The knock came again, softer this time.
"Sophia, it's Chloe. Please, for my sake, come out and have some lunch with us."
My parents had always taught me to be polite to guests.

I sighed and opened the door.
At the table, Ethan was silent, but he was piling food onto Chloe's plate. Soon, it was like a small mountain.
"Ethan, darling, Sophia is right here," Chloe cooed.
"She's already upset about last night. You're going to make her even more jealous."
Ethan shot me a cold look.
"What's there to be jealous about? You're the one I'm going to marry. I see her only as a sister, just like Jake does."

I said nothing, forcing down mouthfuls of rice that tasted like ash.
My brother opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, sighing.
A bit of food was left on the corner of Chloe's lips.
Ethan reached over to wipe it away, but she stopped him with a playful smile.

"No, silly. I want you to kiss it off."
She leaned in, offering her lips.
Ethan hesitated for a second, then smiled and leaned in to kiss her.
Chloe turned to me, her eyes glinting with triumph.
"Don't mind us, Sophia. Ethan's had a taste of it now, you know. You're still single, but you'll understand when you get a boyfriend."
The meal was torture.
I put down my fork. "I'm full. You two enjoy your meal."
After lunch, my brother finally exploded.
"You idiot! You had the perfect opportunity last night! Why did you just hand him over to that witch?"
"Ethan might be blind to her games, but I'm not! That whole display at the table was just to spite you! I told you two had feelings for each other…"
"Jake, stop," I interrupted. "Don't say things like that anymore."
He stared at me, bewildered.
I smiled.
"I don't love Ethan anymore. Brother, can you set me up on a date?"
My brother was my protector. After making sure I wasn't joking, he let out a long sigh of relief.
"Finally, little sis! You finally see the light! I told you not to waste your life on one guy. Ethan's a great catch, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea."
"I'll call Daniel right away. You know, the one you turned down last year? His family's company is way bigger than the Ethan's, he's handsome, and just like you, he's never been in a serious relationship. Just meet him up. You might actually like him."
I dutifully added Daniel's instagram.
I had thought letting go of Ethan would be agony, but now, it was just… quiet.
This time, I could change everything.
"Ethan, darling, can you help me take my suitcase up to your room?"
Chloe's voice chirped from the hallway.
She turned to me.
"Sophia, Ethan's villa isn't ready yet, and he wants me around all the time, so I'll be staying here for a few days. You won't mind, do you?"
"Of course not," I said, shaking my head.
I watched Ethan haul her luggage, a bitter smile on my face.
In my past life, after our one-night stand, Ethan had sent Chloe abroad under the guise of "furthering her studies" to keep her from being hurt.
After our rushed wedding, he had joined her, leaving me to give birth to our daughter, Olivia, alone.
I had waited and waited, only for him to return holding Chloe's hand.
His eyes, when they looked at me then, were always cold.
Not like now, when they looked at Chloe with such warmth.
I turned to leave and bumped into something hard.
Chloe, who had been carrying a basin of water, let out a startled cry as it splashed all over her.
"Chloe!" Ethan's head snapped up.
He rushed over, pulling her into his arms and glaring at me.
Chloe sobbed against his chest.
"Sophia, if you didn't want me to stay, you could have just said so. This dress was a gift from Ethan. It was very expensive, and I cherished it. Why did you have to ruin it on purpose?"
"I didn't! It was an accident…" I stammered.
"Enough!" Ethan's voice was sharp.
"Sophia, I told you to stop your boring games. If you don't want Chloe here, we'll move out the day after tomorrow."
He didn't give me a chance to explain, just swept Chloe up in his arms to go change.
As he carried her away, she hooked her arm around his neck and shot me a victorious smirk.