I stared at Gabriel beside the airport car.

—Your what?

—My fiancée.

He said it with the same calm tone someone might use to announce the weather.

I looked behind him.

Then around the parking area.

—Where is she?

Gabriel’s eyebrow lifted.

—Standing in front of me.

My suitcase almost slipped from my hand.

—Gabriel, I think your fever damaged something permanently.

He took my suitcase before I could stop him.

—Get in.

—No.

—Emma.

—You cannot disappear from someone’s life for four months and then appear at an airport calling her your fiancée.

His expression barely changed.

—I’m not the one who disappeared.

That shut me up.

He placed my suitcase in the trunk.

I climbed into the passenger seat mostly because arguing with Gabriel Gu in public had never ended well for anyone.

The moment the door closed, I turned toward him.

—Luna told me you’re engaged.

—I am.

—Wonderful. Congratulations.

—Thank you.

I narrowed my eyes.

—To whom?

Gabriel looked at me.

—We’ve already established this.

I nearly choked.

—We absolutely have not.

He started the car.

—My family asked whether there was someone I intended to marry.

I said yes.

—Without asking her?

—She was unavailable.

—I was in Sri Lanka!

—Exactly.

I stared at him.

—That’s not unavailable. That’s escaping.

—Finally, something we agree on.

I wanted to scream.

Instead, I pulled out my phone.

—I’m calling Luna.

Gabriel said nothing.

She answered immediately.

—EMMA! You’re back!

—Your brother has lost his mind.

Silence.

Then:

—Oh.

That single syllable told me everything.

—Luna.

—Before you get angry—

—Who is Gabriel’s fiancée?

Another silence.

—Technically?

I closed my eyes.

—Luna.

—You.

I hung up.

Gabriel looked suspiciously satisfied.

—You involved my best friend in this?

—She involved herself.

—Why didn’t she tell me?

—Because I asked her not to.

I turned slowly.

—Why?

For the first time, his expression became serious.

—Because every time my name appeared on your phone, you disappeared.

That was unfortunately true.

For four months, I had treated Gabriel Gu like an international arrest warrant.

I changed hotels twice.

Ignored his messages.

Extended my trip.

Once, when Luna casually mentioned that Gabriel might travel to Colombo for business, I spent three days on a tiny coastal island.

I had considered myself clever.

Apparently Gabriel had simply been watching me panic from another continent.

—I needed time.

—Four months?

—I was confused.

—About what?

I looked out the window.

—Everything.

His voice softened.

—Emma, look at me.

I didn’t.

—That night wasn’t a mistake to me.

My heart stumbled.

—You were sick.

—We’ve discussed this.

—I shouldn’t have stayed.

—Why?

Because I had liked him for years.

Because every time he appeared behind Luna, cold and impossible and irritatingly handsome, my brain forgot how normal people behaved.

Because I had convinced myself that someone like Gabriel would never look twice at someone like me.

I said none of it.

Instead I muttered:

—You’re Luna’s brother.

—An unfortunate condition I cannot medically correct.

I turned toward him despite myself.

Was that a joke?

Gabriel Gu made jokes?

The world really had changed while I was abroad.

When we arrived at the Gu residence, I immediately noticed decorations being carried into the main hall.

Flowers.

Gift boxes.

An enormous arrangement near the staircase.

My stomach tightened.

—The engagement party.

—Tomorrow.

—And everyone thinks I’m the bride?

—Most people.

—Most?

Gabriel removed his coat.

—My grandmother thinks you’re going to reject me.

—I like your grandmother.

—I know. She’s betting against me.

Despite myself, I laughed.

Gabriel stopped.

He looked at me strangely.

The laughter died in my throat.

—What?

—Nothing.

But his expression said otherwise.

Before I could question him, Luna came running downstairs.

She threw her arms around me.

—Traitor!

I pushed her away.

—You knew!

—Of course I knew.

—You told me your brother had a girlfriend!

—He does.

She pointed at me.

I stared at her.

—We are no longer friends.

—You say that every month.

Then Luna lowered her voice.

—Emma, he was unbearable after you left.

Gabriel gave her a warning look.

She ignored him.

—He went to the airport that morning.

My smile disappeared.

—What?

—I woke Nathan up and found out what happened.

By then your flight had already left.

Gabriel drove there anyway.

I looked at him.

He turned away.

Luna continued:

—He called you seventeen times.

He contacted the airline.

Then he came home looking like he wanted to fire the entire planet.

—Luna.

Gabriel’s voice sharpened.

—What?

She crossed her arms.

—You scared her for years by acting like an emotionless refrigerator.

This is your fault.

Then she looked at me.

—And you.

Flying across an ocean instead of having one conversation?

Also ridiculous.

She walked away.

For once, Gabriel and I had nothing to say.

That evening, I found something outside the guest room.

A box.

Inside was a new phone.

Underneath it were printouts of every message Gabriel had sent after I fled.

None had been threatening.

None had demanded anything.

The first said:

“We need to talk when you’re ready.”

Another, two weeks later:

“I won’t come after you if that makes you uncomfortable.”

Then:

“Luna says you’re safe. That’s enough for now.”

And finally, sent almost three months later:

“When you come back, I want to ask you something properly.”

I sat on the bed.

So much for the terrifying chase I had invented in my head.

There was a knock.

Gabriel stood outside.

—I didn’t put that there.

—Luna?

—Obviously.

I handed him the papers.

—You really didn’t chase me.

—I wanted to.

—Why didn’t you?

His answer came immediately.

—Because you ran from me.

Something in my chest tightened.

Gabriel stepped inside but remained near the door.

—Emma, I need to correct something.

—The engagement?

—Yes.

Finally.

I crossed my arms.

—Good.

He reached into his pocket.

My breath caught when I saw the small velvet box.

But he didn’t open it.

—There is no engagement unless you agree.

I blinked.

—But the party—

—Can become my grandmother’s birthday party within twenty minutes.

—Her birthday isn’t tomorrow.

—She won’t care.

I almost laughed again.

Gabriel continued:

—I told my family there was someone I wanted to marry.

They assumed the rest.

I allowed the rumor because I hoped you’d come back and finally speak to me.

—That’s manipulative.

—A little.

At least he admitted it.

—And if I say no?

—I drive you home.

—That’s it?

—That’s it.

The frightening Gabriel Gu suddenly looked less frightening than I had ever seen him.

Not because he had changed.

Because for the first time, he was allowing me to see uncertainty.

—Why me? I asked.

His fingers tightened around the box.

—Do you remember your twentieth birthday?

I frowned.

—You barely spoke to me.

—I left because you told Luna you liked someone.

I stared at him.

—That someone was you.

Gabriel went completely still.

For perhaps the first time in his life, Gabriel Gu had no response.

Then my phone rang.

Luna.

I answered.

Her voice exploded through the speaker.

—Emma, don’t agree to anything yet!

Gabriel frowned.

—Why?

Luna sounded breathless.

—Because Nathan found something while preparing the guest list.

Something about the woman our families think Gabriel is supposed to marry.

I looked at Gabriel.

His expression turned cold.

—What woman?

Luna hesitated.

—That’s the problem.

According to Grandpa’s old agreement, Gabriel was promised to someone twenty-two years ago.

My stomach dropped.

Gabriel’s jaw tightened.

—Who?

There was a rustle of papers.

Then Luna whispered:

—Emma.

My heart stopped.

—The agreement has your mother’s signature on it.

And suddenly the engagement Gabriel thought he had invented didn’t look invented at all.