The 777th Night Was Our Last

I spent seven hundred and seventy-seven nights in hotel rooms with Carter Vance. Six years ago, a drunken night crossed the line, locking us into a secret relationship kept strictly in the shadows. I foolishly believed that if I just waited long enough, he would eventually make me his official girlfriend. Until he told me he was going on a blind date with Chloe Sterling—the girl he had crushed on for three years. And me? I was just his most compatible friend with benefits. At that moment, I finally realized that over those six years, I was the only one who took it seriously. Later, right in front of everyone, he said it out loud: "Even if I stay single for the rest of my life, there is no way in hell I’d ever want Elena Vance." I smiled. "What a coincidence. Neither would I." This time, I was the one walking away first. Elena's POV I spent seven hundred and seventy-seven nights in hotel rooms with Carter Vance. It was our sixth year of keeping up a secret physical relationship. In the early morning light, Carter’s arm slid away from my waist. He slowly slipped into his tailored dress shirt, buttoning his cuffs with his usual careless, nonchalant tone. "Dress nicely tomorrow. Come back home with me." My eyelashes fluttered, and my heart skipped a beat. Suppressing the surge of emotion inside me, I turned to look at him. "Are you saying... we can finally tell our parents about us?" Carter’s fingers paused abruptly on his cufflink. It was as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. He tilted his head back, letting out a sharp, mocking chuckle. "Elena, are you still half-asleep?" "My parents set up a family dinner tomorrow. It's an official blind date setup between me and Chloe Sterling." Carter walked over to the side of the bed and looked down at me, his tone overwhelmingly entitled and infuriating. "The Sterlings are strict, and Chloe has high standards. Tomorrow, sit next to me as my childhood friend. Put in a few good words for me, and make sure your boundaries are crystal clear in front of her. Don't let her get the wrong idea about you and me." Boom. My mind went completely blank. Every drop of blood in my body felt drained away in a single second. Chloe Sterling. The girl Carter had secretly crushed on all throughout high school. My whole body trembled uncontrollably. Gripping the messy sheets tightly, my voice came out dry and rough: "You're going on a blind date... then what am I to you? What were these past six years?" Carter slipped on his suit jacket, leaned down, and pinched my chin, forcing me to look up into his eyes. "You? You’re my best friend. My most compatible hookup partner." He gave a low, cruel laugh. "We grab meals, play games, and satisfy each other's physical needs whenever we want. A win-win." Those words struck like poisoned daggers, stabbing deep into my heart and tearing it to shreds. Carter patted my cold cheek, his gaze full of mockery: "Elena, you didn't actually think that sleeping together behind closed doors meant we were dating, did you?" "We grew up together. We know each other way too well. Marrying an old pal you know inside and out makes life totally predictable. Where's the thrill in that?" I turned my face away in humiliation, dodging his touch, my fingernails digging painfully into my palms. "Got it... I'm going to take a shower." When I stepped out of bed, my legs felt weak. I had to brace myself against the wall just to stay upright. The second the bathroom door locked, I slid down against the cold tiles onto my knees, tears streaming silently down my face. The faint hickeys left on my skin from last night were still warm. They were constant, burning reminders of last night’s tangled madness. We had known each other for twenty-two years. When we were nineteen, at a graduation party, alcohol made us cross the line. For the past six years, we indulged in each other's bodies in dim, anonymous suites, only to play the role of best buddies in broad daylight. I thought he was just waiting because our families were so close and he wanted to be careful before making me his girlfriend. Turns out, to him, I wasn't even a backup option. Just an on-call, disposable hookup buddy. When I dried my hair and stepped out of the bathroom, Carter was leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window, making a phone call. The tenderness and restraint in his voice was something I had never received in six whole years: "Book the private dining room. She prefers light flavors, so switch the entire menu to mild dishes." "Order fresh pink and white roses flown in, and snap a picture for me to confirm once it’s decorated." "Also, prepare a few sharp black suits. Chloe only likes that color." Every single sentence revolved around Chloe's preferences. Together for six years, he never once remembered that I had a severe nut allergy. Yet he had etched another woman's every little habit straight into his marrow. Carter hung up the phone and grabbed his car keys by the door. Before leaving, he glanced back at me, his brows slightly furrowing in cold warning: "I already paid the room bill. Check out when you leave. And don't wear that pathetic, victimized look tomorrow in front of Chloe." "People might actually think you have feelings for me." The door slammed shut. His footsteps faded down the hall until there was total silence. I stood alone in the empty suite. Suddenly, a bitter laugh escaped my lips, tears splashing heavily onto the carpet. Twenty-two years of companionship. Six years of physical intimacy. In his eyes, it was nothing more than cheap entertainment. I sat in that room until night fell. I checked out and stepped straight into the pouring rain without a second thought. Soaked to the bone, I pushed open my front door. My parents gasped in shock and immediately wrapped a large towel around me. "Why didn't you call an Uber in this storm? Look at you, completely soaked!" Looking at my worried parents, my throat burned, tight and choked. "Mom, Dad, about the relocation abroad you mentioned before... I've made up my mind." "Let's go. Let's move to Europe. And... never come back." My parents exchanged surprised, delighted looks. "Really? You're sure? We tried convincing you for over six months and you wouldn't budge. Are you truly ready to let it all go?" I shook my head, my eyes rimmed with red, forcing a faint smile: "There was never anything to hold onto. I was naive before. Now, my head is completely clear." Relieved, my parents went into the study right away to prepare our paperwork and travel documents. I walked into my bedroom, squatted down, and pulled out the bottom drawer of my closet. A thick photo album, chronicling ages five to twenty-five, with Carter in every single photo; Tucked deep inside were the casual pieces of jewelry he had tossed to me over the years, and an old stuffed bear he won at the arcade when we were ten... Twenty-two whole years of memories and emotional ties. Expressionless, I scooped every last item out into my arms and dumped them straight into the outdoor trash bin. The housekeeper watched in shock. "Elena, you’ve treasured that bear since you were a kid. Are you sure you're tossing it all?" Looking at the soaked relics piling up under the rain, I whispered: "I don't want it anymore." None of it. And Carter Vance? I don't want him either.Elena's POV The next morning, my phone buzzed frantically on the nightstand. Carter had sent dozens of texts, all demanding that I hurry over. Staring at the screen, a wave of nausea washed over my stomach. I typed a simple text: "Not feeling well. Not going." I locked the screen and flipped the phone face down on the desk. Less than ten minutes later, a knock came at my door. My mother walked in, taking my hand. "Elena, hurry up and change. Carter called the house phone." My dad walked in behind her. "Yeah, Elena, you know how much Carter cares about this blind date. Chloe used to take private lessons at my club when she was young. I personally spoke to her father to convince them to meet." "Carter wants you there to break the ice. Another girl in the room will keep things from being awkward. You two grew up together—if you don't back him up, who will?" Looking at their hopeful expressions, I swallowed the raw truth back down my throat. I nodded, changed my clothes, and headed out. Our houses were close, just a ten-minute walk away. Arriving at the Vance estate, I instinctively opened the shoe cabinet by the entrance. It was completely empty. The gray coral-fleece slippers I always wore were gone. I searched inside; nothing was left. Turning around, I noticed the trash can by the entryway packed to the brim. My slippers, my rinse cup, my spare toothbrush, the pajamas I had kept at the Vance house—all discarded inside. The maid stepped forward, handing me a pair of disposable shoe covers, whispering, "Miss Vance, Carter ordered everything thrown out first thing this morning. Please just wear these for now." I stared at the trash can, freezing in place. Carter used to say that the Vance house was my second home. There had always been a bedroom reserved just for me, and every toiletry had been picked out by him personally. We had hugged right here in this foyer, held hands under the dining table, and shared passionate kisses in the study. Now that Chloe was back. Terrified that she might notice even a speck of a clue, he had wiped every trace of my existence clean without hesitation. With a blank face, I slipped the shoe covers on and walked into the living room. On the couch, Carter was peeling fresh fruit for Chloe. He had styled his hair today, dressed in a sharp suit, and wore the expensive cologne he usually claimed to hate. He used to lounge around in oversized hoodies and sweatpants, kicking off his flip-flops everywhere, hating stuffy formalities. Turns out, a man isn't naturally lazy. He just hasn't met the person he wants to present his absolute best for. When I walked in, Carter only spared me a brief glance before turning back to chat and laugh with Chloe. Talking about preferences, luxury brands, and old high school memories. Carter desperately fished for topics, terrified of an awkward pause. "High school was funny like that. You were a grade above me, and our classes weren't even in the same building, yet we bumped into each other all the time," Chloe giggled softly. The tips of Carter's ears blushed red. Standing off to the side, I let out a silent sneer. There were no coincidences. Back then, to stage those "chance encounters," Carter tracked down Chloe’s entire schedule and commute routes. I had walked right behind him, watching him pour his soul into winning over another girl. Later, Chloe went abroad, and I thought I finally had my chance. Six years later, the only one who got a chance was Carter. "Back in high school, I heard Carter had an inseparable best friend. That must be you, Elena?" Chloe suddenly turned to look at me. Before I could answer, Carter's parents chimed in warmly: "That's right! The kids grew up side by side. Such a great bond. We used to joke about arranging a match between them—" "Mom, Dad, what nonsense are you spewing?" Carter’s face instantly darkened, cutting them off harshly: "Even if I stay single for the rest of my life, there is no way in hell I’d ever want Elena Vance." The air in the living room froze solid. I lowered my eyes, then offered a polite, practiced smile. "Mr. and Mrs. Vance, stop joking. I feel the exact same way as Carter. I could date anyone in this world, but never him." A muscle in Carter's jaw twitched before his careless expression returned. He stepped forward and clapped my shoulder twice, just like a bro would. "Hear that? Pure friendship." The tension in the living room melted, returning to its warm chatter. Carter leaned in close to my ear, whispering barely audibly: "Thanks." I discreetly took half a step back, widening the gap between us. I didn't need his thanks. Because every single word I just said was 100% genuine.Elena's POV When darkness fell, the car arranged by the Vance family arrived. The three of us sat in the back row. Carter sat in the middle, his entire body angled toward Chloe. One moment he was adjusting the AC, the next he was wrapping a blanket over her lap, then opening a bottle of water and handing it to her. I leaned against the window on the other side, watching the city lights blur past, not uttering a single word. Halfway through the drive, a violent downpour hammered against the windshield. On a downhill turn, a car coming the other direction flashed its high beams, blinding our driver. The tires skidded, and the car lost control, smashing violently into the guardrail. A deafening crash echoed inside. The airbags exploded open. The momentum threw me hard against the door, my forehead smashing violently against the side glass. Warm blood trickled down my brow. Amidst the chaos, Carter’s immediate instinct was to pull Chloe tightly into his arms, shielding her. Shattered glass littered the floor. I was wedged in the mangled seat, pain racking my entire body. Carter’s panicked voice reached my ears: "Chloe, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? An ambulance is coming, don't be scared." He carried Chloe out of the car, never once glancing back at the back row. When the first ambulance arrived, the paramedics advised taking the more severely injured patient first. My face was covered in blood, my vision blurring. Chloe was merely shaken up, with a tiny scratch on her arm. I saw Carter standing between us, hesitating for only a few seconds. Then, he scooped Chloe up and carried her into the ambulance. I watched the taillights disappear into the rain. Twenty-two years of history couldn't beat a single tear from the girl he loved. The second ambulance took forever to arrive. My vision went completely black. When I woke up in a hospital room, my head was wrapped in thick gauze. My mom was sitting by the bed. Seeing my eyes open, tears spilled from hers. "You're finally awake! You lost so much blood, the hospital's blood bank almost ran out." She wiped her tears, complaining, "Three of you in the same car. Miss Sterling barely got a scratch, so how did you end up like this?" My dad walked in with warm water, sighing heavily. "Do you even need to ask? Carter threw his whole body over the Sterling girl." "I just peaked into the next room. Carter is feeding her fruit, fussing over her every second. Those two families are practically set to merge." Hearing that, I tugged the corners of my dry lips. "How are the relocation papers coming along?" "They'll be finalized in about twenty days," Mom said, squeezing my hand. "Don't worry about the paperwork. Just focus on resting." I closed my eyes and whispered an okay. Over the next few days, noises from the room next door constantly drifted over. Carter never left Chloe’s side. The moment she coughed at night, he slammed the call button for the nurse. Wheeling myself by in a wheelchair for a check-up, I passed the door of her room, which was surrounded by onlookers. I peered through the crack. Carter was holding a massive bouquet of tulips, kneeling on one knee before Chloe's hospital bed. "Chloe, I've loved you since the first day I laid eyes on you in high school." "Every single 'coincidence' was planned by me." "Be my girlfriend." Carter’s voice was trembling. Chloe smiled, accepting the flowers: "I'd love to." Applause erupted around them. I pulled my gaze back and gestured for the nurse to wheel me away. I didn't look back, and I didn't care if they hugged. From this day on, his joy and sorrow had nothing to do with me.Elena's POV Late at night, the hospital room was dead quiet. Leaning against the headboard, I opened the booking app on my phone and bought a one-way flight to Europe. Just as I locked the screen, the door swung open. Carter walked in, holding Chloe’s hand. "Elena, Chloe said yes," Carter bragged, unable to conceal the triumph in his voice. "I'm a good friend, right? Came straight over to let you know." I glanced at their intertwined fingers, my face completely calm. "Congratulations." Chloe spoke up softly: "I heard you were badly hurt. I brought some food. You should eat a little." Carter obediently walked to the table to unpack the takeout containers. I held up a hand to stop him: "Thanks, but I'm not hungry." Carter's face dropped instantly. "Chloe went out of her way to bring this to you. Don't be ungrateful." Holding the opened container, he shoved it toward my hands. I raised my arm to push it away. In the scuffle, the piping-hot soup tipped over, pouring entirely over the fresh wound that had just been bandaged. A searing agony turned my face deathly pale. Cold sweat instantly dotted my forehead. Frightened, Chloe grabbed tissues, trying to step forward to help. Carter yanked Chloe behind him to shield her. "Stay back, Chloe! She's used to getting bumped and bruised. A little hot soup won't kill her. Don't feel guilty." Clutching the soup-stained sheet, my lips shook violently. Dad pushed the door open right at that moment. Seeing the fresh blood seeping through the gauze on my leg, he franticly hit the emergency call button. Mom rushed in to clean up the mess, explaining patiently to Chloe: "Chloe, dear, Elena has had a severe nut allergy since she was little. She can't eat this." Carter froze on the spot, turning to glare at me: "You're allergic to nuts? How come I never knew that?" Looking at the gauze soaked in blood and soup, I curled my lip slightly. Whenever we used to eat out, Carter knew my dietary limits better than anyone. Every single time we ordered, I would remind the waiter over and over: no nuts. Now that he had someone new, those details were wiped completely from his mind. I looked up, whispering: "Did you ever give me a chance to speak?" The room fell into dead silence. Her eyes red, Chloe tugged at Carter’s sleeve. Without another word, Carter hurried her out of the room. The wound became infected, keeping me in the hospital for three extra days. The day I was discharged, we had only one week left before our flight. Busy packing the heavy luggage, my parents asked me to take a parting gift over to the Vance house to say an official goodbye. I knocked on the front door. Mr. and Mrs. Vance took my hands, their faces filled with guilt. "We heard about what happened in the crash. Carter was completely out of line leaving you behind. We feel terribly guilty." I shook my head: "Miss Sterling is his girlfriend. Protecting her is completely normal. Please don't take it to heart." After exchanging a few pleasantries, I pushed the gift box across the coffee table. "My parents asked me to say goodbye. Due to our family's overseas business adjustments, our entire family is moving abroad in the next couple of days." Mr. and Mrs. Vance froze: "So suddenly? Will you come back?" I smiled: "Once we settle down, we won't be coming back." The front door was suddenly shoved open. Carter strode in, his brow heavily furrowed. "Who isn't coming back?"Elena's POV Just as Mr. and Mrs. Vance were about to answer, I cut in quickly. "Nothing important. You misheard." They looked hesitant, but they didn't call me out. Carter grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the door. "Since you're done chatting, come with me." He drove all the way to a luxury shopping mall, stopping outside a high-end designer boutique that had closed early for a private showing. Carter gave a nod to the store manager, and the staff immediately unlocked the glass doors to welcome us inside. The counters were piled high with this season’s latest apparel, shoes, and designer bags. Carter shoved me toward the fitting room: "Try them on one by one. Come out and do a spin for each." I frowned: "Why am I trying these on?" Carter offered no explanation, simply piling the dresses handed over by the sales associates into my arms. One outfit after another. Every time I emerged in a new dress, Carter held up his phone, snapped a photo, and immediately rushed me to change into the next. After trying on over eighty outfits, the stiff new designer heels rubbed the skin off my heels, drawing blood. Every single step sent sharp, stinging pain shooting up my leg. Pushed past my limit, I brushed past the clerk and limped up to Carter on tiptoes. "You don't need to buy all these things just to apologize to me..." Carter didn't even look up as he handed over his black credit card. "Keep the burgundy gown. Box up everything else and deliver it to Miss Chloe Sterling’s apartment." The rest of my words caught right in my throat. My voice tightened: "You made me try on clothes all evening just to buy them for your girlfriend?" Carter slipped his card back into his wallet, nodding as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Chloe just got back to the States. I was worried I'd buy things she didn't like." "You two have almost the exact same build. Having you try them on first is the safest bet." "Next, we’re heading upstairs to the jewelry store and the bakery. I need you to help me pick out the jewels and desserts. Everything I give her has to be the absolute best." Months of accumulated humiliation completely detonated at that exact moment. "Carter Vance!" My eyes welled with red as I cut him off: "I am not a prop for you to win over your girlfriend!" Carter froze, stunned. "I never once treated you as a casual hookup!" "Over these six years, every single hug, every kiss, every night in bed—I meant every bit of it!" "You don't have to love me, but you don't get to humiliate me like this!" With that, I shoved him hard, turned around, and bolted out of the store. Carter stood frozen where he was. He didn't call my name, and he never chased after me. Back home, I locked myself in my room, focusing entirely on packing my bags. Over the next few days, news about Carter constantly reached our dinner table. Word was, he rented out an entire amusement park for three days to celebrate Chloe's birthday, and dropped a fortune on an antique painting for her to give his parents to win their favor. I ate quietly, never chiming in once. Late at night, Carter would text me to pick him up when he was drunk; I left them on read. Friends in our circle asked: "Carter, how come we haven't seen Elena around lately?" Swirling his drink, Carter gave an indifferent laugh: "She's just throwing a tantrum. Leave her be. She'll come crawling back in a couple of days." For a whole week, I didn't reach out once. The day before Carter's birthday, an invitation popped up on my phone. I tapped it open and replied with two words: "Not going." The next morning, the moment I walked downstairs, I saw Carter slouched on our living room couch, his expression dark and stormy. "Elena Vance." Carter stood up, crossed the distance between us in three strides, and clamped his hand around my wrist. I glanced at him: "Morning. I have plans. I don't have time to entertain you." The grip on my wrist tightened painfully: "Plans with who?" My tone was ice-cold: "Does that have anything to do with you?" My mom came out of the kitchen and quickly stepped between us to pull us apart. "What are you two arguing about first thing in the morning? Elena has been busy these days, she doesn't have time to date. You two grew up together, talk like adults." Hearing Mom's words, Carter visibly relaxed, apparently reassured that I wasn't seeing someone new. Wiping away his anger, he switched to an accusatory tone: "Why aren't you coming to my birthday party?" I smoothed the wrinkles on my sleeve: "Busy." Carter raised his voice: "You used to spend half a month planning my birthday every single year. Why are you suddenly too busy now?" I walked over to the water dispenser and poured a glass of water. "That was then, this is now. You have a girlfriend. Let Chloe handle it. It's not my place as an outsider." The word "outsider" made Carter flinch. He stared into my eyes. "You promised to do three things for me, remember?" "The first was knitting a scarf, the second was hiking up the snowy peaks. You did both." "Today, I'm cashing in your third promise. You have to come to my birthday party." My hand holding the glass froze in midair. Four years ago, while hiking through a valley, a flash flood struck out of nowhere. Carter had fought with everything he had to shove me up onto a high ledge, while the raging waters swept him away. By the time rescue pulled him out, he had severe hypothermia, fighting for his life in the ICU all night. Once out of danger, his pale face had teased me for crying like a baby, and he demanded three promises as his rescue fee. The living room fell quiet for a long time. I set the glass down, speaking softly: "Fine. I accept your third request." Carter’s phone began to ring right on cue. Chloe was on the other end, nagging him to pick her up. Answering the call, Carter headed toward the door. At the foyer, he tossed back over his shoulder: "Dress formally tonight. Don't be late." I stood still, watching the door click shut. In my heart, I finished the unspoken thought: Once I pay back this life debt, there will be nothing left between us.