I grew up with three boys, the only girl between four powerful families. When my family fell on hard times, my parents tried to arrange a marriage with one of them. But Hunter, the bad boy, sneered at me and said, "No way. I like 'em sweet. She's just one of the guys." Caleb, the golden retriever type, shrugged apologetically: "I only see her as a sister." And Ethan, the valedictorian, said coldly: "She's reckless and stupid. Not wife material." They rejected and belittled me without a second thought, leaving my parents to smile awkwardly through the humiliation. That was the moment I finally gave up. So, I turned to my parents and said, "Mom, Dad... I actually have a boyfriend already." Chapter 1 Hunter sat with one arm draped over the back of his chair, sleeves rolled up, looking effortlessly cool and completely disinterested. He was laughing at something Caleb said. Ethan was scrolling on his phone, the blue light reflecting off his glasses, making him look even colder than usual. They barely listened to my parents' awkward attempts to smooth over the conversation. Until I spoke. The private dining room went dead silent. Hunter and Caleb snapped their heads toward me. Ethan looked up from his phone, his gaze sharp and probing. I ignored them. I turned to my parents, who looked just as shocked. "You should have told me about the arranged marriage sooner. We could have avoided this misunderstanding." "They're right." "We grew up together, but I only see them as brothers. There's nothing romantic between us." My parents hadn't told me this was a matchmaking dinner because they were afraid I wouldn't come. They had carefully chosen Caleb—he was two years younger than me, clingy, and we rarely fought. I didn't know why the other two showed up. I was a little mad at my parents for lying to me, but mostly, I just felt a deep, aching sadness for them. Back when my family was still doing well, my mom once asked me if I liked anyone. I looked away and didn't answer. Mom knew immediately. She smiled and teased, asking if it was one of the "Three Musketeers." I turned bright red and told her to stop. She took that as a yes. But after that, I became careful, burying my feelings so deep that no one, not even them, could guess who I truly loved. Then my dad made some bad investments. Our assets shrank, and the Rivera family started losing its standing. The other three families began to distance themselves. My mom thought that if she didn't push me, my stubborn pride would keep me silent forever. So she took a risk and set up this dinner. She didn't expect the boys who grew up protecting me to reject me so brutally. I was used to their teasing. But seeing the strained smiles on my parents' faces made my heart twist in pain. I couldn't take it anymore. Before my parents could ask about this "boyfriend," I stood up. I looked around the table, my voice cold. "It doesn't look like you guys want to be here anyway." "Since that's the case, let's call it a night." Chapter 2 My parents went to get the car. I was about to follow when someone grabbed my arm. I turned around to see Hunter's annoyed face. He was wearing a white button-down over a black t-shirt, the top buttons undone to reveal two new diamond dermal piercings on his collarbone. Trendy, wild, just like him. He looked down at me, a mocking smile on his lips. "Haven't seen you in a while. Temper getting worse, huh?" "You took a long leave from school. Where'd you find this boyfriend?" "How old is he? Is he hot? Do I know him?" The questions were rapid-fire, aggressive. They sounded like concern. But I knew better. If I told him the truth, he'd just blink those pretty eyes and tell me I wasn't good enough for whoever it was. It happened every time. I reacted instinctively. I yanked my arm away and shouted, "None of your business!" Hunter looked at his empty hand, stunned. His smile dropped. He frowned, looking even more irritated. Caleb poked his head out from behind Hunter. He grinned, showing his sharp canines. "Whoa, why the big reaction?" He used that playful, high-pitched tone he always used to seem harmless. It made people let their guard down. But his words were anything but harmless. "Did you actually find some random guy, Sis?" "Wow. Aren't the three of us enough for you?" His smile deepened. He looked at me and said, deliberately, "What a slut." Caleb loved to joke that they were my "harem." Like I was some queen collecting men. But in our group of four, I was the one constantly trying to fit in. I used to lie to myself. I told myself that their teasing and pranks were just "guy things." They still hung out with me. They still beat up anyone who bullied me. We grew up together. I had to be special to them, right? Until "The Incident" happened. That was when I realized I was just a toy to them. A clown for their amusement when they got bored. I met Caleb's gaze. He was still smiling, waiting for me to get hurt, waiting for a reaction to his insult. I stared at him blankly for a few seconds. Then I turned and walked away. A few steps later, a colder voice called out. "When are you coming back to school?" It was Ethan. I paused but didn't turn around. It was a normal question, so I gave a normal answer. "In a couple of days." I heard Caleb make a loud, annoyed tsk sound. He grumbled loudly, making sure I heard. "Of course. Only the ex gets a response." "But seriously—" "You guys broke up ages ago, Sis. Why are you still treating him differently?" It was ironic. Of the three, Ethan was the most vocal about hating the idea of marrying me. He called me stupid and reckless. But he was the only one I had actually dated. And Ethan was the one who confessed to me. Chapter 3 Unlike the generational wealth of the Sullivan (Hunter), Mitchell (Caleb), and Hayes (Ethan) families, the Riveras were new money. My dad got lucky with a tech boom early on and rode the wave into their social circle. But it was superficial. Behind our backs, people called us tacky hillbillies. They said we didn't belong and would eventually go back to where we came from. When I was little, I wanted to fight the kids who said that. But my dad stopped me. He told me that if we wanted to stay, I had to make friends with "the right people." So I swallowed my pride. I became the tomboy, the loud, happy-go-lucky girl who tagged along with the rich kids. I realized Hunter, Caleb, and Ethan were the kings of the playground, so I stuck to them like glue. From elementary school to college. From being the annoying hanger-on to being accepted as "one of the boys." Even though my dad's initial advice was calculating, over the years, I truly came to love them as my best friends. Then my dad's investments tanked. The stock market crashed. And suddenly, the boys started pulling away. In that silence, I realized that we were never equals. This time, I didn't beg for their attention. I went to class alone. I learned to live without them. Then, I got kidnapped. When a group of guys surrounded me, demanding money, I was confused. I recognized some of them—guys I thought were my friends. I thought it was a prank. I laughed and said, "If you guys are broke, just ask. I can lend you cash." But then they named a price I couldn't possibly pay. And I realized they weren't joking. They took everything valuable I had. They locked me in a warehouse for two days with no water. I heard them arguing nervously about calling my parents versus just selling me to traffickers. I felt a mix of absurdity and terror. It was like watching toddlers play with a loaded gun. Funny because they were amateurs. Terrifying because the gun was real. The humor vanished when they stripped me naked and took photos to "blackmail" my family. I curled into a ball, screaming curses at them, threatening them. But they could see my fear. One of them, a guy named Jordan who used to sit next to me in history class, crouched down. He sighed, smiling as he reached out to touch me. "Bella, forgive me." "I actually really like you. I didn't want to do this..." He screamed before he could finish. I bit his finger. Hard. I clamped down with every ounce of strength I had left, tasting copper, trying to bite the bone in half. The group panicked, rushing forward to pull me off. Just then— The warehouse door creaked open. A beam of sunlight cut through the darkness, blinding me. A tall figure stood in the light. It was Ethan. Chapter 4 After the rescue, I didn't leave the house for weeks. The betrayal, the kidnapping, the violation of those photos... it shattered me. My mind was hanging by a thread. During that dark time, Ethan—the cold, distant genius—stayed by my side. I had never seen him so gentle. It was like he could sense my fragility. He talked to me for hours, distracting me from the memories. I stayed in his private apartment. He handled my leave of absence from school. He kept the news from my parents so they wouldn't worry. He used his connections to "handle" Jordan and his crew. He even managed to keep Hunter and Caleb away, ensuring no one disturbed my recovery. He protected me completely. His maturity and reliability made me open up. I became dependent on him. Finally, I couldn't help it. I asked him, "Why... why are you being so good to me?" I remember that moment perfectly. Ethan was wearing comfortable loungewear, sitting next to me on the carpet. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing pale but strong arms. He spun a pen through his long fingers. He wasn't wearing his glasses. His dark hair fell over his forehead, making him look softer, lazier. He looked at me with a tenderness that made my heart ache. He answered my question with a question. Smiling slightly, he asked, "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" It felt like Cupid's arrow hitting a bullseye. I fell dizzyingly into his rare, intoxicating warmth. I had no reason to say no. With his care, I slowly healed. I became cheerful again. Looking back now, it all feels like a dream. Ethan seemed cold, but he was possessive. While we were dating, he forced Hunter to stop putting his arm around me. He made Caleb watch his mouth. If I was even slightly uncomfortable, he fixed it. I was so happy I thought I was in love with him. I even daydreamed about what kind of wedding dress I'd wear to marry him. But he was faking it. It was all an act. Everything he gave me—was a lie. I will never forget that day. It was the first time I cooked a full meal. My hands were covered in cuts from the knife, and the kitchen was a disaster zone. But I made eighteen dishes. Because Ethan said he wanted a home-cooked meal for his birthday. The doorbell rang. I opened the door, expecting praise. Expecting a hug. Instead, I got laughter. Cruel, hysterical laughter. Caleb was holding his stomach, laughing so hard he couldn't stand straight. Hunter was whistling, filming me with his phone—filming me in a stupid apron, holding a spatula, looking confused and pathetic. And Ethan. He leaned against the doorframe, a faint smile on his lips. He looked like a player who had just won the game and was enjoying the victory screen. "I didn't know our wild Bella had such a domestic side. Hahaha..." "Good thing the bet was only for a month. If you kept this up, Ethan, she'd probably offer to have your babies! Hahaha." "Ha. That was interesting. My turn next?" When Hunter said that, he paused. He looked at me. Then he shrugged and turned away, as if I didn't matter. Smirking, he said, "Oops, she heard. Guess we need a new game for next time."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "389159", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel