I was gone from Ethan Parker’s life. For good.
Ethan tore at the smoldering wreckage, his
tailored suit ripped to shreds.
Firefighters tried to restrain him, but he
shoved them back, eyes bloodshot. “My
fiancée’s in there! She was wearing the moon
Г
Ethan crumpled to the ground, still clawing at
the debris.
“Ms. Jones’s ashes are being returned to
Paris to be interred with her mother. You
don’t deserve her,” the man said. It was my
dad’s assistant.
Ethan’s legs buckled. He saw the ring, picked
it up with trembling hands. The one we’d
chosen together.
Inscribed: “Prank 100: I bet you love me.”
My inscription.
He went rigid.
I’d known. All along. And he’d not only hurt.
Ethan crumpled to the ground, still clawing at
the debris.
“Ms. Jones’s ashes are being returned to
Paris to be interred with her mother. You
don’t deserve her,” the man said. It was my
dad’s assistant.
Ethan’s legs buckled. He saw the ring, picked
it up with trembling hands. The one we’d
chosen together.
Inscribed: “Prank 100: I bet you love me.”
My inscription.
He went rigid.
I’d known. All along. And he’d not only hurt
me, he’d let Brittany and his friends trample
<
me, he’d let Brittany and his friends trample
all over me.
He’d fallen for me during his twisted game,
but he’d deluded himself, clinging to his
fantasy of Brittany.
Too cowardly to admit it, too worried about
losing face. He’d thought he was almost at
100, that I was clueless. He could keep up the
charade, play the perfect boyfriend. I was so
hopelessly in love.
He never thought I’d find out, that I was
playing along.
Now, he felt my pain.
Three years. He’d always stood to my left,
close to my heart. Yet galaxies away.
Г
close to my heart. Yet galaxies away.
My career sabotaged, my graduation delayed,
my leg, the baby, the competition… All
because of Brittany’s whims.
He collapsed, sobbing, until he passed out.
At the hospital, Brittany, oblivious, was triumphant. “One hundred pranks! Time to go public, Ethan.”
He stared blankly.
“Winning with a dead girl’s design,” she said, waving a flash drive. “Want to be a presenter
at the awards ceremony, Ethan?”
His face hardened. He slapped her, slammed
her against the window. “We’re not
く
her against the window. “We’re not
happening. Touch her work, and you’ll
celebrate your 25th birthday in jail. It’s over,
Brittany.”
“Are you crazy? She’s dead! Why do you
