The four years Natalie Monroe spent with Maxwell Sterling had been the happiest stretch of her entire life.

But after they broke up…

She cried for five whole years.

Not every single day, of course. But the moment his name drifted into her mind, it felt like a drizzle quietly soaked into her chest—cold, heavy, impossible to shake off. Her eyes would sting before she even noticed.

She never thought she’d run into Maxwell again. Not in this lifetime.

Yet here she was, stepping into one of Xavier Bennett’s lively private dinner gatherings.

The second she walked into the buzzing room, her gaze landed—like it had been guided—on a profile she knew by heart.

Her heart slammed violently in her chest, so loud it drowned out the noise around her. A shockwave rolled through her, leaving her frozen in place.

Everything else faded.

Only Maxwell remained in her sight.

White shirt, black trousers, tall frame, effortlessly sharp. He had that quiet, cool elegance he was born with, and even just his side profile looked so breathtakingly perfect it almost hurt to look at.

He was lowering his head, checking his phone.

Her mind betrayed her instantly—overlaying the man in front of her with the boy he used to be. That bright, energetic, goofy boy who used to hug her from behind, warm laughter brushing her ear as he whispered, “Ningning, kiss me.”

But that wasn’t yesterday.

It had been five long years.

It felt like another lifetime.

Her fingertips trembled, the ache spreading fast and sharp. Her eyes suddenly burned. She had no strength left to face him. All she wanted—instinctively—was to run.

She hesitated for half a second before panic took over and she turned to slip out.

“Natalie Monroe…” Xavier called out, his voice slicing through the noise. “You just got here. Where’re you going?”

Natalie froze mid‑step, her hand stiff on the door handle.

Inside the room, almost everyone had turned to stare at her.

Maxwell Sterling was the only one whose thumb suddenly froze mid‑scroll. He just stopped there, no reaction, like someone had hit pause on him.

Natalie Monroe let out a long, shaky breath. Her chest felt tight, almost suffocating.

Running into your first love again… yeah, that kind of awkward hits straight to the bone.

And considering how ugly their breakup had been, it was even worse.

“Come on in, Helena will be here any minute,” Xavier Bennett urged.

Helena Sinclair was her childhood friend, basically a sister. She’d gone on a blind date last month, and she and Xavier had fallen for each other at first sight, then instantly got together. Their burning, over‑the‑top romance moved so fast that their wedding was already set for mid‑next month.

Tonight’s dinner was for both sides to bring their best friends together, let everyone get familiar, smooth things out, and discuss the wedding program.

According to Helena’s grand plan, the bridesmaids and groomsmen were going to dance, and the bride and groom would sing a love song on stage.

If they weren’t all insanely close, nobody would willingly go up there to embarrass themselves.

After giving herself a long mental pep talk, Natalie finally turned and walked over.

Xavier stepped forward to greet her, his hand hovering politely near her back without actually touching her. His other hand gestured for her to take the empty seat on the girls’ side.

The moment she sat down, she noticed the strikingly pretty woman beside Maxwell.

Luna Whitmore—Maxwell’s childhood sweetheart.

Back when Natalie was dating Maxwell, Luna’s hostility toward her had been so obvious it was basically neon‑lit.

Right now, Luna’s eyes were even sharper, openly filled with disdain. “Seriously, Xavier? You’re letting just anyone be a bridesmaid now? Even trash?”

The room went dead silent.

Xavier was stunned on the spot.

No one had ever seen someone drop a line that vicious at a friendly get‑together.

Everyone instantly turned to stare at Luna.

Natalie Monroe could tell Luna Whitmore was calling her out. Her heart gave a hard jolt, heat crawling up her neck. She shifted her gaze toward Maxwell Sterling.

Maxwell kept his eyes lowered, staring at his phone like the whole situation had absolutely nothing to do with him. His sharp, cool features looked even more distant under the bright overhead lights, the glow catching on the ends of his short hair and throwing a faint shadow over his expression. His whole vibe screamed don’t‑come‑close.

A girl nearby snapped, “Who exactly are you talking about?”

Luna didn’t even blink. “Who else? Natalie knows.”

Everyone’s eyes swung straight to Natalie again.

Natalie had the kind of beauty that didn’t need to show off—quiet, almost fragile, like a bellflower hidden deep in some mountain valley. Her long black hair was tied back, everything about her looking clean and soft. Even though she worked as a public-interest lawyer, she always gave off this gentle, untouched-by-the-world calm.

But the people who actually knew her all understood her personality was nothing like her appearance.

Everyone at the table was dying to know what beef these two had—because Luna had barely opened her mouth before calling Natalie trash.

Trash.

Anyone else would’ve blown up on the spot.

But Natalie knew Luna was speaking for Maxwell.

And honestly… Luna wasn’t wrong.

Compared to Maxwell Sterling, she really was nothing.

Xavier Bennett looked painfully embarrassed. “So you guys already knew each other? Natalie’s my wife’s best friend. Come on, give me some face, alright? Whatever happened before—three drinks each tonight and call it even. Shake hands, move on, okay?”

Luna scoffed. “I’ve got no beef with her. I don’t know this kind of homewrecker. It’s Maxwell who’s got a grudge. Ask him if he wants to ‘call it even.’”

Homewrecker?

Great. This was getting messier by the second. Xavier’s smile froze, his expression stiff as he turned toward Maxwell. “A‑Max, you and Natalie know each other?”

What he actually meant was:

Did Natalie Monroe screw you over?

Under the table, Natalie’s hands balled into fists, nails digging into her palms. Waiting for Maxwell to speak—those few seconds felt more nerve‑racking than any exam she’d ever taken.

Even the air felt thinner, pressing down on her like an invisible weight.

Maxwell Sterling got called out, and now the spotlight was glued to him whether he liked it or not.

He slowly set his phone down, his movements lazy as if he wasn’t in any hurry at all, but when he lifted his eyes, he suddenly looked straight at Natalie Monroe.

Those dark eyes, as deep as night frozen solid, held no warmth whatsoever, cold enough to push someone a thousand miles away.

“I don’t know her.” His voice was low and indifferent, as if the words were casually spoken, yet sharp enough to cut.

Just those three words.

Natalie felt something heavy slam straight into her chest, the pain so numbing it threw her breathing off. Disappointment surged over her like a rising tide, nearly knocking her down.

The instant her gaze met Maxwell’s, her nose stung, her eyes burned, and her emotions almost snapped. She quickly lowered her head, her fingers trembling where they clenched against her leg, forcing back everything on the verge of spilling out.

It was suffocating. All she wanted was to get out of there.

The air felt like someone had hit the mute button, pressing down so hard no one dared speak. Everyone here was an adult—they could see something was off right away.

Seeing the tension, Xavier Bennett hurried to smooth things over. “I brought everyone together today so the groomsmen and bridesmaids can get familiar before the wedding. To avoid this awkwardness, let’s play a game before dinner to liven things up.”

Among young people, nothing breaks the ice faster than Truth or Dare.

“I’ll start…” Xavier tossed a bottle into the middle of the round table and flicked his wrist, sending it spinning fast.

Except for Natalie, nearly every girl’s eyes lit up, hoping the bottle would land on Maxwell.

It spun slower and slower, then finally stopped—pointing straight at him.

A wave of excitement burst out. “It’s Maxwell! Truth or dare?”

Maxwell’s expression remained blank, as if he had just woken up. He had no intention of baring his heart in front of others. “Dare.”

Xavier unfolded a slip of paper, raised his brows, and read, “Kiss any lady here through a tissue. Two minutes.”

Maxwell’s brows drew together instantly, his whole face darkening.

Natalie’s hands tightened on her pants unconsciously, her knuckles turning white, her chest tight and aching.

She felt insane for staying—why was she still sitting here torturing herself? The urge to leave had already hit its limit.

Luna Whitmore, however, jumped in immediately. She grabbed a tissue, confidence all over her face. “Don’t even think about it, any of you. He’s definitely choosing me.”

With that, she pressed the tissue to her lips and leaned toward Maxwell.