Chapter 1

"Come on, be honest. Have you ever slept with Keira?"

The guy's deep voice stopped me just as I was about to walk in. Peeking through the crack in the door, I spotted Jace Johnston lounging in a fancy chair, his thin lips pressed together.

"She made a move, but I'm not into her," he said.

"Don't say that. Keira's a real catch around here. Lots of guys are into her," replied Steve Smith, Jace's friend, who knew all about our ten-year history.

Jace frowned. "We just know each other too well, you know?"

When I was fourteen, I was sent to the Johnston residence and met Jace for the first time. Everyone told me he'd be my future husband. Since then, we'd lived together for ten years.

"Exactly. You guys work at the same company, spend the whole day together, then head home to eat at the same table. You probably even know each other's bathroom schedule by now," Steve teased.

He continued, "These days, relationships thrive on mystery and the excitement of wanting what you can't have. That's what keeps things interesting."

Jace stayed silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Steve's words.

"Will you marry her?" Steve's question made my breath catch. Jace's parents wanted us to get married, but he never gave a clear answer, and I never asked him. Steve was asking for me.

Jace stayed quiet.

Steve chuckled. " You don't want to marry her?"

"It's not that."

"So, you do want to marry her, but you're feeling conflicted, huh?" Steve, having grown up with Jace, understood him perfectly.

"Have you heard this saying?" Jace asked with a faint smile.

"What?"

"Some girls are like plain crackers: lacking flavor, but folks still nibble on them." Jace lit a cigarette. The smoke blurred the face I had loved for a decade.

My heart clenched as I thought, 'So, I've become something he found hard to discard but had no taste for.'

"So, are you marrying her or not?" Steve pressed.

Jace glanced at him. "Why are you so interested? Do you have a thing for her too? How about I just hand her over to you?"

His words made me feel like I was something he could give away casually. Even a pet would earn some affection after ten years. But I was nothing to him, while he was everything to me.

His words cut deep, and I felt a lump in my throat. I looked down at the marriage license application form in my hand and bit my lip hard.

Steve chuckled. "What are you talking about? I'd never go after my friend's girl. I'm not that desperate."

Jace stubbed out his cigarette and stood up. "Get lost. You're getting on my nerves."

"It's not me that's bugging you, it's Keira. If you're not really into her, just let her go. Don't waste her time," Steve said, grabbing his coat from the couch and heading for the door.

As Steve opened the door, he saw me standing outside and froze. Then, he rubbed his nose awkwardly, realizing I had overheard their conversation.

He forced a smile. "Looking for Jace? He's inside."

My fingers felt numb as I gripped the form, unable to speak.

Steve glanced at the paper in my hand and moved closer. "Take a moment and really think about what you want." He brushed past me and left.

The form in my hand felt like it weighed a ton. After a moment, I took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and pushed the door open.