Chapter 1

My Fiancé's Best Friend is a Snake in Disguise

I caught my boyfriend applying sunscreen to his childhood best friend.

So, I turned around and asked *her* boyfriend to apply sunscreen for *me*.

My boyfriend, Julian, glared at me, his face twisted with anger.

"Riley Hayes, how could you be so disgusting? Letting another guy put sunscreen on you? Don't you know there should be boundaries between men and women?"

I looked at him, completely innocent.

"Oh, so *you* know about boundaries between men and women?"

"I was just wondering if every guy, when applying sunscreen for a girl, makes sure to rub it all over her chest too?"

"Guess there are still some decent men in the world after all."

*Slap!*

Julian's hand slammed across my face, his eyes blazing with a fury that threatened to consume me whole.

"Riley, Chloe is my best friend. I've never seen her as a woman."

"Asher is *her* boyfriend. How could you be so trashy? Asking him to put sunscreen on you?"

"Do you have no shame? You're absolutely sickening."

My left cheek burned, and my chest felt like it was crushed under a giant rock, making it hard to breathe.

Julian's words were like knives, stabbing into my heart, one by one.

In his eyes, my asking Asher for sunscreen was "trashy" and "sickening."

But *his* applying sunscreen to his female best friend? That was perfectly fine, completely normal.

Even if it meant touching her most private areas, there was nothing wrong with it.

Chloe pretended not to care, but her eyes still welled up.

"It's fine, Julian. I know Riley hates me. It's my fault, I apologize."

"I thought everyone understood Julian and I. We've been close since we were kids. This isn't the first time he's helped me with sunscreen, but Riley, don't worry, I won't ask him again."

Chloe turned her head, wiped a tear, and forced a strained smile.

Julian gently comforted her, but Chloe pushed him away.

"Don't let Riley misunderstand again. She probably thinks we're hooking up just because he put some sunscreen on me."

"If this keeps up, if you two ever divorce, she'll probably blame me for it, right?"

"I can't possibly bear that guilt."

"Riley, but I still have to say, if Julian and I were *really* going to be together, we would have been ages ago. There'd be no room for you."

"He might be a good man to you, but to me, he's no different from any other guy."

Then, she looked at Asher, understanding written all over her face.

"Asher, don't worry, I won't blame you. I understand."

The way she said it made me seem like the unreasonable one.

Chloe ran off, her eyes red.

Julian glared at me, coldly.

"Riley, are you satisfied now?"

"Coming out with someone like you is just a buzzkill."

"Always suspecting this, suspecting that. Do you question every single woman I'm around?"

"Look at Chloe. Does she ever question Asher? No."

"It's just you, always nitpicking and causing drama. You're so petty, your mind is tiny."

Looking at the disappointment and disgust in his eyes, I suddenly felt a wave of helplessness.

There was no point anymore. He would never take my side.

Being with him was just too exhausting.

"Julian, let's break up."

Julian's eyes widened, shocked and furious.

"Do you know what you're saying? We're getting married! And you're telling me you want to break up? You're insane!"

I closed my eyes, my voice chillingly calm.

"I'm not insane, Julian. I should have broken up with you a long time ago: when you faked an illness to manipulate me into caring for you so Chloe could win the piano competition; when you shoved me into a freezing pool during my period just to make Chloe happy; when you hung up on my desperate call for help because you were watching a movie with her."

"I was too indecisive, always convincing myself you'd change, time after time."

"I was too arrogant. Now I realize my mistake, and I'm fixing it. So, let's break up."