Mateo’s face turned pale.

I continued drinking my coffee.

—Did you hear me last night? —he asked again.

—Enough.

My mother looked between us.

—What happened?

Mateo opened his mouth, but I stopped him.

—Nothing that matters anymore.

Then I looked at my mother.

—When can I meet Ethan?

Three people stared at me as if I had announced I was leaving the country.

My father recovered first.

—Tonight.

Apparently, the Fu family had been waiting for exactly that answer.

At seven, Ethan arrived.

No enormous bouquet.

No dramatic entrance.

He wore a dark coat and carried a small box of tea for my father because he’d remembered his favorite variety from years ago.

When he saw me, he paused.

—Hannah.

—Ethan.

He studied my face for two seconds.

Then his eyes moved toward Mateo.

—What happened?

Mateo nearly choked.

—Why are you asking me?

—Because Hannah looks like she’s made an important decision, and you look guilty.

That was Ethan.

Still terrifyingly observant.

Dinner was surprisingly normal.

Nobody mentioned marriage until dessert.

Then Ethan’s mother smiled.

—Perhaps the children should talk privately.

Outside, the garden was cold.

Ethan walked beside me without speaking.

Finally, I stopped.

—You know why our families arranged this meeting.

—Yes.

—And?

He looked at me.

—I agreed to come.

—That’s not an answer.

A faint smile appeared.

—You haven’t changed.

—Neither have you.

—That’s unfortunate. I was hoping I’d improved.

For the first time in twenty-four hours, I almost laughed.

Then he became serious.

—Hannah, I won’t marry someone who doesn’t want me.

I blinked.

—Even if our families agree?

—They’re not the ones getting married.

Simple.

Clear.

Exactly what I needed.

—Then let’s get to know each other.

Ethan’s expression changed slightly.

—Are you sure?

—Yes.

He didn’t celebrate.

Didn’t grab my hand.

Didn’t demand a promise.

He merely nodded.

—Then we’ll start there.

My phone began ringing inside the house.

Mateo appeared at the door.

His expression was complicated.

—Hannah.

—I blocked Sebastian.

—I know.

—He’s calling me now.

I shrugged.

—Then block him too.

Mateo stared.

—He’s outside.

I turned.

Beyond the gate stood Sebastian Gu.

And beside his car was Sofia Yu.

So he really had picked her up.

Even after realizing I’d heard everything.

Sebastian entered the garden the moment Mateo opened the gate.

—Hannah!

Then he saw Ethan.

His steps stopped.

The two men had known each other since adolescence.

They had competed in school rankings.

Sports.

Business competitions.

Even family expectations.

Sebastian hated losing to Ethan.

And now Ethan was standing beside me.

—Why is he here? Sebastian demanded.

Ethan’s expression remained calm.

—I was invited.

Sebastian looked at me.

—Hannah, we need to talk.

—We don’t.

—Yesterday was a misunderstanding.

—You said you were playing with me.

—I was trying to stop them asking questions!

—Then you succeeded.

He stepped forward.

—I didn’t mean it.

I glanced toward Sofia.

—And after realizing you’d hurt me, you still went to pick her up.

Sofia immediately spoke.

—Please don’t misunderstand. Sebastian and I—

—I’m not misunderstanding anything.

I smiled politely.

—Whatever relationship you have is yours.

Sebastian’s face tightened.

—Stop acting like you don’t care.

That sentence almost amused me.

—I’m not acting.

He looked toward Ethan.

Then realization struck.

—What is this?

Nobody answered.

So Sebastian asked again.

—Why is Ethan here?

My mother had followed us outside.

She answered for me.

—The Fu and Lin families are discussing Hannah and Ethan’s marriage.

Sebastian went completely still.

—Marriage?

Ethan calmly corrected her.

—We’re getting to know each other first.

Then he looked at me.

—Hannah decides what happens after that.

Sebastian laughed bitterly.

—You met him today!

—And?

—You’re doing this because of me.

There it was.

The arrogance underneath everything.

Even my leaving had to revolve around him.

—Sebastian, you called our relationship a game.

My voice stayed calm.

—Games end.

Then I turned toward Ethan.

—Can you take me somewhere?

—Of course.

Sebastian grabbed my wrist.

Ethan moved immediately, but I was faster.

I pulled myself free.

—Don’t touch me.

Sebastian froze.

Ethan didn’t threaten him.

He simply stepped between us.

—She said no.

Four words.

Nothing more.

Yet Sebastian released his hand completely.

That night, Ethan took me to a quiet restaurant.

He didn’t ask about Sebastian until I told him myself.

When I finished, he remained silent for a moment.

—So I’m the rebound.

I stared at him.

Then he smiled.

—I’m joking.

—That’s not funny.

—A little.

I kicked him lightly beneath the table.

He laughed.

Then his expression softened.

—Don’t marry me to punish him.

—I won’t.

—And don’t choose me because our parents think I’m suitable.

—I won’t.

—Choose me only if someday you actually want to.

I looked at him.

For some reason, that frightened me more than an arranged marriage.

Because Ethan wasn’t offering me a transaction.

He was offering me a choice.

So we didn’t get engaged immediately.

We dated.

Slowly.

Three months became six.

Six became twelve.

Sebastian tried to contact me repeatedly at first.

Flowers arrived.

I returned them.

Gifts arrived.

I returned those too.

He apologized through Mateo.

I refused meetings.

Eventually, Mateo told him:

—She heard you clearly that night. Stop acting like her understanding you is the problem.

Sofia didn’t become Sebastian’s girlfriend.

That surprised everyone except me.

Later I learned she’d realized almost immediately that Sebastian had gone to the airport because he was clinging to an old memory, not because he truly knew who she had become.

They remained acquaintances.

Nothing more.

Meanwhile, Ethan never competed with Sebastian.

That might have bothered Sebastian most.

When someone mentioned that Sebastian had bought a new sports car, Ethan didn’t care.

When Sebastian’s company won an industry award, Ethan congratulated him.

When someone joked that Ethan had finally stolen something Sebastian wanted, Ethan’s face turned cold.

—Hannah isn’t something anyone can steal.

That was the moment I knew.

Not because Ethan had defeated Sebastian.

But because he had never considered me a prize in their competition.

A year and four months after our first dinner, Ethan took me back to my parents’ garden.

The same place Sebastian had demanded to know why Ethan was there.

Ethan handed me a small velvet box.

—Our families already discussed marriage long ago.

I smiled.

—Very romantic.

—I’m getting there.

He opened it.

Inside was a simple ring.

—This time, I’m asking without them.

He looked directly at me.

—Hannah Lin, do you want to marry me?

No family agreement.

No business interests.

No Sebastian.

Just us.

I held out my hand.

—Yes.

Our wedding took place the following spring.

Sebastian attended.

Mateo had asked whether I wanted him excluded.

I said no.

By then, I didn’t need to avoid him.

Before the ceremony, I found Sebastian alone near the garden entrance.

He looked at my wedding dress.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then he smiled sadly.

—So you really chose him.

I nodded.

—Yes.

—Because he’s better than me?

I shook my head.

Even now, he was asking the wrong question.

—Because with him, I never have to wonder whether I’m being loved or played with.

Sebastian looked away.

After a moment, he said:

—I did love you.

—I believe you.

His eyes snapped back toward me.

I continued gently:

—But loving someone doesn’t erase how you treated them.

His expression broke slightly.

—I thought you’d always give me another chance.

—I know.

That had been the problem.

Someone called my name from inside.

Ethan.

I turned toward the sound.

Sebastian spoke one final time.

—Hannah.

I looked back.

—I’m sorry.

This time there was no excuse afterward.

No “but.”

No explanation.

Just an apology.

So I gave him the only thing I still had left to give.

—I forgive you.

Then I walked away.

Ethan was waiting at the end of the aisle.

Mateo stood beside him.

My parents were crying.

And when Ethan saw me, his usually composed expression completely disappeared.

I laughed.

—Are you crying?

—Absolutely not.

—Your eyes are red.

—Allergies.

—In winter?

—Extremely aggressive winter pollen.

I laughed harder.

He took my hand.

Years earlier, I had secretly loved Sebastian for eighteen months.

I thought secrecy made our relationship special.

I thought waiting made me loyal.

I thought his jealousy meant devotion.

Then one night, outside a hotel room, I heard him reduce everything between us to a game.

At first, I thought that sentence had destroyed my love story.

Years later, I understood it had simply revealed what kind of story I was actually living.

Ethan didn’t win me because he had always outperformed Sebastian.

He didn’t win because our families preferred him.

And I didn’t marry him to punish the man who hurt me.

There had never been a competition.

Sebastian taught me what it felt like to be someone’s secret.

Ethan taught me what it felt like to be someone’s choice.

And eventually, I learned the most important lesson of all:

I was allowed to choose too.