It took a while, but Chloe finally got her breath back. She leaned against the wall, her medicine gripped tight in her hand, shielding her face to keep the pollen at bay.

She had not even had a second to catch her breath when Andrew's accusing voice hit her like a slap.

"Why are you always picking on Helen? She gives us these flowers and you just throw them on the ground!"

Stephen's voice, thick with anger, was not far behind. "Chloe, you've been acting so unreasonably lately. What's gotten into you?"

Chloe inhaled deeply, shaking with a mix of anger and frustration. She had a storm of words inside her, ready to burst out, but all that came out was a choked sob, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Me, changed? Have I really changed, or is it you who changed? I have asthma, and I'm allergic to pollen. How could you forget that?"

Her voice was weak, but her words hit Andrew and Stephen like a bolt of lightning.

They used to be so attentive to her needs.

Whenever Chloe had an asthma attack, they were the ones panicking, ditching class and jumping fences to get back to her, eyes red with worry, hovering by her bed, ready to do anything for her.

They had forgotten something so crucial.

Maybe realizing his mistake, Andrew's face went through shades of guilt, and after a moment, a trace of apology showed through his usually stoic expression.

"Sorry."

Stephen's brows knitted together as he thought about Chloe's painful episodes. They had been through so many together, and he knew just how much she suffered.

He stepped closer, concerned about etching his face. "Hey, were you okay earlier? I'm sorry about the flowers. Helen picked them herself out in the wild. She put her heart into them, and that's why I was so worried."

Chloe did not say a word.

Once she took her medicine and her color started coming back, Andrew and Stephen quickly got the flowers out of there.

They did not come home for days after that. Their room stayed dark.

Chloe did not seem to mind. She had her hands full, packing up her stuff.

It was only after she had packed most of her things that she really looked at the house.

She had bought it first, but Andrew and Stephen, wanting to be close to her, bought the houses next door. They knocked through the walls, and that was how they ended up with that big place.

However, only a third of it was really hers. Selling it was going to be a hassle.

The day Andrew and Stephen finally came back, they walked right into a meeting between Chloe and a real estate agent.

Andrew's face went stone-cold at the sight of a stranger in their home. "Who are you, and what's your business here?"

The agent was clearly intimidated by their intense stares but managed to stammer out, "Good day. I'm an agent, and the owner wants to sell the place."

'Sell the house?'

Andrew and Stephen looked at each other, both floored.

They were about to kick the guy out when Chloe came downstairs.

"I'm the one selling the house," she said, her voice steady. "I was just about to talk to you both about it."

Hearing that, Andrew and Stephen's hearts skipped a beat, and they blurted out together, "Why sell it? Aren't we happy living here?"

Stephen, recalling that day's events, figured and asked straight up, "You're not still upset about what happened a few days ago, are you?"

He was obviously rattled and did something rare for him—he apologized, "We totally didn't mean to forget about your allergy to pollen. Does it really have to go this far?"

Chloe shook her head with a calmness that did not quite reach her eyes, "It's not about what happened before."

'It's about you guys. I just don't want anything to do with you anymore.'

She kept those thoughts to herself and said, "You both know I quit my job. When I find a new one, it won't make sense to live here anymore. Plus, we've been roommates for years, so we don't need to be joined at the hip."

Andrew's face was a mask of seriousness, and he was not budging.

"If it's about the job, Stephen and I can drive you. You don't have to worry. You said it yourself, we've been living together for ages. We're used to it. Why split up now?"

"Exactly, with Andrew and me around, we could even get a driver for you. I'm not on board with breaking up the band," Stephen chimed in, just as opposed.

Chloe, seeing she was not getting through to them, massaged her forehead, puzzled by their stubbornness.

She decided to lay down her ace. "Well, if that's how it is, let's sell this place and get a bigger one. Then we can have Helen move in with us too."

The mention of Helen's name did the trick, their eyes lit up, and they wavered.

Finally, Stephen caved to the idea. "If that's the plan, I guess I'm in."

Andrew's gaze was deep and troubled as he watched her, a storm of emotions swirling in his eyes. "Would you really be okay with Helen moving in?"

He could not shake the feeling that there was more to it than met the eye.

However, before he could figure it out, Chloe's laughter cut through his doubts.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be? We're friends, aren't we?"

With her mind made up on the spot, Chloe declared, "That settles it, then. We'll sell this place and find a new one."

Her words left Andrew and Stephen speechless, neither of them finding the words to argue.

Finally, the house was all set, and Chloe let out a long, relieved breath.

It was like a huge weight had been lifted off her in a heartbeat.

While signing the papers, she realized the due date for the final real estate paperwork was the same as her departure day.

Perfect timing. It meant she could skip the awkward goodbyes with Andrew and Stephen.

Signing her name, Chloe felt a rush of relief. It was almost all behind her.

There was just one more thing to do.

She hit the mall, picking out a sleek massager and a cool pair of bracelets before making her way to Natalie's place.

The moment she stepped through the door, Natalie wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Chloe, letting you go is so hard. You've been part of Marina City for years, and I've come to love you like my own. It's going to feel so empty without you," Natalie said, her voice thick with emotion as she clung to Chloe's hand.

Chloe felt a lump in her throat but managed a reassuring smile. "I'll miss you too, Aunt Natalie, but hey, we're family, right? Planes, trains—it's all easy. We'll see each other during the holidays for sure."

Natalie nodded, her tears giving way to a smile, and nudged Chloe onto the couch. "Park it here, kiddo. I took some days off just for you. You're staying over, and I'm whipping up all your favorites!"

Before Chloe could protest, Natalie was off to the kitchen, soon returning with a feast of Chloe's beloved dishes, all served up with her warm, infectious laugh.

Chloe watched her, a smile spreading across her face.

She knew there was no arguing with Natalie. A few more days there would not hurt. It was the least she could do to keep her company.

Chloe glanced at the clock and knew she could not put it off any longer. With a heavy heart, she turned to Natalie.

"I've got to head out. In three days, I'll be in Kingston City, tying the knot."

Natalie fought back her tears and nodded, her hands pushing an envelope into Chloe's. "I've got three surgeries that day, and I can't skip out on them. Take this as a little something from me, okay? Chloe, promise me you'll find your happiness."

Chloe's eyes brimmed with tears as she took the envelope. "I will. Grandpa's choice has got to be a good one, right?"

Just then, the elevator dinged, and out stepped Andrew and Stephen, flanking Helen.

They caught the tail end of the emotional goodbye and felt a tug at their hearts. "Chloe, what's with the waterworks?"

Chloe quickly dabbed at her eyes and managed a smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Just haven't seen my aunt in ages, and it's tough to say goodbye, you know?"

Andrew and Stephen let out the breath they did not know they were holding.

Their worry melted away. "We're all neighbors here in Marina City. If you miss us, just swing by any time."

Natalie watched the two, clueless about the real story. She wondered how they would react if they ever found out. She almost spilled the beans but caught herself.

Chloe, sensing the danger, swiftly steered the conversation towards Helen. "What's going on with you guys?"

Andrew and Stephen snapped out of their daze, a flicker of panic crossing their faces as they stumbled over their words, trying to explain.

"Today's Thanksgiving, and Helen was all by herself, feeling pretty down. So, we decided to bring her back to join our celebration," they explained.

"Yeah, and don't get it wrong, we tried calling you too, but you never answered."

Their panic was kind of funny, considering how in past Thanksgivings, they would practically trip over each other trying to bring her home with them.

On a holiday all about family coming together, taking a girl home was like an unofficial way of saying, 'She's the one'.

Chloe was stuck in the middle, bouncing between the Lewis place and then over to the Joneses.

However, that Thanksgiving, they both showed up with Helen instead.

The message was loud and clear, even if nobody said it out loud.

Chloe stayed calm, though. "Got it, sounds great. Have fun. I've got to go pack."

With that, she was ready to head out and catch a ride.

Just then, Andrew and Stephen both stopped her in her tracks.

"Chloe!"

"Chloe!"

Chloe spun around, and the guys looked relieved to see she was not mad.

Andrew closed the distance, taking her hand. "Forget about packing. It's way too much hassle. I'll send our driver later, and we'll move your stuff to the new place together."

Stephen nodded like one of those bobbleheads.

In that moment, Chloe could almost see the way they used to look at her, like she was the only one in their world.

Back when they were just kids, chatting and laughing was all it took. However, those childhood promises were just words in the wind.

Chloe glanced at Helen, shook her head, and said, "No need. I've got things to sort out on my own."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Chloe had just settled into her room, freshened up, and flopped onto her bed when her phone buzzed with an incoming call from Helen.

Helen's voice, sugary and smug, trickled through the line.

"Chloe, guess what? I visited the Lewises and the Joneses tonight, and both Andrew's and Stephen's folks were super sweet to me. They even dug out their precious family treasures, saying they wanted to gift them to me. Do you think they're hinting at something—"

Chloe cut her off, her voice calm and detached. "Look, I really don't care about your social climbing. Save it, it's none of my business."

With that, she ended the call.

The day before her departure, Chloe had stepped out into the world. She had made plans to catch up with her bestie, Melissa Jensen, over lunch.

Friends were a rare commodity for Chloe in Marina City since Andrew and Stephen had kept her on a tight leash all her life. No boyfriends, no love letters from admirers, and they even had a say in her girlfriends.

They would whine, "Chloe, aren't we enough for you? You're so amazing, we bet even the girls have crushes on you."

Their grip on her life was suffocating, wanting her to have eyes only for them. However, there they were, the ones pushing her away.

At a trendy international bistro, Melissa was already there, waiting.

The moment she spotted Chloe, she wrapped her in a massive hug, the sadness of impending goodbye heavy in her embrace.

"Chloe, I can't believe you're heading back to Kingston City to tie the knot already. I'm gonna miss you like crazy. I always figured you'd end up marrying Andrew or Stephen and make Marina City your forever home. We could've kept having our adventures together."

Chloe gave a small, knowing smile. "They've got their paths, and I've got mine."

Melissa's spirits sank a little at that.

Then, with a scowl, she brought up Helen. "You were always so kind to Helen, and she just—"

Chloe cut her off with a light laugh. "Forget about her. She's not worth our time. Once I'm married, she'll be out of my life for good, and her drama won't be my problem anymore."

However, as fate would have it, Helen walked into the restaurant. Chloe and Melissa's table was right by the door, so she caught only half the conversation.

Driven by curiosity, she approached the pair and asked, "Chloe, who's getting married? Can I come? I've never been to a wedding!"

Chloe was no stranger to Helen's boundary issues, but maybe she was used to her antics. With her own departure on the horizon, she stayed composed and collected.

Melissa, though, was having none of it. She slammed her cutlery down and shot Helen a fierce look.

"It's my wedding, and no, you're not invited! Happy now? Seriously, do you ever mind your own business? Are we besties or something? You're like someone who'd taste the slop from a garbage truck just to satisfy your curiosity."

Melissa's voice rose, her words biting. Helen flinched as if struck, tears welling up and spilling over.

She whimpered, turning to Andrew and Stephen, who had just come in, her big eyes brimming with a silent plea for help.

Andrew walked in, totally clueless about what had happened, but the sight of Helen looking so lost and forlorn hit him hard. Without thinking, he scowled and pulled her into a comforting hug.

"As long as I'm here, you can go to any wedding you want, just say the word."

Stephen jumped in with even more enthusiasm. "Don't forget about me! Weddings are small fry. You want the stars? I'll climb right up to heaven and snag you the shiniest one. Ignore all those nobodies."

The two guys, flanking her on either side, finally managed to turn Helen's tears into laughter.