My Fiancé Said I Looked Lonely So He Found Me a ‘Friend’ to Share Him Chapter 01

My Fiancé Said I Looked Lonely So He Found Me a ‘Friend’ to Share Him Chapter 01

After it was over, Ethan Sterling gently wiped the sweat from my forehead and chuckled.

“Babe, don’t you get bored waiting for me at home alone every day?”

“Maybe I should find another girlfriend.”

“She could wait for me with you, and then you wouldn’t be so bored.”

I thought Ethan was joking, so I didn’t take it seriously.

But the next day, he walked through the front door with a young woman beside him.

I stood frozen in the middle of the living room as cold slowly spread through my entire body.

“You’re serious?”

Ethan acted as though he couldn’t see the shock and humiliation on my face.

He casually introduced the girl beside him.

“Her name is Mira Cline.”

“She’ll be living with us from now on.”

“You two should get along.”

My heart felt like it had been ripped open.

It took me a long moment to find my voice.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“We’re getting married next month.”

The second the words left my mouth, Mira let out a mocking laugh.

“Babe, you lost the bet.”

Ethan ruffled her hair affectionately.

“Fine.”

“A bet’s a bet.”

“Tonight, you call the shots.”

…

I didn’t fully understand what had just happened until Mira’s footsteps faded upstairs.

Ethan smiled at me.

“I thought you’d scream when you found out.”

“But Mira was sure you’d just ask why.”

“I can’t believe she guessed right.”

He sounded amused.

“Looks like the two of you think alike.”

“You’ll probably get along just fine.”

I took a deep breath and fought back the tears burning behind my eyes.

Then I asked again.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

The moment I said it, I regretted it.

Begging for an answer from a man who had already changed his mind only made me look more pathetic.

Ethan reached out and played with the ends of my hair, just like he always did.

His voice was gentle.

His words were cruel as hell.

“Vivian, the wedding is still happening.”

“I swore you’d be the only woman I ever married.”

“But…”

He paused.

A flicker of guilt crossed his face, then disappeared just as quickly.

“No man can resist someone young, beautiful, and exciting.”

“I’m no exception.”

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

The tears finally fell.

Ethan brushed them away with his thumb.

“Why are you crying?”

“Why waste your tears over a little fun?”

“Vivian, relax.”

“You’re the one I’ll always love.”

Then he looked upstairs, where Mira was busy unpacking.

His eyes were full of tenderness.

“Oh, right.”

“I can’t stay with you tonight.”

“It’s your fault I lost the bet.”

“Mira’s going to wear me out.”

He couldn’t hide the excitement on his face.

I squeezed my eyes shut against the sharp pain spreading through my chest.

Then Ethan turned back as though he’d just remembered something.

“Mira gets pretty loud.”

“You should wear earplugs tonight.”

“Otherwise, she might keep you awake.”

Right on cue, Mira leaned over the upstairs railing and called down playfully.

“Isn’t that your fault?”

“You always leave me sore.”

Ethan smiled indulgently.

“Fine.”

“My fault.”

They flirted right in front of me.

In my own damn house.

I felt like the punchline in their private joke.

I fled to my bedroom and locked the door.

Then I cried until I could barely breathe.

Ethan hadn’t lied.

That night, Mira’s voice echoed through the house, one wave after another.

I shoved the earplugs as deep into my ears as they would go.

They didn’t help.

My tears soaked the pillow.

After an hour, I finally broke.

I opened the bedroom door, desperate to get out of the villa and clear my head.

Then I froze.

In less than half a day, Mira’s things had taken over the home Ethan and I had built together.

Her plush toys covered the sofa.

Her scented candles crowded the coffee table.

Pink decorations filled the entryway.

Even the largest wall in the living room now displayed a huge portrait of Mira smiling brightly.

Then I saw something in the trash can by the front door.

My favorite wind chime.

I suddenly remembered the message Ethan had sent that afternoon while I was lying down with a splitting headache.

[Vivian, Mira said the wind chime by the door was too noisy, so she threw it away.]

[Don’t hold it against her.]

But Ethan seemed to have forgotten where that wind chime came from.

He had made it for me during our first trip to Sedona.

We found a small artisan workshop, and he spent an entire afternoon making it by hand.

He even carved a message into the wood.

[May Vivian Hale always be safe and happy.]

I picked up the broken wind chime and laughed through my tears.

Then I sent Ethan a message.

[We’re done.]

[The wedding is off.]