Chapter 3

I laughed at myself.

Ethan wouldn't come back. And I wouldn't be stupid enough to wait.

I pulled my coat tighter and walked down the street alone.

If every heartbreak is a slow death, then my heart had already died twice because of Ethan.

The first time was on my twentieth birthday, when he announced to everyone that Naomi was his girlfriend.

I deleted every cozy post about him on my Snapchat, and threw away every gift he had ever given me.

But twenty years of connection are carved deep into your bones.

Even now, the model spaceship he built for me sits on my bookshelf. He once told me he would take me to see the universe.

A custom gown he stayed up all night to buy for me still hangs in my closet.

And the Starlight Initiative on my laptop was a dream we had brainstormed since college. It was the career we swore to build together for the rest of our lives.

He once said, "Chloe, my parents passed away early. I have no family left. I want you to fill the rest of my life."

But later, he said, "Naomi is the only one I owe in this world. Chloe, don't cross the line. You are just my sister."

My twentieth birthday was my first attempt to set myself free.

And this time, it was time for a final goodbye.

As long as tomorrow's Starlight pitch went smoothly and we secured the funding, I could disappear from his life forever.

But the next day, when I stood in the conference room, Ethan was missing.

His phone went unanswered.

I called him again and again, moving from anxiety to complete numbness.

Finally, on the dozens of attempts, the call connected.

"Ethan, where are---"

"Oh, Chloe," Naomi's sleepy voice came through the speaker. "Ethan stayed up with me all night. He is too exhausted and is still asleep. Is there something you need?"

My mind went blank.

Through the speaker, I heard Ethan's muffled, groggy voice.

"Who is it? Is that Chloe?"

"No, babe. Just a telemarketer..."

For the next two hours, I felt like a lone soldier, facing the investors' sharp questions and doubts all by myself.

But Starlight was a dream created by both of us. Without his technical presentation, my explanations sounded hollow and powerless.

In the end, the investors politely declined.

I packed up all the project files alone and left the office.

For a whole week, I locked myself in my room.

I frantically called every investor we knew.

But the response was always the same.

"Miss Miller, we are sorry, but we cannot trust a project where the core team shows such a massive lack of commitment."

Until an investor I was close with finally spilled the truth.

"Chloe, stop wasting your breath. Naomi Vance personally explained everything to us. She said you and Ethan have irreconcilable personal conflicts, which led to this disaster. She said for the sake of the project, she will be taking over."