Chapter 1: Queen Bee Targets My Love

There’s a queen bee in our friend group—Brooke, infamous for swiping other people’s boyfriends. Not long ago, she stole my first love, a guy I’d been with for ten years. And now? She’s got her eyes locked on my new CEO boyfriend.

Honestly, the nerve of this girl is unreal. I swear, she treats drama like a sport, always elbowing her way into the center of someone else’s relationship. It’s like she’s got a sixth sense for sniffing out trouble—and other people’s men. Sometimes I wonder if she’s got a radar just for that.

“Hey, you’re so hot. Wanna go out?”

I was just about to storm over and slap her across the face when my boyfriend, cool as ever, fired back without missing a beat:

“Where did this trash come from? Get lost.”

Oh right… I almost forgot.

My boyfriend’s not just a pro at calling out fake girls—he’s also been secretly in love with me for years.

It’s honestly hilarious, the way he handles these situations—never flustered—always with that sharp tongue. It’s like he’s been waiting his whole life to back me up. Makes me wonder how I ever settled for less before.

When I got the invite for my high school class’s ten-year reunion, I’d only been dating my ridiculously rich, younger boyfriend, Carter Evans, for three months.

The whole thing felt like a setup, honestly. On Facebook, in our high school group chat, someone named “Jake’s Favorite Girl” suddenly tagged me, oozing sarcasm:

“Autumn, girl, you coming?”

“It’s been forever. Both Jake and I really miss you.”

She barely finished typing before my ex, Jake Miller, shamelessly chimed in:

“Yeah, Autumn, we’ve all missed you—especially Brooke. Let’s just let the past go, okay?”

Honestly, the way these two played off each other made me sick.

How dare they?

Jake and I were high school sweethearts—first loves. We started dating senior year, went from college to the working world, then started our own business. We dated for ten whole years. I thought marriage was just around the corner. Then, we broke up.

He dumped me.

Oh.

That night, he said to me:

“Autumn, I just don’t feel anything for you anymore. I don’t love you. Don’t blame me for being harsh, but looking at you now feels like looking at my mom. Breaking up is for the best.”

Screw you and your ‘mom’!

I gave my entire youth—my ten most precious years—to this guy, and all I got was, “You’re like my mom.” Even a stray dog wouldn’t deserve that kind of insult. Seriously, what was I thinking?

Jerk!

But that wasn’t even the worst part. Turns out, Jake had been hooking up with Brooke Turner, a girl three years younger than us, for a while.

Brooke—the infamous queen bee. But honestly, her two-faced flirt act was even more infamous.

Rumor had it, she got a kick out of chasing after guys who were already taken, just to prove how irresistible she was. She loved luring other girls’ boyfriends away, like it was some kind of game.

Brooke was the kind of girl everyone loved to hate. But some guys just couldn’t get enough of her act.

It’s wild, honestly. She’d flutter her lashes, and suddenly half the football team was at her beck and call. The rest of us? We just tried to keep our boyfriends out of her line of sight. I mean, you couldn’t trust her for a second.

I wasn’t surprised she set her sights on Jake. He was tall—about six feet—good-looking, a top college grad, and after we started our business, we made some decent money. Of course she wanted him. I guess I should’ve seen it coming.

What I never expected was that the guy who shared my youth would turn out to be so weak, so easily swayed by a girl like her. I mean, ten years together, and he just folded? Pathetic.

She was sliding into his DMs every day. He started coming home later and later, and got colder toward me.

When I found out he was cheating, I was furious. I called up some of my toughest friends and stormed over to confront them. We ended up brawling and even got hauled down to the police station.

That night was a mess—shouting, tears, someone threw a drink, and the cops looked at us like we were kids caught shoplifting. Still, I don’t regret standing up for myself. Not one bit. Honestly, I’d do it again.

And now they’re being all fake in the group chat, saying they “miss me”?

Yeah, right. Miss my ass!

I snorted and started typing, my fingers flying across the screen, jaw clenched in annoyance.

“What’s wrong? Babe, who’s getting you riled up?”

His hand was still damp from the shower as he hugged me from behind, warm skin against my cheek. Carter kissed me gently, like he already knew what was up.

Carter is my childhood best friend’s little brother. He knows everything I’ve been through, every heartbreak and every secret.

He’d just come out of the shower, a white towel slung loosely around his waist, abs on full display. He glanced at my Messenger notifications and said:

“So that’s the girl your ex fell for?”

Honestly, calling Brooke an idiot isn’t wrong.

I smiled and nodded, feeling a little lighter just having him near.

Carter picked up my phone, a sly grin on his face—I knew he was up to something. He’s always been protective, especially when it comes to me. It’s like he lives for these moments.

He only confessed his feelings after I got dumped by that loser.

His sister once said, “No wonder my brother’s been single for 25 years with his movie-star looks—he was waiting for you. Back when you were dating, he hid out in Europe. Now that you’ve been hurt, he rushed back to support you. Not only is he worth billions, he’s head over heels for you. Treasure him!”

With a boyfriend this devoted, how could he stand to see me bullied? It’s honestly sweet.

Sure enough, he casually replied to the group chat using my phone:

“Since Jake’s such a big shot, why not book the Grand Oak Resort? Anything less wouldn’t fit his status.”

That’s the most expensive hotel in town—just one meal would set you back nearly a hundred grand. Jake has some money, but not that much. This move would drain him dry. I could already picture his face.

Carter’s always got that mischievous streak, and I swear he lives for moments like this. Watching him stir the pot, I couldn’t help but grin. Let Jake sweat for a change.

“Take me with you to the reunion, babe,” Carter said, wrapping his arms around my waist, whining in that playful way of his.

I remembered that last time I went after that jerk and his new girl, it was Carter who called the backup. He couldn’t make it himself because he was stuck in quarantine. I still remember how he texted me updates, cursing that he couldn’t be there.

Now that he’d be there in person, I was actually looking forward to it.

Everyone knows the Evans family’s youngest isn’t someone to mess with. Seriously, even the bravest guys at school wouldn’t dare cross him.

I grinned. “Sure.”

“But let me warn you—looking as good as you do, Brooke’s definitely going to come after you.” I ran my finger up his white robe, teasing him. “Think you can resist?”

He laughed. “You think I’m Jake Miller or something?”

Of course not.

He’s the real deal when it comes to calling out fake girls.

I couldn’t wait to see Brooke get put in her place.

“What are you thinking about?”

He pinched my cheek affectionately, his voice a little hoarse, breaking my train of thought.

“Nothing.”

I shook my head, smiling.

Carter set down my phone and quietly slipped off his robe, pushing me down onto the couch… My heart raced, knowing exactly what was coming next.

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