The Brother Swap He Deserved

Sean took ridiculously good care of me.

No overtime. Home on time, every day. Dinner together. Walks after.

A few days in, I noticed it—I'd put on some weight.

I felt kind of down.

Sean buried his face in my neck. "Babe, Milo invited us camping. You should get some fresh air."

Stuff like that? Way too natural now.

I'd gone from blushing and dodging him... to just getting used to it.

Like we were actually engaged.

At the campsite, Milo was busy setting up a tent for Dorothy.

Sweat dripped down his forehead. A guy who'd never done real work, now bending over backwards for her. Please.

Dorothy shot me a look, then crouched to wipe his sweat, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"You worked so hard today. I'll 'reward' you tonight."

Milo started to tilt her chin, going in deeper—

Then he spotted us.

A flicker of panic crossed his face before he forced a smile. "Sean, Abigail—hurry and set up your tent. We'll watch the meteor shower later."

That night, a "once-in-a-thousand-years" meteor shower lit up the sky.

Milo set a diamond crown on Dorothy's head.

He held her while she teared up, voice soft. "Dorothy, I hope the meteors hear my wish—that we grow old together."

Touching, right?

I felt nothing.

Milo once bought a star in my name for my birthday.

Said I was the brightest one in his world. That he'd orbit me forever.

Dorothy even hugged me back then, all jealous. "Abigail, how come no one does that for me?"

And me? I actually went out and bought her a diamond necklace to cheer her up.

Yeah.

Hilarious now.

I stood there, a little dazed, when fireflies suddenly rose around me.

Sean smiled at me. "Abigail, the meteor shower belongs to everyone. But this light? You can touch it. It's yours."

My chest warmed. My heart started pounding.

Later, the brothers went to start the bonfire.

I went to boil some water.

Milo's voice carried over, way too pleased. "Sean, can we keep things like this from now on?"

A beat of silence.

"What do you mean? You're engaged to Abigail. Not the adopted daughter."

Milo didn't even hesitate. "Dorothy and I are meant to be. What I had with Abigail was just for show..."

I let out a silent scoff.

Using my "amnesia" as a free pass, Milo was already planning a fiancée swap.

Fine.

I'd give him exactly what he wanted.

After I was found and brought back to the Ashton family, Milo was the first to take my hand.

Said we were engaged. Said we'd be the closest people in each other's lives.

He hired tutors to catch me up. Taught me manners.

Took me racing, horseback riding—showed me a world I'd never seen.

And all of it?

An act.

Back at the orphanage, Lorelei, who ran the place, always said I was stubborn.

Once I decided something, I never looked back.

Yeah.

There was one exception.

This fiancé of mine—Milo?

I didn't want him anymore.

Late that night, I went to the campsite restroom.

The noise woke Sean. He blinked at me, half-asleep. "Want me to come with you?"

I said no. He passed right back out.

I was washing my hands when Dorothy showed up behind me.

That smug look. The attitude. Like she'd already won.

"Abigail, aren't you going to congratulate me? I finally have my own happiness."

I let out a soft laugh, grabbed a paper towel, and dried my hands.

"Stealing someone else's happiness—that's your idea of true love?"