One Breakup Served Cold

After finishing the buffalo wings, I casually pick up an iced beer to cut the spice. My stepsister, Zoe Cruz, tries to copy me, fanning her mouth and sticking out her tongue from the heat. But my boyfriend, Luke Nash, snatches the beer away. He pinches her cheek playfully and says, "You just ate all that greasy, spicy food, and now you're chugging ice-cold beer? Are you trying to wreck your stomach?" Then he turns his head and frowns at me with displeasure. "Same goes for you. You know Zoe has zero self-control, so why do you have to drink that right in front of her? Go outside. Come back in after you finish your beer." My grip instantly tightens around the beer bottle. Furious, Zoe wraps her arm around his neck, pretending to strangle him. "Since when do you get to boss me around? Mia, tell Luke off! Luke, I'm older than you! Watch your tongue, or I won't give Mia permission to marry you." Refusing to back down, Luke sticks his hand into her clothes to tickle her. "Mia, you tell a certain someone that if she doesn't listen to me, she'd better not call me crying in the middle of the night complaining about a stomachache again." I watch the two of them fall back into their seats, laughing. All of a sudden, everything just feels pointless. Chapter 1 After I picked up my bag, I turned around and walked out. At the doorway, I was about to finish the last sip of my beer when a hand suddenly reached over. My stepsister, Zoe Cruz, downed it in one gulp and let out a satisfied sigh in my direction. "God, that hits the spot!" My boyfriend, Luke Nash, was so pissed that he lifted her up, threw her over his shoulder, and smacked her hard on the butt. "You just won't listen, huh? I'm definitely teaching you a lesson today!" Flushed with embarrassment and anger, Zoe clutched her skirt and screamed at me, "Mia, keep your boyfriend in check!" Without even sparing me a glance, Luke tossed Zoe into the back seat of his car. He climbed in right after her and locked the doors. "Mia, take a taxi home yourself. I need to teach a certain unruly little wildcat a lesson first." Furious, Zoe pinched him hard. "Who are you calling a wildcat?" She sank her teeth into Luke's neck, threatening him in a muffled voice, "I'll show you that even wildcats have claws." Luke let out a low chuckle and instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist. When he saw me still standing there, he frowned. "What are you still doing here? Get a taxi yourself. Don't worry about Zoe. Once she settles down, I'll take her home." With that, he rolled up the car window right in front of me. I stood there quietly for two seconds, then turned around and walked away fast. A sleek, discreet black car was parked by the curb, and its window rolled down to reveal Grayson Monroe's perpetually cold face. "Get in," he said. I pulled the car door open and climbed into the passenger seat, staring out the window. Grayson started the car. "This is the 12th time I've had to come to pick you up." From the day I introduced Zoe to Luke, I had been left behind 12 times in half a year. The first time, it was pouring rain. Zoe said she had period cramps and needed to lie down. I told Luke I'd sit in the passenger seat, but the moment I got out, the car shot off. I stood in the downpour for three minutes before Luke texted me. "Zoe's really not feeling well, so I'm taking her home first. You're strong and healthy, so you can tough it out." The second time was on our anniversary. I'd booked a reservation at a restaurant, and Luke promised he was on his way, but I ended up waiting alone for four hours. Later, I saw Zoe's Instagram post. "Such a fuss over nothing. It's just a tiny cut from a knife, but he insisted on taking me to the hospital." The third time, we were halfway through a movie date when Zoe texted Luke saying her relationship was over. He abandoned me in the theater instantly, driving like a madman through the city at 110 miles per hour. Not long after, Zoe posted on Instagram saying she had broken up with her boyfriend. The 11th time, I went to the restroom at a highway rest stop and came out to find the parking space empty. I made over 30 calls, but no one answered. I thought they'd been in an accident, so I called the police. When the police brought me back, Zoe and Luke were doubled over laughing. "Just look at her. I told you she'd be scared out of her wits." The neon lights outside the car flickered. Suddenly, I said, "Let's get married." Grayson slammed on the brakes. After a long while, he said huskily, "I'll come pick you up next Monday." Chapter 2 When I got home, I pushed the door open and walked in. The first thing that hit my ears was Zoe's ringing laughter. Luke had her pinned down on the couch and was drawing cat whiskers on her face with her lipstick. Zoe planted a foot against Luke's chest, her nightgown riding all the way up to her thighs. Luke grabbed her ankle and said, "Kick me again and I'm throwing you out." Zoe shrieked when she saw me. "Mia, look! He's touching my leg!" Luke let go, giving the top of her foot a dismissive pat. "Who'd be interested in your stubby little legs anyway?" Zoe sprang up from the couch. "Who are you calling stubby? Measure them right now!" The two of them rolled around the couch in a tangled heap. I stood there watching until they finally sensed the shift in the room and pulled apart. Without a word, I turned around and walked into my bedroom. The moment the door closed, Zoe said in a hushed tone, "Crap. Why isn't Mia saying anything? She's not mad at us, is she?" "Don't mind her. She's having her period." Later that night, Luke showered and climbed into bed next to me. Just as I was drifting off, he suddenly spoke up. "From now on, stop eating junk food in front of Zoe. She has a weak stomach but zero self-control. Every time she sees you eating it, she throws a tantrum and takes it out on me." I opened my eyes. "Do you even remember that I have stomach problems too?" He paused for a second. Then, he rolled over and said indifferently, "Well, it is what it is. Nothing I can do about it." The next day after work, Luke's department and mine had a joint dinner. We had just taken our seats when Zoe showed up. Dressed in a slip dress with a plunging neckline, she unapologetically squeezed herself right next to Luke. "I'm here to mooch a free meal off Mia and Luke," she announced to the table. When reaching for the food, she leaned all the way across Luke, her chest practically brushing against his face. Luke glanced down, his fork hovering mid-air. "You're wearing next to nothing. Aren't you cold?" Zoe tilted her head, looking up at him. "Why don't you give me your jacket then?" Without hesitation, he took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. The male colleagues started jeering. "Oh, Luke, you're so good to Zoe." "Both Zoe and Mia are absolutely beautiful. You're a lucky man, Luke," said another with a chuckle. Zoe pulled the suit jacket tighter around herself. She was smiling so hard that her eyes crinkled. "What can I say? He's completely wrapped around my finger." She then asked Luke, almost offhandedly, if he and I were all lovey-dovey at the office. One of my colleagues said, "Luke keeps work and personal life strictly separate. At the office, he always acts like he doesn't even know Mia." Zoe's smile widened. She reached out and patted Luke on the head. "Good boy." Luke's Adam's apple bobbed. He caught her wrist, pulling her hand down as his voice dropped. "Just wait. I'll show you exactly how good I can be." Zoe's face instantly flushed bright red. She glanced at me instinctively, then pushed him away. "Oh, you and your nonsense," she said. Everyone at the table turned to look at me. I dropped my fork onto the plate with a sharp clatter. Standing up abruptly, I walked away to the restroom. When I came out, I ran right into Zoe. Her face was flushed, and she was clutching her chest. Her halter strap had come loose, and the whole dress was slipping down. Luke stood behind her, taking the two delicate strings and tying them back into a secure bow. "What a hassle," he said, his tone deliberately disdainful. Zoe swatted his arm playfully. Catching sight of me, she immediately grabbed my hand to complain, "Can you believe him? I ask for a tiny favor and he bites my head off. The strap came undone. What was I supposed to do? Just stroll back out there and flash the whole restaurant?" I smiled faintly but said nothing. It was raining by the time the dinner ended. Luke pulled the car around, and Zoe slipped into the passenger seat before I could. I stood stunned for a moment. Luke frowned and said, "Hurry up, or Zoe's going to catch a cold. She's barely wearing anything, after all." Chapter 3 In the car, Zoe suddenly reached over and squeezed Luke's thigh. "Not bad. You've been working out." With a sharp screech of tires, the car swerved violently across the road. My shoulder slammed hard against the door panel, the sudden whiplash making me sick to my stomach. Luke grabbed Zoe's hand and said hoarsely, "Don't touch me." A surge of pure anger hit me. "Focus on the road!" I snapped, but neither of them paid me the slightest attention. Not one to back down, Zoe reached over with her other hand to pinch him again. The two of them went back and forth, causing the car to repeatedly fishtail across the highway lanes. Suddenly, Zoe licked Luke's hand and said tauntingly, "Try stopping me again!" Luke shuddered. The next second, the car shot across the yellow line and collided head-on with an oncoming bus. The impact threw me forward, my forehead smashing violently against the back of the front seat. Blood instantly streamed down my face, blinding my left eye. A high-pitched, deafening ringing filled my ears, followed closely by Luke's terrified roar. "Zoe!" Through a haze of red, I saw Luke running out like a madman with Zoe in his arms. I was trapped in the mangled car for four hours before the fire department finally arrived. They sawed open the door and sent me to the hospital. I needed six stitches in my head. Once they were done, the nurse asked for a family member to sign the paperwork. I called Luke three times. Just as the call was about to go into voicemail, he finally picked up. "Zoe was traumatized. She needs to stay in the hospital for observation today. Whatever it is, we'll talk about it later. Just stop calling me already!" he roared impatiently. The line went dead with a sharp click. The nurse shot me a look of profound pity. I said nothing and signed the form myself. The next day, Luke showed up. His eyes swept over the gauze wrapped around my head, but he looked right through them, completely unfazed. He grabbed my arm and tried to drag me out. "Go tell Zoe you're fine. She's been crying nonstop ever since she heard you needed stitches." The movement pulled at my scalp. Pain shot through me, and everything went dark for a moment. I tried to push him away. "The doctor said I have to stay in bed." He acted like he hadn't heard a thing, his grip not loosening in the slightest. "You need to explain things to Zoe first. She hasn't slept a wink since the accident." With a sudden, forceful yank, he wrenched me completely off the mattress. My feet gave out, and the back of my head struck the floor. The impact felt like a sledgehammer driving straight into my skull, sending a sickening shockwave all the way down my spine to my tailbone. Everything went pitch black. I woke up to find myself surrounded by doctors and nurses. Luke was standing at the very back. The first thing he said was, "Can you stop pretending to faint every single time? You made Zoe cry again." His voice was laced with barely suppressed annoyance. "If you don't want to explain yourself, just say so. What's the point of throwing yourself on the floor?" I slowly sat up. Blood had traveled back up the IV catheter on the back of my hand. "Let's break up." Luke froze for a second, then his voice suddenly shot up an octave. "Can you not make a scene at a time like this? Zoe is still crying and under observation right now." With that, he stormed out and slammed the door heavily behind him. Not long after, the door opened again. Zoe came in, dragging Luke back by the ear. "Mia, are you mad because he saved me and not you?" She kicked him in the shin. "Apologize to Mia! She's your girlfriend, so how could you just abandon her? Swear that from now on, no matter what happens, you'll protect her first!" Chapter 4 A look of helpless indulgence surfaced on Luke's face. He raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. "Sorry, Mia. I promise I'll save you first next time." Then, he immediately turned to Mia and said softly, "Alright, I apologized to Mia. Now will you please go back and lie down? The doctor said you have a mild concussion and need bed rest." Zoe let out a cold snort. "That's more like it. Mia, are you still mad? If you are, I'll make him kneel right now and say sorry ten thousand times." Luke sighed helplessly. "My darling, isn't your head still hurting?" He shot me a warning look, signaling that I'd better quit it. I looked at them and slowly smiled. "No, I'm not mad anymore." Zoe's eyes lit up. "Really?" I nodded with a smile, my voice steady. "Yes, really." She let out a huge sigh of relief and let go of Luke's ear. "Don't worry, Mia. As long as I'm around, Luke will never dare do you wrong." Seven days later, Zoe and I were discharged from the hospital together. As I picked up my suitcase and walked out to the lobby, Luke caught up from behind, reaching out to take the handle from my grip. I sidestepped him smoothly, keeping the bag to myself. "You should go help Zoe," I said evenly. "She's not very strong, whereas I'm used to doing this." Luke froze. It was the first time he had ever heard me say something like this. He studied my calm expression for a long moment, and when he saw no anger in my eyes, his tense shoulders relaxed. "You've finally learned to be sensible." He reached out and patted my head affectionately. "If I'd known a car accident would have this effect, I would've arranged for it to happen earlier." I smirked faintly. He and Zoe had fooled around on the highway, which got me trapped in a mangled car for four hours. While my life was hanging by a thread, he was off to the side, holding a trembling Zoe and softly humming to comfort her. I got six stitches on my head, and my hair would never grow back in that spot. And yet, he said he should have arranged for an accident sooner. "In a couple of days, I'll go to your parent's place to ask for your hand in marriage. It's time we start planning for our wedding, don't you think?" Luke looked down at me with a self-assured expression. "I know you've been dying to marry me for ages, right?" I didn't give him an answer. I simply turned around and walked away. Grayson's car was parked by the curb. After picking me up, we first dropped off my luggage. Then, we headed straight to the city hall. It took us less than 20 minutes to fill out the paperwork, take the registry photos, and get the documents officially stamped. When we walked back outside, the sunlight was blinding. I raised a hand to shield my eyes. Suddenly, a familiar voice shattered the quiet. "Mia?" Luke and Zoe were standing at the bottom of the steps with their IDs in hand. Both of them frowned in unison the moment they spotted me. "I thought we agreed I'll go to your parents' place in a few days to ask for your hand in marriage. What are you doing here? Are you really that desperate to get married?" Luke asked aggressively. Zoe was just about to speak when Grayson stepped out from behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist. Her expression changed instantly. "Mia, what are you doing? How can you act so intimate with another man right in front of Luke?" I scoffed and asked softly, "If him putting an arm around my waist is intimate, then what do you call everything the two of you usually do?" Luke's expression darkened abruptly. "Apologize to Zoe right now." He strode toward me, about to grab my wrist. "Mia, you can throw a tantrum at me all you want, but you shouldn't pick on Zoe. If you can't learn to respect her, then our marriage is off the table for now." I didn't move. Grayson pulled out the marriage certificate. "What's this talk about marriage? Are you seriously thinking of marrying my lawfully wedded wife?" he asked with bewilderment. The moment Luke saw my name and Grayson's name stamped beneath the embossed seal, the color visibly drained from his face.