was just an unwanted dish. 

“Are you going to marry her or not?” Jefferson pressed on.” 

Conrad glanced at him, saying, “You’re so curious about the answer. Got your sights on Felicia, too? How about I give her to you?” 

I felt like I was nothing more than an insignificant object, passed around after ten years together. 

Even a pet would be treated with more love. It was clear I meant nothing to Conrad. Yet, he was my everything for the last ten years. His words wounded me deeply, a bitter taste rising in my throat 

Looking down at the ID, I bit my lip hard. 

“Huh, Jefferson scoffed, “What are you saying? She’s your wife. I’m not an asshole.” 

Conrad extinguished his cigarette and stood up from the sofa. “Get out. You’ve been nothing but a nuisance since you arrived.“8 

“It’s not me who’s bothering you, but Felicia. If you have no feelings for her, it’s better to break it off and let her find someone who truly appreciates her, Jefferson said, grabbing his coat and heading for the door. 

As he opened it and saw me standing there, his expression froze before he awkwardly rubbed his nose, realizing I had overheard their conversation. 

He forced a smile. “Looking for Conrad? He’s inside.” 

My fingers numbed around the certificate, unable to speak.!! 

Glimpsing what I held, Jefferson’s lips twitched. He leaned in. “Think carefully about what you want.” 

He brushed past me, leaving me standing with the ID heavy in my hands. It took a moment to pull myself together before I pushed the door open and stepped inside