One month later.
**520 Apartment.**
Rachel's dream of becoming a bestselling author had shattered. Pressured by the realities of life, she started looking for a job.
However, after sending out countless résumés with no response, she remained unemployed—until Gunther, the manager of Central Perk, who had a crush on her, offered her a waitress job. Even though she was clumsy and completely unsuited for the role, he gave her a chance.
Still, with Adam as a living example beside her, she didn't completely give up on writing.
So, she began living the life Adam had in his past, working during the day and writing in her free time.
Life was relatively fulfilling—until she reconnected with her ex-fiancé, preparing to return the engagement ring.
**"Has anyone seen my engagement ring?"**
Rachel anxiously fumbled with her fingers as she walked out of her bedroom in a panic.
*"If you're trying to make it look bigger, you don't have to stand so far away,"* Adam teased smoothly.
**"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!"**
Rachel shot Adam an annoyed glare before spiraling into another panic. *"As if I'm not already stressed enough! I'm supposed to return the ring soon, but now it's gone!"*
*"What am I supposed to tell Barry?*
*Should I say, 'Hey, remember that girl who left you at the altar in front of everyone, humiliating you beyond belief? Well, she also lost your family heirloom engagement ring!'"*
*"Relax,"* Adam said with a grin. *"It's not as bad as you think. Do you really think he wouldn't have a backup plan?"*
**"What?!"** Rachel's face twisted in confusion.
*"On one hand, he can say you left him at the altar because you didn't love him anymore. On the other, he can claim you had a sudden mental breakdown caused by an unnamed condition and ran away mid-ceremony."*
Adam smirked. *"If it were you, which one would you pick?"*
*"Definitely the mental breakdown!"* Joey and Chandler nodded in unison.
**"No! No! No!"**
Rachel shook her head furiously. *"No, no, no! He wouldn't do that! He loved me too much..."*
Her tone started off confident, then wavered, and finally turned into frustration.
Because deep down, she knew—whether it was a man or a woman, the likelier choice would always be the second option.
If the roles were reversed, she would do the same.
*"Adam!"*
Monica shot Adam a glare, signaling him to stop stirring the pot. She stepped forward and comforted Rachel. *"Not all men are like that... Let's focus on finding your engagement ring first."*
**"Yes, yes!"**
Rachel, as if clinging to her last shred of hope, nodded quickly. *"Barry isn't that kind of person."*
The group began searching.
*"When was the last time you saw it?"* Joey asked curiously.
*"Duh, right before she lost it."* Phoebe replied with a completely serious expression.
*"Wow, you don't see that kind of genius every day."* Chandler quipped, rolling his eyes at Phoebe.
Finally, Rachel remembered—the last time she saw the ring was when she was helping make lasagna.
With Monica on the verge of a meltdown, they found the engagement ring buried in the layers of pasta.
Barry, Rachel's ex-fiancé, was a dentist—a classic example of a middle-class professional. Not only did dentists make good money, but most of them came from solidly middle-class families that could afford medical school.
So naturally, his family heirloom engagement ring wasn't cheap.
It was huge!
*"Adam, I need to ask you a favor."*
Rachel held up the engagement ring but didn't rush to return it. Instead, she flashed Adam a sweet smile.
**"No way."** Adam rejected her instantly.
**"What do you mean, 'no way'?"**
Rachel stepped closer, smiling at him. *"I just wanted to borrow your car for a bit."*
**"Nope."**
Adam shook his head firmly.
No way. A man's car was like his second wife. Even if Adam wasn't *that* obsessed, he still had no intention of lending his newly bought car to this walking disaster.
Rachel's driving skills were well-documented. In the future, when Monica inherited her dad's Porsche, everyone got to drive it—except Rachel. That said a lot.
*"Fine! Whatever! I don't care!"*
Seeing that Adam was completely unmoved, Rachel huffed and stormed off to her room to get ready.
Meeting an ex required careful planning.
If she wanted to cut ties completely, she'd make sure to look absolutely radiant—to show him that she was doing *better* without him.
But in this case, she still felt a little guilty… and maybe a little sentimental. So, she needed to go for a more *subdued* look. A plainer outfit, minimal makeup—just enough to hint that she was struggling without him.
Borrowing Adam's car wasn't just about taking a joyride in a new vehicle. It was a subtle way to signal to her ex that she had other suitors waiting in line. If he still had feelings for her, now was his chance to make a move.
Whether she'd actually take him back… well, that was another matter.
**Knock, knock.**
Someone knocked on the door.
Thinking it was her parents, Monica quickly went to open it—only to find her brother Ross standing there, looking completely devastated.
Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, she softened her tone. *"What's wrong?"*
*"Carol is pregnant."*
*"W-what?"*
Monica was so shocked she stammered.
*"What are you going to do?"* Adam asked with a smirk.
*"Carol and Susan said they want me to be involved... but if I feel uncomfortable, I don't have to. It's completely up to me."* Ross answered absentmindedly as he paced the room.
*"Oh, really?"*
Adam scoffed.
*"What?"*
Ross frowned at him in confusion.
*"If you decide *not* to be involved, do you still have to pay child support?"* Adam asked.
*"Of course! It's my child, I have to!"* Ross said, furrowing his brows.
*"Well, there you go."*
Adam shrugged. *"Nothing is actually up to you. You're just a glorified sperm donor and a walking ATM."*
**"What?!"**
Everyone was stunned and shouted in unison.
*"Isn't it obvious?"*
Adam explained. *"First, Carol cheated, then separated from Ross. After months apart, they *suddenly* reconnected for a single week, where she 'struggled' between choosing him or Susan. Then she picked Susan and divorced Ross for good."*
*"Now, she's pregnant with Ross's child, and instead of being upset that Ross and Carol briefly reconciled, Susan is totally fine with it. In fact, she's *so* supportive that she's inviting Ross to be involved... or not. His choice!"*
*"But in the end, whether he's involved or not, he *still* has to pay child support."*
*"So tell me, other than contributing his 'golden donation,' did Ross actually make a single decision in this entire process? No. He's just a tool."*
Silence.
Ross stood there, dumbfounded, even more stunned than when he first found out his lesbian ex-wife was pregnant with his child.
After a long pause, all he could manage was:
*"Holy shit!"*
(End of Chapter)