Chapter 1

I broke up with Carter on Christmas Eve.

He asked carelessly, "Just because there wasn't a seat for you at the family dinner?"

"Yes."

At the annual Christmas Eve family dinner, a table set for twenty people didn't have a single empty seat for me.

No one noticed me standing awkwardly at the door.

Carter only focused on serving soup to Chloe, our sponsored charity case.

In the end, a server had to add a flimsy white plastic chair for me.

"Breaking up on Christmas Eve is just bad luck. Stop throwing a tantrum and don't embarrass me in front of my family."

This past year, we'd fought countless times because of Chloe.

Every single time, I was the one who backed down and apologized.

He didn't believe for a second that I'd actually leave him.

But this time, I was done.

I opened the message I'd received just minutes ago.

[I'll pick you up after the show wraps. Should be there around midnight.]

I typed back a single word.

[Okay.]

From now on, Carter would just be another ex I didn't need to mention.

...

Carter grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

"Alright, stop pouting. You keep scowling like this and you'll ruin Christmas for everyone."

I remained expressionless and pushed his hand away.

"You know, you've got a pretty face, but you're just so unlikable. Look at Chloe, she sits there and all the kids climb all over her."

He clearly hadn't taken my breakup comment seriously at all.

"Carter, I mean it this time."

He finally dropped that cocky smirk.

"So you're really going to break up with me over a damn chair? Come on, Serena, are you seriously that petty?"

"Yes. At your family's Christmas Eve dinner, the person sitting next to you wasn't me. It was Chloe."

Of course it mattered.

Christmas Eve. Carter insisted on bringing Chloe, the college student we sponsored, to his family dinner.

When we got to the banquet hall entrance, Carter remembered he'd left two bottles of vintage Bordeaux in the underground wine cellar.

He sent me down to get them.

By the time I came back with the wine, everyone had already been seated.

The Harrington relatives were toasting each other, exchanging well wishes. No one noticed I was still standing.

Carter was attentively serving Chloe food and soup, as if they were the loving couple.

A server noticed I had nowhere to sit and tried to make room.

Carter waved it off casually.

"The regular chairs won't fit. Just grab a plastic one from the storage room.; she can squeeze in. It's fine, she's skinny."

That dirty white plastic chair was painfully out of place.

Carter explained, "It was crowded and loud. I wanted you to sit next to me, but everyone had already settled in. Moving people around would've been a hassle."

"If you're really going to be this jealous over a chair, I'll save you a seat for the rest of the holidays, alright?"

His tone sounded like he was placating a bratty child.

I took a deep breath.

"You don't get it. It's not about the damn chair."

"You're right, I don't get it. These are such small things. You really don't need to make a big deal out of them."

I felt utterly exhausted. I didn't expect him to change anymore.

"Carter, this strawberry is so sweet!" Chloe picked up a chocolate-dipped strawberry and naturally fed it right into Carter's mouth.

Seeing my expression darken, she immediately asked with fake concern, "What's wrong? Carter, did you upset Serena again?"

Carter pursed his lips but said nothing.

Chloe immediately jumped in to mediate.

"Serena, please don't be mad at him. It's all my fault. When there's food around, I just get tunnel vision. I'm the outsider here. I should've been the one sitting on that plastic chair."

She tugged lightly on Carter's sleeve.

"Maybe I should just go back to campus? There's no reason to make Serena uncomfortable over something this small."

I let out a cold laugh. "Small?"

"You, an outsider, crashing my family's Christmas dinner is small? Having my boyfriend at the top of your contacts is small? Wearing matching bracelets with my boyfriend is also small?"

"Chloe, I just can't figure out why you keep pulling these disgusting little stunts."

"Since you like my boyfriend so much, I'll break up with him. He's all yours."

Chloe bit down hard on her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

"How can you say that, Serena?" She reluctantly removed her bracelet.

"You're totally misunderstanding. My hometown is so remote. It takes three days by bus and train to get there. I couldn't possibly make it home for Christmas."

"I don't have anyone here. If Carter hadn't been kind enough to take me in, I'd be stuck in my dorm eating ramen."

"If you're bothered by me, I'll just leave."

She placed the bracelet on the table and ran out crying.

Carter shot me an irritated glance. "If you've got a problem, take it out on me. Why are you bullying her?"

"You want to break up? Fine. But don't drag her into it."

He grabbed the bracelet and chased after her.

Suddenly, I realized this relationship was absolutely rotten.