1

Sebastian and I were a merger waiting to happen—a dynastic agreement inked before we could walk. But he wanted out. And to force my hand, he’d orchestrated a cliché: his best friend was waiting in the wings to play the hero.

After my family’s assets were frozen, Sebastian forced me into a high-stakes poker game with the flavor of the month, a starlet named Tessa.

Tessa sat nestled in the crook of Sebastian’s arm, her smile sharp enough to cut glass. "If you lose, darling, you owe me three favors. Anything I ask."

I hesitated, my eyes flickering to the tablet on the table where the charity livestream chat was scrolling at hyperspeed.

@DramaLlama: Sienna! Don't do it! It's a trap set by the ML. He wants the rival to humiliate you so his buddy can swoop in and 'save' you!

@TruthTea: Yeah, and once you break the engagement, the buddy is gonna ghost you hard.

@RomanceReader99: Then Sebastian goes after his 'One That Got Away' guilt-free.

@DarkTimeline: And you lose the marriage protection. Your dad will lose it, and your mom gets sold down the river to pay the debts!

Reading that, the corner of my lip quirked upward. I looked Tessa dead in the eye.

"Deal."

Sebastian didn’t know two things. One: I was the "One That Got Away" he’d been pining for online for years. Two: when I eventually collapsed, sobbing, into his best friend Chase’s arms, Sebastian’s composure was going to shatter into a million jagged pieces.

2

When the bankruptcy hit, my father made it clear: if the Sebastian merger failed, my mother was the collateral.

Sebastian once mentioned he liked "good girls." So, for ten years, I played the part. I wore the pearls, I lowered my voice, I folded my hands in my lap.

It didn't matter. I could have set myself on fire and he wouldn't have looked up from his phone. The only reason we were still engaged was his refusal to be the bad guy who broke a family pact.

Then came Tessa.

She hung off his arm like a designer accessory, laying out the terms of the bet. Three favors.

I agreed without blinking. They didn't know that my online alter ego, Vesper, was a legend in the underground gambling circuit. I never lost when it came to probability and cards.

But as my hand hovered over the final discard, the livestream chat exploded with spoilers about Chase’s scripted rescue and the trap to induce a breakup.

I froze. I looked at Sebastian, whose cool eyes held a flicker of tension, and at Chase, who looked like he was rehearsing lines in his head.

I swapped the King of Hearts for a Three of Diamonds.

"I fold," I said, my voice steady. "I lose."

Tessa’s grin widened as the chat went nuclear.

@CardShark: How did she lose? Is the actress actually good?

@PlotTwist: No way. Tessa’s playing the 'Vesper' role to trick Sebastian. It’s tragic he doesn't know Sienna is the real deal.

@GalaxyBrain: Wait... did Sienna lose on purpose?

Ignoring the digital noise, I fixed my gaze on Sebastian.

For years, I’d been taking high-level freelance contracts under the alias Vesper to buy my mother’s freedom. I’d just closed the final deal. We were almost out.

And all this time, I hadn't realized that King of Spades—my online rival, the cold, calculating strategist I’d battled across servers—was Sebastian.

The chat said he was in love with Vesper, and Tessa had convinced him she was her.

I watched them. Sebastian’s hand rested lightly, possessively, on Tessa’s waist.

"I won," Tessa purred, leaning into him. "Three favors, right? You won't let her back out, will you, Seb?"

A rare, indulgent smile touched Sebastian’s lips. "Don't worry. I won't let Sienna welch on a bet."

"Great. First favor," Tessa said, arching a perfectly sculpted brow at me. "I want Miss Sienna to join us for the polo match this weekend."

Before I could answer, Chase slid into the space beside me, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't worry, Si. If Seb is too busy with Tessa, I’ll look out for you."

I almost laughed. They were really committing to the bit.

Fine, I thought. I’ll watch your little play.

I forced my eyes to rim with red, turning slightly toward Chase. "Okay."

3

The polo grounds in the Hamptons smelled of cut grass and old money.

I played the role of the novice, gripping my mallet so hard my knuckles turned white. Tessa trotted past on a gleaming chestnut mare, a cloud of expensive oud and leather trailing behind her—Sebastian’s signature scent.

"Oops, sorry," she called out, pulling up. "I assumed a debutante like you knew how to ride. First time?" She smirked. "Need a lesson?"

A ripple of laughter went through the spectator stands.

"Tessa and Seb are the power couple we deserve," someone whispered loud enough to hear. "Fire and Ice."

"Why is Sienna still clinging to him? It’s pathetic."

They all assumed that after my family’s fall, I’d been cut off from this world. They didn’t know I’d worked late shifts exercising ponies at these very stables and cleaning locker rooms to pay off interest rates. I could hit a ball through a needle’s eye at full gallop.

Sebastian’s eyes were glued to Tessa. Chase stepped in front of me, blocking my view.

"It's okay," he said, voice low and sturdy. "Just remember what I told you. I've got you."

I nodded, widening my eyes to look up at him. "I only have you, Chase."

The whistle blew.

As I squeezed my horse’s flanks, I felt the stirrup give way.

@InsiderInfo: Seb is ruthless. He let his crew sabotage the stirrup. There’s talc in her glove too.

@SafetyFirst: Are they trying to kill her?!

I felt the leather strap loosen. I looked upfield. Sebastian and Tessa were a synchronized unit, turning the match into a duet.

I ignored the stirrup and kicked into a gallop.

I thundered up beside Tessa. I shifted my weight. She glanced at me, a sneer forming.

Just as I mimed losing my balance, looking like I was about to tumble, I locked my core, corrected my seat, and swung my mallet.

Crack.

The ball screamed through the air, grazing her horse’s shin guard. The mare spooked and reared. Tessa went down in a heap of white denim and indignity.

If you want to play dirty, make sure you can stay in the saddle.

Sebastian was there in a heartbeat, abandoning the play.

I dismounted quickly, feigning panic. "Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I—"

Sebastian didn't even look at me. He shoved me aside with enough force that I stumbled back onto the turf. He scooped Tessa up, his face etched with a panic I’d never seen directed at me.

"Get the medic!" he roared, carrying her off the field.

My chest gave a painful, involuntary throb. Ten years. Even if he didn’t love me, we grew up together. And he pushed me into the dirt without a second thought.

Chase was there instantly, helping me up. I faked a limp. Without asking, he swept me into a bridal carry.

I had to hand it to him. Even if it was a setup, Chase was a hell of an actor.

4

In the infirmary, I cried with practiced elegance, making sure my best angle was facing Chase.

He knelt, massaging my "injured" ankle. I watched him through wet lashes. "Thank you," I whispered. "I’ve always known Sebastian and I were... different. I only stayed because of the families."

Chase looked suitably pained. "Seb’s just... cold. You know everyone else loves you. My mom talks about you constantly."

I gave him a brave, watery smile. He blushed.

Later, at the dinner, I sat quietly while Chase fussed over my water glass. Sebastian was busy acting as a human shield for Tessa’s wine intake.

Tessa, recovering miraculously fast, leaned forward. "I won't hold the accident against you, Sienna. But since we’re here..." She slid a glass of deep crimson wine toward me. "Try this. Grand Cru Pinot Noir. It’s exquisite."

I flinched, twisting the fabric of my dress.

Sebastian, from the head of the table, shot me a look of impatience.

"I... I don't really drink," I stammered. Everyone knew Sienna, the Good Girl, was a teetotaler.

Tessa pouted at Sebastian.

He turned to me, his eyes devoid of warmth. "Consider it an apology. And your second favor to her."

I bit my lip, took the glass, and downed it in one go.

It burned, but I kept my face blank.

One glass. Two. Three.

Sebastian didn't intervene. Chase hovered, looking nervous.

But the more I drank, the sharper my eyes became. Tessa’s smile began to falter. I hid a smirk behind the crystal rim.

They didn't know I’d spent years bartending in dive bars to make rent. I could drink a sailor under the table.

When I reached for another, Tessa panicked. "That's enough."

She stared at me, waiting for the sedative she’d spiked the decanter with to hit.

I just smiled.

Suddenly, a small designer dog—one of the guests' purse pets—scuttled out from under the table and began enthusiastically humping Sebastian’s Italian leather shoe.

Sebastian’s face went stiff. Tessa looked horrified.

"Since Tessa said stop, I assume the second favor is done," I said, standing up smoothly. "Only one left."

I turned to leave.

@Sherlock: Did she switch the glasses? Is the dog drugged?!

@CinemaSins: LMAO. Sienna is a magician. Sebastian looks like he wants to die.

Sebastian stared at my retreating back, a frown creasing his forehead as if he sensed a glitch in the matrix.

I swayed, letting myself fall naturally against Chase. I put a hand to my forehead. "I think... the wine is hitting me."

5

Chase looked like a deer in headlights, trying to shepherd me toward the guest rooms, but Tessa’s voice stopped him cold.

"Sienna," she slurred, her cheeks flushed with victory and wine. She draped herself over Sebastian. "I’m calling in the third favor right now."

The table went silent.

"The third favor," she announced, "is that you let me have Sebastian."

You could hear a pin drop. Guests at nearby tables stopped chewing.

Sebastian said nothing. He didn't push her away.

I stayed silent for a long beat, looking down at my phone. A text from my mother had just come through: Debt cleared. Divorce finalized. I’m free.

The shackles were off.

I took a breath, letting my shoulders drop. "Okay."

It’s over.

Sebastian’s head snapped up. The relief he expected to feel was visibly absent, replaced by confusion. He needed to reassert control.

"I’m sorry, Sienna," he said, his voice loud enough for the room. "But tonight is full of eligible bachelors. Why don't we play a game? I’ve assigned everyone a card. You draw. Whoever you pick, you date. I’ll make sure they treat you right."

@FeministRage: This is disgusting. He’s auctioning her off?

@RomanceLogic: He thinks she’s boring. He wants a firecracker like 'Vesper.' He has no idea.

I ignored him and checked my messages. A notification from my handler: New contract. Vesper, someone wants the dirt on the Sterling family empire. Interested?

I looked at a gloating Tessa. I looked at an oblivious Sebastian.

Yes, I typed back.

Sebastian fanned the deck of cards.

Twelve times I drew. Twelve times, without looking, I pulled the Jack of Clubs. Chase’s card.

Chase’s jaw was on the floor. Sebastian stared at the cards, his brow furrowing as he calculated the statistical impossibility.

Before he could do the math, I threw myself into Chase’s arms, letting a sob escape. "Chase... you’re my destiny. You won't leave me, right?"

Chase hugged me back, tight.

And for the first time in ten years, Sebastian’s face went completely, utterly pale.

6

The day after the engagement was transferred to Chase, I sent my mother to Europe.

Chase followed me.

My father blew up my phone. The Chase family is garbage compared to the Sterlings! Get back here!

I blocked him. He still thought he had leverage.

I reactivated the Vesper account and forwarded the contract about the Sterling family corruption directly to Sebastian’s King of Spades handle.

We had a history. He was the only person who could keep up with me. I used to think he was cool, until I realized he enjoyed the cruelty of giving targets false hope before crushing them.

He replied instantly. [Thought you retired?]

I tapped the screen. [Changed my mind. Too many big fish swimming in international waters. Also, do you want this Sterling job or not? You always steal my contracts, I’m gifting you this one.]

He typed for a long time.

@Observer: He’s panicking. He knows something’s up.

Ten minutes later: [Why are you abroad?]

I smirked. [Honeymooning with my new fiancé.]

Chase had been keeping his distance from Sebastian, terrified his friend would realize he’d actually fallen for the girl he was supposed to trick.

Sebastian switched to his personal number. Sienna, I heard about your family. We grew up together. Where are you? My mother wants to send a gift.

He hadn't texted me this much in a decade.

Europe, I replied. With Chase. We’re very happy.

He called. I let it ring. He texted again: Did you get married?

I didn't reply. I walked into the bedroom where Chase was passed out, snapped a photo of his sleeping face, filtered it to look soft and intimate, and posted it to my stories.

Then I went out.

The club in Ibiza was a sensory overload of bass and strobe lights. I moved to the rhythm, a circle of appreciative strangers forming around me.

I felt a gaze. I turned. A phone camera was pointed at me. It was a mutual friend of Sebastian’s.

I didn't hide. I threw my head back, ran my hands through my hair, and dropped into a body roll—a signature move Vesper had once performed on a dare in a Macau casino.

@DramaAlert: She’s off the leash! Sebastian is going to lose his mind when he sees that video.

@FlightTracker: Pretty sure his private jet just filed a flight plan.

I smiled. Finally. The iceberg was melting.