My Best Friend Stole Him. So I Stole Better. Chapter 06
A real best friend wouldn’t have done something this vile.
If I’d seen through her sooner, I never would’ve been her friend.
Sienna abandoned Julian and hurried over, tugging cautiously at my sleeve.
That had been her favorite move back in high school.
She was chronically insecure. She didn’t want me to have too many other friends. She didn’t want me to leave her.
That was why, at first, she hadn’t liked Julian.
But later she began encouraging me to confess.
My expression grew colder.
I stuck to the agreement I had with Ethan. I didn’t expose their little scheme.
Instead, I said mildly, “You’re an adult. I’m your friend, not your mother. When we have time, we can still grab a meal.”
Julian was about to say something when Ethan pulled him back.
He glanced around, casual as ever.
“Fate must’ve put us all here at once. Let’s ask the manager to seat us together. Standing out here talking, we’re giving everyone a show.”
“Also, Julian, you seem to think you have a say in these ladies’ business. Didn’t take you for a busybody.”
After graduation, Julian had stayed on in the Columbia labs doing research. He cared a lot about his reputation.
Ethan’s tongue was sharp. He knew exactly where to strike.
Julian paused. His face went back to its usual placid mask, but there was a flicker of concern and tenderness he couldn’t hide—and it went straight to Sienna.
I looked back at Ethan. He’d caught it too.
The contempt in our eyes was mutual.
Once we were in a private room, Sienna pushed me toward Julian.
She smiled as though the argument outside had never happened.
“Summer, sit here.”
Ethan and I exchanged a glance. I smiled. “Sure.”
Sienna moved to sit beside me. Ethan came in behind her and slid in first, pushing her aside without ceremony.
He settled comfortably on my other side and met her wide-eyed disbelief with a raised brow.
“What? Something wrong? I’m the one who invited Summer out. Now suddenly the two of you are here.”
Sienna stared at this stranger version of Ethan and stammered, “No—no, I just… Summer? Since when are you two this close?”
Why not?
She and Julian had gotten together in secret, hadn’t they?
I lifted my eyes with a faint smile.
“Enough. Let’s just eat.”
“Good news, actually. Getting stood up yesterday made me realize something. Julian doesn’t love me. So I’ve decided I don’t love him either.”
The moment the words left my mouth, Julian’s expression twisted. Sienna shot to her feet, voice shrill.
“What did you say?! No!”
I looked at her, confused.
“Why not? If someone doesn’t love you, they don’t. Trying harder won’t change it. You always said Julian liked me and was just too shy, but he’s never actually said so.”
Julian’s face darkened.
He turned to Sienna, voice tight with fury. “I like her?”
Sienna’s lips paled. She managed a strained smile.
“Summer, I only said that to comfort you…”
I nodded slowly, feigning understanding.
“So that means he doesn’t like me. In which case—”
Julian cut me off.
An irritation I’d never seen before flashed across his face. His voice went sharp, like he was picking a fight with someone.
“If Sienna said I like you, then I like you.”
I turned up the corners of my mouth.
Looked like their star-crossed love wasn’t quite as deep as they’d painted it.