Chapter 1

I must have a strange connection with my distant relatives. It turned out that the new place we planned to live in after the wedding was in the same complex as theirs. It was even on the same floor and had the same apartment number. I wondered if I had mistaken the building.

I secretly sent a message to my girlfriend, Elsa Smith, venting about this bizarre coincidence.

Just after I hit send, my distant cousin, Leo Quinn, came out of the bedroom with his soon-to-be bride. The relatives cheered in support, and the bride shyly covered her face. Only I stood there in shock.

It was not until my mother elbowed me and said in frustration, "Look at Leo. He's about to get married. And you? Always talking about bringing your 'imaginary' girlfriend home. When are you going to let me meet a real one?"

I silently remarked, "Mom, you've already met her. The woman standing shyly beside another man is my girlfriend, Elsa."

But I did not dare say it aloud, fearing my mom would have a heart attack on the spot.

When I entered the complex earlier, I marveled at how fate seemed to link me with this distant cousin, even choosing our new homes in the same complex. But as we walked closer, I realized it was not just the same building or the same floor. It was the exact same apartment.

I had the keys to that apartment safely tucked away in my home. There was no way the keys could have gotten out. So, I just assumed I had mistaken the building.

But when Elsa stepped out, everything became clear. This kind of betrayal could only be an inside job. We never guarded ourselves against the people we loved. But that also made it easier for them to stab us in our most vulnerable places.

Now, under the adoring gaze of the relatives, Elsa and Leo shone like a perfect couple. His hand rested affectionately on her waist. She, finding the embrace not intimate enough, pulled his hand even closer.

The scene played out in slow motion before me, every detail magnified. A wave of bitterness and anger surged through me, threatening to drown me. I wanted to leave, but all I could hear were the relatives' blessings.

"Leo is so lucky to have found such a beautiful wife. May they have a long and happy marriage."

"They make such a perfect couple. I heard they've been together since college. I even saw their photos. They're just too sweet together."

Those words rooted me to the spot. I suddenly remembered that Elsa had a boyfriend in college with the last name, Quinn. Her friends used to tease her about how passionate and unforgettable their love was.

It turned out their love was so unforgettable that it had continued to this day, never fully severed. And I had been the fool, playing the part of a clown.

As Elsa and Leo greeted the relatives one by one, they finally made their way to where I stood. When she saw me, a flicker of surprise and guilt flashed in her eyes. However, she quickly masked it with a bright smile, acting every bit the blushing bride-to-be.

She pretended not to know me and started talking to others, but then she grabbed my mom's hand, saying, "Thank you. Please, enjoy yourself today."

My mom was unaware that she was my girlfriend. She warmly congratulated Elsa with genuine blessings and envy. "Oh, you're such a lucky girl. Leo is quite something, even getting the new home ready so well."

Elsa did not recognize my mom either, assuming she was Leo's relative. She even boasted, "This apartment was bought by my hubby, paid in full as a gift for me."

"Oh my, oh my, how sweet you two are! You're already calling him 'hubby,'" my mom teased, not forgetting to nudge me again.

She was silently urging me to learn from them. "Look at them. They've even bought an apartment."

"But Mom, the one who bought that apartment in full is your son," I thought to myself.