Chloe darted into the ballroom, barefoot, her silk gown billowing in the frigid blast of the air conditioning.

The moment she saw Romeo, tears streamed down her face. "Romeo, you got back together with her…" Before she could finish, she swayed and collapsed.

Romeo lunged forward, catching her by instinct. "Chloe, wake up! Call the family doctor!" Without a single glance in my direction, he all but carried Chloe from the room, determined to get her home himself.

I remained where I was, watching his retreating figure. The light refracting through the tower of champagne flutes felt suddenly chilly.

I rejoined my friends, picking up a flute of champagne. The pale gold liquid swirled in the crystal, looking chilled and remote.

I took a sip, the bubbles popping sharply on my tongue.

In the past, I would have stormed out after them, ready for a confrontation.

Now, however, all I wanted was to chat with my friends about a new art exhibit.

That was infinitely more satisfying than watching this melodrama unfold.

After about twenty minutes, the sharp click of heels sounded behind me. I set down my glass and turned.

Chloe stood a short distance away, draped in Romeo’s suit jacket. Her face was still pale, but her eyes were clear and bright.

"The board members called Romeo into a meeting," she said softly. "He told me to come back and get some rest."

I glanced at the dust on her bare feet. She'd been sent home, only to "recover" with remarkable speed and return.

"You know," she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper as her wine-scented breath brushed my ear, "I 'woke up' on the way to the car. He whispered to me, 'Don't be afraid, I'll always be by your side.'"

The evening breeze drifted in from the terrace, lifting a corner of the jacket.

"Sloane." Her eyes curved into an icy, sharp smile. "You'll never beat me."

Those words used to feel like a knife twisting in my gut. Now, I just nodded.

"Is that all?"

She looked stunned.

"If you're finished, you should go lie down," I said, turning back to my friends. "Since you're not feeling well, you should get some proper rest."

A waiter topped off my champagne.

A few seconds of silence passed before I heard her retreating footsteps, followed by the soft thud of his jacket hitting the carpet.

See? She could toss his things aside without a second thought.

And he treated me as if I were untouchable.

I bent down, picked up the jacket, and brushed off a speck of non-existent dust before handing it to a nearby waiter.

My movements were fluid, my heart calm.

What on earth had I been fighting for all this time?

As I was getting ready to leave, the grand clock in the ballroom struck nine. Romeo returned from his meeting, a deep furrow still etched between his brows.

"Sloane." He stopped in front of me, his tone cautious. "I have to fly to London for a few days. I'm leaving early tomorrow morning."

"Mm," I murmured, smoothing the front of my dress.

"Three days," he said, pausing. "Chloe's been a bit unstable lately. The doctor said it's best if someone looks after her." He met my gaze. "Why don't we let her stay at our place? That way, someone will be there if anything happens."

"I can hire a private nurse," I replied flatly.

"A stranger won't be as attentive," Romeo's voice softened. "Sloane, you know her heart is weak. What if something happens…"

He left the sentence hanging, but the implication was clear.

In the past, his worried tone would have wounded me. Now, it just left me feeling bone-weary.

At some point, Chloe had drifted over. Her voice was faint. "Sloane, you don't have to worry about me, I can manage on my own…"

Romeo immediately turned to her, his voice softening with affection. "Don't be silly. I've already made the arrangements."

In the end, I agreed. Not because I was giving in, but because I was too tired to argue anymore.

That night, Chloe was unusually quiet. Lying beside her in the dark, I could only hear the sound of her steady breathing. No sleep-talking, no tossing and turning.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly.

I woke in the middle of the night, my throat dry. I slipped out of bed to get a glass of water.

I stopped in the doorway.

A single floor lamp cast a dim glow over the living room.

Chloe was curled on the sofa, wrapped in a cashmere blanket. Romeo stood before her, his back to me.

"Are you really going to marry her?" Chloe's voice was soft, but it cut through the silence. "The woman you publicly claimed behind my back?"

Romeo’s voice was heavy with exhaustion. "We agreed, didn't we? After Mom died, we can only be brother and sister."

"Brother and sister?" Chloe scoffed, her voice sharp and cold. "Is that how you kiss your sister? Have you forgotten that night in the Hamptons, when you almost—"

My hand tightened on the doorframe.

They used to date.

Romeo’s back was ramrod straight. "That's in the past. When Mom found out about us, the shock triggered a fatal heart attack. On her deathbed, she made me swear I would never be with you. It’s been impossible for us ever since."

I held my breath.

So that was the truth.

"So you chose her?" Chloe's voice grew shrill. "A middle-class girl with no background, someone who won't cause any trouble? Because you don't dare pursue a relationship your family might actually oppose, right?"

Romeo was silent for a long time.

"Sloane…" He finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "She pursued me for three years. Her feelings for me are real."

"Real?" Chloe’s voice cracked. "Then what about me? What about all those years we dated in secret? All the promises you made, telling me you’d make us public when the time was right?"

Romeo's shoulders slumped. The man who always stood so tall now looked impossibly vulnerable.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," his voice was barely a whisper. "It's the biggest regret of my life."

Just then, Chloe lifted her head.

Her gaze traveled over Romeo's shoulder and locked onto mine in the darkness.

She'd seen me.

I saw a cold, calculating glint in her eyes. Then she tilted her chin up slightly.

Her voice suddenly turned gentle. "Romeo, I only have one last request."

He glanced down at her.

"Kiss me, like we used to. Just this once, just for tonight," she pleaded softly. "Starting tomorrow, I'll try to be just your sister."

Romeo's body tensed. The air around him seemed to thrum with his inner conflict.

"Just one kiss," Chloe’s voice choked with a sob. "And I promise, I'll let go."

Long seconds stretched on, the moonlight creeping across the floor.

Then I saw Romeo slowly lean down, his arms reaching to circle her shoulders.

Chloe immediately pressed her lips to his. Then, from an angle he couldn't see, her eyes met mine again.

A triumphant smile bloomed on her face.

She was putting on a show just for me, and Romeo was her unwitting star.

My heart was surprisingly calm.

I slowly pulled my phone from my robe pocket and started recording.

The soft click of my phone unlocking shattered the night’s silence.

Romeo spun around. The moment he saw me, his blue eyes blew wide with shock, panic, and raw fear.