It was an ordinary afternoon when Chloe's phone buzzed with Ryan's name lighting up the screen.
"Chloe, could you do me a favor?" Ryan asked as soon as she picked up.
"Of course. What is it?"
"Lily's flight landed early. Could you pick her up at the airport? I'm stuck in a meeting."
Chloe smiled. "No problem. I'm on it."
Not long after, Chloe stood at the arrival gate, scanning the crowd. A familiar voice called out, cheerful and bright.
"Hi, sis!"
Chloe turned just in time to see Lily rushing over, waving excitedly. Her warmth was a complete contrast from the guarded, blunt girl she'd met before.
"Lily," Chloe greeted, surprised by her enthusiasm.
Lily pulled her into a hug right away. "I'm sorry for what I said last time. My eldest brother found out and totally scolded me."
Chloe blinked. "I never told him about it."
"I know. I believe you," Lily said quickly. "That's why I felt even worse. I just… really wanted to apologize."
Chloe shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong. You were just looking out for your brother. In a way, I'm grateful. You made me think things through."
Lily gave a teary laugh. "I hope you two never break up… or I'm doomed."
"You'll be fine. I promise," Chloe said, pulling her into another hug.
"You're so sweet, Chloe! I really wish my brothers would treat me the way yours treat you," Lily sniffled, now clinging to Chloe's arm like a little sister.
"Aww, but they really do love you! You don't know that?" Chloe replied, chuckling softly.
Chloe took Lily back to Ryan's house, helping her carry her bags inside. But Lily barely gave them time to sit down before grabbing Chloe's wrist again.
"No resting yet! We've got a mission today!" Lily declared.
"A mission?"
"Yes! We need to find you the perfect dress. My brother's taking you to a ball this Friday night," Lily said with a wink. "He probably forgot to tell you, but don't worry. We're using his credit card."
Chloe blinked in surprise. "Oh… he didn't mention that."
"Well, now you know!" Lily beamed. "Let's go, future sister-in-law."
They spent hours wandering through boutiques. Chloe tried on dress after dress while Lily gave brutally honest feedback.
"Too boring."
"Too sparkly."
"Too mother-of-the-bride."
Finally, they found the one, a off shoulder black gown.
"Now that's the look," Lily said, crossing her arms proudly. "You're going to stun him."
Just as they left the last shop, Ryan pulled up in his car.
"Tired yet?" he asked, stepping out and wrapping an arm gently around Chloe's shoulders.
"Maybe a little," she said with a smile.
"Ugh, second brother, you're so biased! All you care about now is your fiancée!" Lily teased dramatically.
"And you, dear sister,did your shopping meet expectations?" Ryan asked dryly, raising a brow.
"Of course. You're funding it, after all," Lily said sweetly.
Chloe giggled at their banter. The three of them went to a cozy restaurant nearby for dinner. As they waited for dessert, Lily leaned closer to Chloe and whispered, "You're really lucky, you know? My brother cares about you so much."
Chloe turned to look at Ryan, who was arguing with Lily over whether her dessert order was too excessive.
She smiled.
"Yes," she whispered. "I know."
That night, after dropping Lily back home, Ryan and Chloe found themselves driving in peaceful silence beneath the soft glow of the streetlights. Ryan glanced over at her, his hand resting on the gearshift.
"So… how was your day with Lily?"
Chloe looked over, surprised he asked. "It was good. She's actually really sweet. Full of energy."
"She wasn't too hard on you, I hope?" Ryan asked, half-joking.
Chloe grinned. "No, she was great. And she apologized for everything she said before."
Ryan raised a brow. "She did?"
"She did. She even cried a little. I think she was genuinely sorry."
"I'm glad," Ryan murmured, eyes softening.
Chloe added, "You've got an adorable sister, you know that?"
Ryan chuckled. "She gets away with everything. Including dragging you through four hours of dress shopping."
"She has good taste. We found a beautiful dress."
Ryan smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing you in it."
Chloe blushed but said nothing, her heart fluttering.
When they reached her apartment, Ryan parked but made no move to get out. Chloe unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to him.
"Thank you for today. For everything."
He reached out and took her hand. "Thank you for being here. With me. With Lily. You've already become part of the family."
Chloe squeezed his hand, her voice a whisper. "That means more than you know."
Without another word, Ryan leaned in and kissed her slowly and tenderly. His thumb brushed the side of her face as he deepened the kiss, and Chloe melted into it.
When they pulled apart, Chloe was breathless.
Ryan smiled. "Good Night."
Chloe smiled back, cheeks warm. "Goodnight."
He walked her to her door, fingers brushing hers the entire way. Just before she stepped inside, he leaned close.
That night, Chloe went to bed with her heart full.
*****
The next day, Lily stopped by the studio, hoping to surprise Ryan but instead, she bumped into someone she hadn't expected.
"Oh, Lily! Long time no see!" Sabrina greeted, her voice as polished as ever.
Lily's eyes narrowed. She forced a smile. "Hi, Sabrina."
The tone was polite but cold.
Sabrina didn't pick up on it. "You're here to see Ryan, I guess?"
"Mm-hmm," Lily replied, eyes scanning the room. Chloe was nearby, busy preparing the wardrobe for the shoot.
If Lily hadn't known they were keeping their relationship secret at work, she would've run straight over and called her sister-in-law out loud.
"Want to grab lunch together later?" Sabrina asked, tilting her head.
Lily turned to her with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"You probably don't know this, so let me tell you a little secret," she said, stepping closer and lowering her voice dramatically. "I'll be having lunch later with my big brother, second brother… and his fiancee"
Rina blinked. "Fiancée?"
Lily leaned in further and whispered with satisfaction, "Shh, don't tell anyone my brother's engaged."
Sabrina's eyes widened as she tried to maintain her composure. "Lily, stop joking around. You're hilarious."
"I'm not joking," Lily said cheerfully. "My parents arranged their engagement when they were kids. Didn't you know? That's why he's been single all this time."
Sabrina was clearly struggling to hold her smile.
"Lily, what are you doing here?" Ryan's voice called out as he entered the studio, expression mildly surprised.
"Just came by early to look around," Lily said innocently, straightening her posture and giving Sabrina a subtle wink.
She couldn't help it.
After years of watching Sabrina chase after her brother, Lily was more than a little proud to finally know the girl who had truly captured Ryan's heart and become someone worth calling family. And that person was none other than Chloe.
****
The warm aroma of freshly prepared dishes filled the Sinclair family dining room as Chloe stepped inside, hand in hand with Ryan.
It was her first official family lunch with all the Sinclair siblings present and she was more nervous than she wanted to admit.
"Welcome, Chloe!" Shawn greeted her cheerfully as he pulled out a chair for her. "I heard you're working in the fashion department. How's it going?"
"It's been exciting. I'm still learning, but I enjoy it," Chloe replied, trying to hide her nerves.
"If you ever need help, don't hesitate to come to me," Shawn offered warmly.
"Thanks, big brother. I will."
At that, Shawn blinked, then grinned. "Hearing someone else call me 'big brother'… I like it."
The table burst into light laughter. Lily nearly dropped her fork from laughing so hard.
"See? I told you Chloe fits right in," Lily said, elbowing Ryan.
"She fits too well. I might be outnumbered soon," Ryan joked, casting a glance toward Chloe that made her cheeks flush.
Shawn smiled approvingly. "Chloe, I remember the first time you visited this house as a little girl. You were so attached to Ryan even back then."
Chloe smiled softly. "I wish I remembered that more clearly. But I feel like I'm rediscovering everything."
"Family is like that," Shawn replied. "Even if time passes, the feeling remains."
As the lunch continued, conversation flowed easily. The Sinclair siblings shared stories from their childhood and Chloe laughed until her sides hurt.
Later, as dessert was served, Lily took out her phone and snapped a group photo.
"Memories," she said with a grin. "For when you and Ryan are officially married and we can embarrass you at the wedding."
Chloe blushed, but her heart felt full.
She had never imagined herself being part of a family like this, so loud, so loving, and so accepting.
After lunch, Ryan walked her out to the garden while his siblings lingered behind.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked, slipping his fingers between hers.
"I loved every second," Chloe said sincerely. "Your siblings are amazing. They made me feel like I truly belong."
"You do belong," Ryan said, stopping to look at her. "It's not just about a promise made by our parents. I want you here. With me. Always."
Chloe looked up at him, her heart fluttering. She could feel the sincerity in his voice, see the softness in his gaze.
"Today… I think I really started to believe that this engagement isn't just arranged. It's ours now. It's real."
Ryan leaned in and kissed her gently.