Chapter 1
At the party, my buddies had me cornered.
“So, I heard you’ve been crushing on Ethan
since you were little, even playing house and
wanting to be the wife. You still carrying a
torch for Ethan?”
All eyes snapped to me.
I glanced over to the corner, where Ethan was
pouring himself another drink, seemingly
oblivious.
“I was a kid back then, and I probably caused
“I got over him a long time ago. Besides, I’m
getting married soon.”
I heard the distinct sound of glass shattering.
Ethan stared at his soaked shoes, his eyes
red–rimmed, looking utterly lost.
I could’ve been Ethan’s wife six years ago.
But what Ethan didn’t know was that every
missed chance was carefully orchestrated by
- me.
Because I woke up.
This whole world was a tragedy waiting to
happen.
Ethan was the male lead my sister Serch
Ethan was the male lead, my sister, Sarah,
was the female lead, and I was just some
crazy girl obsessed with love.
Our families were close, like neighbors should
be, and Ethan was three years older than
Sarah and me.
We were kind of like childhood sweethearts.
And Ethan always looked out for me.
I thought he liked me.
Since I was born, whenever I was sad, happy,
or whatever, he was always there.
He’d been a part of my life for twenty–two
years. Falling in love with him felt as natural
as breathing.
Г
I don’t even know when I started liking him.
I remember playing house when we were little.
Ethan said he’d be the dad, Sarah would be
the mom, and I’d be their baby.
I threw a tantrum and broke my little toy
shovel.
I said ** should be the mom, and I was gonna
wear a wedding dress and marry Ethan when I
grew up.
Sarah just laughed and pushed me toward
Ethan. “Okay, okay, you can marry him.”
And Ethan didn’t exactly say no.
He even called me “wife” and put his
く
grandma’s crazy square dancing scarf on my
head like a veil.
I was only five years old.
That little scarf was the start of a seventeen-
year–long daydream.
Then, on Valentine’s Day during my junior
year of college, I was out shopping with my
roommate when I saw Ethan and Sarah
walking together.
Ethan was being all cute, picking a leaf out of
Sarah’s hair.
And he bought her chocolate!
“Ashley, Ethan just got Sarah chocolate! Does
he have a thing for your sister? Does she
<
know you like him?”
That was the day my world fell apart.
People change in an instant, and I felt like no
one cared about me.
Jealousy took root and started to grow.
I couldn’t accept that the guy I’d loved for
years had someone else in his heart.
So, at my graduation party, I drugged Ethan.
I snuck him out early and took him back to
my place.
Ethan couldn’t hold back anymore, and as
soon as we walked in, he dragged me to the
bedroom.
L
He kissed me hard, going from my lips to my
stomach, covering every inch of my skin.
I was excited and terrified.
I wanted to have him, but I also wanted Sarah
to walk in and see the whole mess.
That way, Ethan would *have* to marry me.
But that’s when I woke up.
