He Faked a Lottery to Choose Her—Until I Changed the Game Chapter 04

The next evening, I came downstairs with my bags packed.

That’s when the cake showed up. The one Grant had ordered.

The delivery guy snapped his photo, then noticed my suitcase.

“Are you going somewhere?”

He grinned. “Your boyfriend left a note on the ticket. Said it was for his girl. That’s sweet, honestly. Happy birthday.”

His girl.

The person he actually cared about was in Harborwick.

This cake wasn’t love. It was guilt with frosting on it.

I called the delivery guy back.

I held the box out to him.

“Take it. It’s yours. I don’t eat cake.”

He froze.

He shook his head. “No, I can’t. That’s your birthday cake.”

“Really. Take it.”

He looked at me, then at the box, and took it. “Thanks.”

After he left, I went back upstairs for the last bag.

Everything I cared to keep fit into one suitcase and a carry-on.

Five and a half years. That’s what it came down to.

My mom’s face when she saw me at the door.

“Laurie? What… why didn’t you call first?”

Then she saw the suitcase. Her face changed. “Honey, what’s going on…”

“Mom, Grant and I broke up.”

I barely got the words out.

She took the suitcase from my hand without a word. Then she looked at me.

“That’s okay, sweetheart. It’s your birthday. Let’s not be sad today, all right?”

My throat closed up.

“Okay.”

I was already upstairs when Grant finally remembered I existed.

[Happy birthday, Laurel.]

Then he sent me $1,000.

I looked at the number. Celia got $1,430 and $3,650, numbers that meant something. I got a round number and an afterthought.

Next to Celia, I’d never even come close.

Then a voice message came through.

[So, Cece’s dad isn’t doing well. He told Cece he wants to see her settled before… you know. So I kind of… proposed.] A pause. [It’s not real, though. Cece knows that.]

I froze.

It took me a second. Then I laughed.

“Okay. Congratulations.”

My phone rang a second later. Grant.

Neither of us spoke. Then he did.

“Her dad just wants peace of mind. You know how fragile Cece’s health is. He’s terrified of leaving her alone. This was for him, not for us.”

“I told Cece straight up that it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Grant. Are you hearing yourself right now?”

“I’ll explain everything when I get back.”

In the background, Celia’s voice. “Grant, they’re all waiting. Come on.”

“Coming,” he called back. Then the line went dead.

Thirty minutes later. Another post.

One photo.

Grant, down on one knee. Celia’s hands over her mouth.

No caption.

I liked it. Then I closed the app.

Downstairs, my mom had a cake waiting.

She smiled when I came down.

“Laurie, come make a wish.”

My dad was already pressing candles into the frosting.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Get over here.”

I blinked hard. Smiled.

“I’m coming.”

The lights went off. My parents sang.

I closed my eyes and made a wish.

I wished for Grant to be out of my life for good.

Then I opened my eyes and blew out the candles.

…

Grant came back three days later.

He brought Celia with him.

He’d just proposed. He couldn’t exactly leave her behind.

“Are you sure about this? If Laurel’s there and she sees me…” Celia’s voice trailed off. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

He’d texted Laurel before they boarded.

They were almost home, and she still hadn’t replied.

The elevator opened with a chime.

Grant didn’t answer until the doors opened. “I already talked to her about it. You’re just staying a few days.”

“She’ll be fine with it,” he added.

Celia hooked her arm through his and stepped out, her shoulders relaxing.

“Okay. But if she’s uncomfortable, promise me you won’t fight with her over it. I’d feel awful.”

Grant smiled. “Don’t worry.”

The apartment was dark when they walked in. Laurel wasn’t home.

“Maybe she went out,” he said.

By ten, she still wasn’t back.

He sent her a message.

That’s when he saw it. She’d blocked him.