Chapter 3

After graduation, everyone scattered.

When Charlotte found out my family was transferring me to a branch office down south, she showed up straight from work—still in full makeup—and blocked my car.

"So you're leaving me too?" she choked out.

I couldn't look at her. "I'll be back soon..."

"What if I told you I'm done waiting?"

I panicked, totally speechless—then suddenly, she yanked my tie and kissed me full on the lips.

My head spun. My knees nearly gave out on that rainy night.

Then Charlotte flashed her classic smile. "Stay. Be my boyfriend."

From the very start, she'd always been the one in control.

I stayed as her boyfriend, but really, I was her secret. No one knew we were together.

Her social media stayed spotless—she kept up the image: healthy, single, perfect.

I understood. A public figure's worst nightmare was having their private life exposed.

So I made all our loving moments visible only to myself.

Somehow Lucas—halfway across the world—heard about us.

He laughed. "Relationships that hide in the dark? Those burn out fast. Three months, tops."

Three months later, Charlotte took my hand and looked me in the eye.

"Just hang in there. Once I make prime-time anchor, I'll marry you."

I believed her completely.

What were a few years of waiting compared to a lifetime ahead of us?

I waited. Day after day, I kept waiting.

But in the end, she'd marry someone else.

Three years later, Charlotte finally made us public.

She'd reached the top—prime-time news anchor with her own show.

The main sponsor was other than Sterling Enterprises.

When her show launched, she announced our engagement.

The headline read: [Sterling Enterprises' Heir to Marry Star Anchor!]

That night, 100 drones lit up the waterfront with congratulations. It went viral.

The ratings exploded. At the after-party, we got completely drunk.

Charlotte cuddled up to me, all sweet and playful, and asked if we could hold off on actually getting married for a few more years.

I got it. Marriage meant kids, and her career was taking off.

I agreed without hesitation.

The System suddenly activated in my head.

It scolded me for getting drunk and losing my mind—told me to just finish the mission before I blew my chance.

I shook my head.

After all these years with Charlotte, I'd admit it—I got close to her for a reason at first.

But somewhere along the way, I fell for her. Hard.

I loved her, so I'd respect what she wanted.

The System sighed and went quiet.

For the next couple of years, Charlotte stayed busy. I supported her however I could, and our relationship held strong.

Then, ten years after we first met, Lucas came back.

Charlotte started canceling plans, and she'd pick fights over nothing.

She posted cryptic things online, and Lucas liked every single one.

A deep freeze settled between us, and I hardly saw her at home.

Even our friends started asking if we'd broken up.

I just didn't get it. I gave her everything—my whole heart. Yet she was still hung up on her first love.

For Lucas, she called off our engagement, threw away her career as the station's top anchor—everything.

As the memories faded, I got home and picked up a call from my friend.

He was furious on my behalf. "Are you kidding me? Charlotte's Prince Charming should've stayed overseas where he belongs. Shows up right before your wedding to steal her back? What a mess!"

He ranted for a solid minute, then suddenly stopped. "Why aren't you saying anything? Are you too pissed to talk?"

I wasn't sad or angry.

I just didn't care anymore.

The next day, Lucas showed up at my door in a tailored suit, hair perfectly styled.

He said he was here to pack Charlotte's things.

I scratched my messy hair and let him in. "Shoe covers. And be quick."

Lucas scowled and went straight to the walk-in closet.

Soon, he came back carrying a heavy box and opened it right in front of me.

It was a Vera Wang wedding dress.

"Charlotte says even though you bought this, it's hers now. She wants it as her wedding dress—for our wedding. That okay with you?" Lucas said.

Behind the fake politeness, he was practically daring me to explode.

I nodded. "Sure."

He wasn't satisfied with my calm reaction, so he pushed harder.

"Now that Charlotte's marrying me, I expect you—as her ex—to stay out of her life."

"Alright," I replied calmly.

It was like shouting into the void. The sheer lack of pushback fueled his frustration.

"Ethan, maybe you beat me in school and business, but the woman you loved for ten years still chose me."

I frowned, trying to figure out why he'd treated me like his rival all these years.

Back in high school, he shined in the humanities, and I kicked butt in STEM. There was no competition.

We were both in advanced classes, but he was nothing special. When my friends got together to tackle real problems, he was never invited.

As for business, the clients he courted after coming back couldn't even get meetings with Sterling-affiliated companies.

And in finance? No one was letting a rookie like him play at that level.

So did he steal Charlotte just to get under my skin? To prove something to himself?

Too bad. The System had already stripped away my emotions.

I wasn't going to break down or yell at him to get lost.

And I definitely wasn't going to beg him to give Charlotte back.

Feeling nothing, I pressed the button. "Show him out."