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My Ex Let His Best Friend Date Me as a Test
Novelix
Completed
On the night Emma Hart expects to become Mrs. Cole, she walks into a room full of laughing faces—and discovers her two-year romance was a setup by the ex who once broke her heart. Ethan Shaw claims he only wanted to prove she wasn’t after his money. Instead, he proves he never trusted her at all. When his friends frame her, mock her, and dare her to crawl back, Emma chooses the one thing they never expected: she leaves. Across the world, under Australia’s sun, she rebuilds her life—just as the men who tested her realize they lost her forever.
Chapters (4)
第1章
The day he proposed, Ethan Shaw gave me a necklace.
The moment I took it, every light in the living room snapped on.
A second later, his friends stepped out of the shadows. Front and center was Mia Lane, his childhood best friend.
She stood with her arms crossed, smiling without the slightest attempt to hide it.
"Told you. She's a gold digger."
"A girl from some nowhere town, and she doesn't even hesitate to accept something that expensive."
She walked up to me and blinked.
"Sorry, Emma. That necklace isn't for you. It's Ethan's birthday gift to me."
I looked down at the necklace in my hands.
In that moment, every ounce of emotion I'd felt was ripped apart in front of everyone.
I tore the necklace off and threw it on the ground.
Then I broke up with Ethan.
Two years later, after Ryan Cole's gentle and patient pursuit, I finally said yes to his proposal.
He was one of New York high society's most well-known heirs. Thoughtful, steady, and he never pushed me.
The night before we were supposed to register our marriage, he said he had a surprise for me.
When I pushed open the door, the same crowd from two years ago was standing inside.
Mia was laughing so hard she could barely stand.
"See? I knew I wasn't wrong about her."
"Some women play innocent on the surface, but they only date rich men. At the end of the day, all they want is the grand prize."
Ethan stood among them, looking at me with disappointment.
"Emma, I always thought you genuinely liked me."
"Turns out, as long as the guy has money, any random man can wave you over and you'll come running."
I looked at Ryan.
He held up both hands, his expression innocent to the point of cruelty.
"Don't look at me. I was just playing along. Not my fault you're so easy to fool."
Looking at all those grinning faces, I was suddenly struck by the absurdity of it all.
So my heart was something they could drag out and test, again and again.
But this game? I was done playing.
I pulled off the engagement ring Ryan had given me and threw it on the ground.
It hit the floor with a sharp, clear sound, then rolled into the shadow beneath the couch.
"Ryan Cole, we're done."
The room went silent for a beat.
Then everyone burst out laughing.
Mia laughed until she was clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face.
"Ryan, she says she's done with you. That's hilarious. When did you two even start? Since when did we not know about it?"
Ethan walked up to me and reached out to touch my hair.
I stepped back.
His hand froze in midair. Then he pulled it back like nothing had happened.
"You silly girl. You and Ryan never started anything. The one texting you was me. The one buying you gifts was me. Even that engagement ring? I bought it."
He looked at me, his voice going soft.
"All those sweet moments you thought belonged to you and Ryan? I was behind every single one."
Mia immediately raised her hand, grinning triumphantly.
"And us. All those ways he courted you? We came up with them together. Surprise, Emma. This whole thing was a test Ethan set up, just for you."
The others laughed along, their eyes roaming over me like I was a cheap joke.
"Didn't think she'd take the bait that easily."
"Mia called it. As long as the guy has money, she'll say yes no matter who it is."
"Honestly, Emma's kind of impressive. She'll put up with anything for money."
My nails dug hard into my palms.
All those days with Ryan. The heart I'd poured out. The vulnerability and pain I'd whispered about late at night.
It had all been part of their entertainment.
Maybe my expression looked bad enough, because Ethan grabbed my wrist.
"Emma, you've really let me down. You already failed the test two years ago. Now it's clear you haven't changed at all."
He paused, and his tone suddenly shifted to something that sounded like charity.
"But what can I do? I like you. I know you want to marry me. Just sign this prenup, and I'll make you my wife."
He held a document out in front of me.
I glanced over it.
All of the husband's assets shall remain separate from the wife after marriage.
Essential household expenses shall be split equally between both parties.
Every purchase made by the wife must be pre-approved by the husband, with receipts submitted for reimbursement, to ensure the husband's assets are not compromised.
In the five years I'd been with Ethan, I knew the gap between us.
I had never dared accept a single expensive gift from him.
But five years of being together, day in and day out, apparently counted for less than one offhand remark from Mia.
I tore the document to shreds and hurled the pieces into Ethan's face.
"Don't ever let me see any of you again. You make me sick."
As I turned to leave, I caught Ethan's expression freeze for a moment.
Then he called out to my back.
"Emma, stop the act. If you want something, just say it. I don't like this playing-hard-to-get routine."
"I'm only giving you this one chance. All you have to do is ask. Hmm?"
My steps didn't slow.
After walking out of that house, I dialed my boss.
"Mr. Lewis, the overseas assignment to the Australian branch. I'll take it."
第2章
I stopped by the office to print the paperwork I needed to prepare.
By the time I got home, it was the middle of the night.
I'd barely reached the door when I heard blaring music and raucous laughter coming from inside.
The moment I pushed the door open, I froze.
Ethan's friends were throwing a party in my apartment.
Champagne and beer were spilled all over the floor. Pizza boxes, bottles, cigarette ash, and packaging were scattered everywhere.
When they saw me come in, not a single person in the room looked the least bit sorry.
Mia stumbled over, grabbed my arm, and said with a tipsy grin:
"Emma, you really are something. Even while you were with Ryan, you didn't forget to keep a backup plan."
As she spoke, she pulled a charm out of her pocket and dangled it in front of my eyes.
It was the protective charm Ethan had gone up the mountain to pray for, the night before my surgery years ago.
It had been pouring that night.
He'd driven for hours, climbed the mountain in the rain, and rushed back before dawn.
When he walked into the hospital, his clothes were soaked through, his shoes caked with mud, and he looked like an absolute wreck.
But his eyes were blazing bright.
He pressed the charm into my palm like a boy who was childish and devout all at once.
"Emma, God promised me. Your surgery is going to go perfectly."
I'd ruffled his hair and laughed, calling him an idiot.
In the end, I hadn't even been wheeled into the operating room before he collapsed from exhaustion.
After the breakup, I'd thrown away everything connected to Ethan.
This charm was the only thing I'd kept.
Not because I couldn't let go of him.
But because those bright eyes, on that night, had once made me believe that even when you're young, someone can love you with a fierceness and sincerity that's entirely real.
I snatched the charm out of Mia's hand, my chest heaving.
"Who said you could come into my home?"
Ethan's gaze landed on the charm. The corner of his eye softened with the faintest trace of a smile.
"Didn't think you'd still have it after all this time."
He started to walk toward me, but Mia had already hooked her arm through his.
She turned to the room and announced:
"Friends, you want to know what a top-tier gold digger looks like? This is it. Always keeping a backup ready. Incredible."
Then she looked at Ethan, her voice dripping with exaggeration.
"Ethan, seeing this charm, I bet you're about to cry, aren't you?"
The softness that had started to creep into Ethan's eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by cold.
The others, as if suddenly catching on, started whistling and egging things on.
"Classic Emma. If Ryan dumps her, she can just turn around and go to Ethan with this little trinket."
"Then Ethan sees it. Some worthless little thing from when he was young, and the girl he liked has treasured it all these years. He'd be a goner."
"Then they get married, and the small-town girl becomes a trophy wife overnight. Brilliant."
One comment after another, and in no time they'd spun an entire story out of thin air.
I walked to the window, tore the charm to pieces, and flung them out into the night.
The instant the fragments were swept away by the wind, the look on Ethan's face turned absolutely grim.
"Emma, what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
I clenched my fists, and spoke slowly, word by word.
"It means get out. Get out of my home."
Ethan looked like he wanted to say something.
But Mia beat him to it.
"Ethan, this is called playing hard to get. I bet you anything, if you propose right now, she'll say yes on the spot."
She smiled lightly.
"On one condition, of course. You have to share everything the Shaw family owns with her."
Ethan's face darkened.
"Emma, don't push it. Whatever you want, I can give it to you. But I hate it when people play games with me."
Ryan, who'd been riding the wave of mockery the whole time, chimed in too.
"Emma, Ethan's already said all that. Maybe it's time to drop the act."
I took a deep breath, about to call the police.
Then several officers appeared at the door.
One of them rapped on the doorframe, his tone stern.
"We've received multiple noise complaints about disturbances late at night. We're going to need everyone's cooperation for an investigation."
第3章
It wasn't until we were at the station that I found out the neighbors had filed complaints more than once.
Officers had come by twice to tell them to keep it down, but they hadn't bothered to listen.
"Who organized this party?"
After the officer's question, everyone looked at Mia.
But no one spoke.
Mia stepped forward, spread her arms wide, and shielded everyone behind her.
"It was me."
"I take full responsibility. Officer, this has nothing to do with any of them. If someone's getting punished, it should be me."
She said it like a hero, but her arms were trembling slightly.
Before the officer could respond, Ethan had already pulled her behind him.
"Officer, Emma invited us over. She's the one who lives there."
I stared at him in disbelief.
Ryan immediately backed him up.
"That's right. We were all there at Emma's invitation."
With the two of them leading the charge, the rest fell right in line.
I looked at Ethan, then at Ryan, and spoke slowly.
"You do realize that repeated late-night disturbances after multiple warnings could result in detention, right?"
Neither of them said a word.
Of course they knew.
That was exactly why they couldn't bear to let Mia take the fall.
So they needed an innocent person to take the blame instead.
In that moment, I was completely done with all of them.
"Officer, I have evidence."
I produced records showing I'd been at the office all evening, along with security camera screenshots and timestamped print logs.
After I left the station, I went straight online and submitted my paperwork on an expedited basis.
Then I booked a flight to Australia, departing in five days.
Back at the apartment, I listed the place on a rental agency's website, then started cleaning up the wreckage.
The room was full of little things Ryan had given me.
Aside from the engagement ring, I'd never accepted anything expensive from him.
I used to think each of these was proof of love.
Now they felt like slaps across my face, one after another.
Maybe the moment Ryan handed me a gift, he'd turn right around and open their group chat, giving everyone a live play-by-play of my reaction.
Telling them how gullible I was. How good I was at playing innocent.
The thought of it made me stuff everything into a garbage bag without a second look.
Just as I was about to head downstairs to throw it all out, the police showed up at my door again.
"Miss Emma Hart, based on multiple noise complaints on record, you are suspected of repeated late-night disturbances. If the allegations are substantiated, you may face detention and fines."
Completely bewildered, I followed the officers out.
It wasn't until I was in the car heading to the station that I learned the full picture. This wasn't the first time they'd thrown a party at my apartment.
Ryan had a spare key to my place.
Every time my relationship with him hit a new milestone, they'd sneak over to "celebrate."
Ethan's assistant had even put together an entire chain of evidence on the outside.
All of it designed to prove that I was the one who regularly invited them over for parties and repeatedly disturbed the neighbors.
When we arrived at the station entrance, I happened to run into the whole group clustered around Mia, about to leave.
When he saw me, Ethan walked over.
"Emma, sorry you have to go through this. After you're out, we'll get married."
"Mia's too proud. If she gets penalized, it'll affect her future, her career."
"But you're different. Once you're out, you'll be Mrs. Shaw. Quit your job if you want. I'll take care of you."
Mia let out a low whistle.
"Still gotta hand it to Emma. Five days in detention in exchange for a lifetime as a society wife. Worth it."
I didn't acknowledge any of them. I walked straight into the station.
Per procedure, I called Mr. Lewis and explained the situation.
He arrived at the station quickly and helped clear up the entire matter.
第4章
After I left the station, I never went back to that apartment.
I booked a hotel near the office instead.
Mr. Lewis told me to take a few days off before the transfer. I turned him down.
I'm not the kind of person who gets betrayed and then hides away, crying until she falls apart.
Growing up the way I did taught me one thing: I have to earn money.
Only what I can hold in my own hands gives me any sense of security.
The day before I was set to leave, after work, Mr. Lewis took me out to dinner, just the two of us.
We'd barely stepped out of the building when we ran into Ethan and his friends.
Mia circled me twice, clapping and laughing as she went.
"You really are the ultimate gold digger. I'm impressed."
"Didn't think there'd be a third man besides Ethan and Ryan."
"Emma, how do you manage to hook this many men at once? You should teach a class. I'd pay tuition."
Then she turned to look at Mr. Lewis, sizing him up like she was appraising merchandise.
"But don't worry, Ethan. This one doesn't look as rich as you. He's a backup at best."
The others piled on.
"No wonder when we went to check on Emma with Ethan, we heard she'd already been released."
"Turns out the second Ethan left, a new man swooped in to bail her out."
"You only see this kind of thing in the news. Never thought it actually happened in real life."
Ethan was staring at me with a dark expression.
The look in his eyes was like a husband who'd just caught his wife cheating.
"Who is he?"
I almost laughed.
"Ethan Shaw, let me remind you. We broke up two years ago. None of this is any of your business."
A vein pulsed at Ethan's temple.
"Emma, we never really broke up. That was just a test."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"I told you. The one in a relationship with you was always me."
I lifted my head and looked at him, enunciating every word.
"Is that so? Then when I was sleeping with Ryan, was that you too?"
Ethan went rigid.
A second later, his eyes turned red.
He looked at Ryan in utter disbelief.
Ryan lowered his head.
Ethan's fist connected with his face.
"You son of a bitch! I told you it was just an act!"
Ryan, punched in front of everyone, didn't take it quietly. His expression hardened and he swung back.
Watching them grapple with each other, I let out a cold laugh, then turned and left with Mr. Lewis.
Behind me, Ethan was shouting at my back between blows.
"Emma! I'll be home tomorrow waiting for you! We're going to register our marriage!"
"As long as we get married, whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"
What a joke.
Even now, Ethan still sat up there on his throne, convinced I loved him.
But two years had passed. He hadn't occupied my heart for a long time.
The next morning, I took my suitcase to the airport.
The entire way there, Ethan called me nonstop.
I didn't pick up a single one.
Before boarding, I popped the old SIM card out of my phone and dropped it into a trash can.
The moment the plane lifted off, the familiar city fell away outside my window.
From now on, the people and things in that city had nothing to do with me anymore.
