Chapter 2

I had spent a long time burying those agonizing memories.

But Amelia's sudden reappearance dragged me right back into the past.

I pushed through the exhaustion. After finishing my food delivery route, I rushed to my evening shift as a waiter at a luxury hotel.

But the moment I carried my tray into the private dining room, I was caught off guard, locking eyes with Amelia.

She casually looked away, turning to Bradley with a smile:

"Baby, what would you like to drink?"

Bradley opened his mouth to answer, but then he looked up and recognized me.

"Wait. Aren't you the guy selling shoes this morning?"

As soon as he spoke, Amelia's close friend, Rachel King, recognized me too.

"The shoe guy? Oh my god, isn't this Daniel Brooks, the golden boy of our graduating class? Done selling shoes and already switched to serving drinks?"

She had always held a grudge against me for "betraying" Amelia, so naturally, she wasn't going to let this opportunity slide.

"What happened? Your good days living off a rich woman finally came to an end? Now you're reduced to begging for tips with a tray?"

The guests in the private room immediately started whispering.

I set the tray down numbly, silently doing what a waiter was supposed to do.

I was just about to step out when Rachel scoffed and called out:

"Who said you could leave? Come here and light the candles."

She pointed to the extravagant five-tier cake on the rolling cart, next to a bouquet of roses and a greeting card.

"And read the message on the card for my friend. Read it like you mean it, or I'm complaining to your manager right now."

My prosthetic leg required regular maintenance. Every month, I had to cover steep physical therapy bills, equipment copays, and the fees for my adaptive sports rehab.

I had already lost one part-time job today. I couldn't afford to lose a second.

I took a deep breath, lit the candles one by one, and picked up the roses and the card.

"Bradley, this surprise is from Amelia."

I forced myself to hold it together, adopting a stiff, theatrical tone as I read the card aloud:

"Bradley, I think the greatest happiness in life is realizing that the person you love loves you back."

The lights in the room gradually dimmed, and a romantic, intimate atmosphere rose up.

The woman I had loved down to my very bones was now forcing me to personally deliver her declaration of love to another man.

No one cared about my presence.

Everyone crowded around Amelia and Bradley, cheering them on:

"You two are a perfect match!"

"With the mood set like this, you have to kiss!"

Amidst the cheering, Bradley stepped toward Amelia, his eyes full of anticipation.

Amelia's lips curved into a stunning smile, her bright red lipstick bold and striking.

But just as Bradley leaned in to kiss her, I caught a microscopic twitch in her brow from the corner of my eye. She only let him gently kiss her cheek.

"Miss Hart, what kind of innocent act are you playing?"

The crowd booed in disappointment, and Bradley looked visibly thrown off.

Only I saw the icy glare Amelia shot in my direction.

I knew she was just deliberately pretending not to know me.

Taking advantage of the crowd's teasing, I slipped out of the room.

It wasn't until I stood in front of the restroom mirror that I realized my eyes were bloodshot.

My chest tightened in waves. I took a deep breath, wiped the corners of my eyes, and walked out of the restroom.

The next second, a soft body pressed directly into my space.

Amelia's face was as cold as ice:

"Even a heartless bastard like you knows how to cry, Daniel?"

"Did that rich bitch dump you? Is that why you're working every pathetic, degrading job you can find?!"

Her rapid-fire questions were laced with pure venom.

I knew she still hated me.

So I forced the corners of my mouth up, straightening my spine as I met her gaze.

"I am pretty desperate for cash. Miss Hart, are you offering to help me out?"

She clearly hadn't expected me to be so shameless. She clenched her jaw, glaring at me for a long moment before letting out a cold sneer:

"It's my friend's birthday in a few days. You love serving people so much, don't you? Come serve me and Bradley then. I'll pay you ten times your rate."

I was just about to shake my head and refuse, but her expression darkened again.

"Daniel, you owe me a debt you couldn't repay in a lifetime. But if you show up that day, I'll consider us completely even."

After a brief moment of thought, I looked up at her.

"Fine. I'll go. But Amelia, I expect you to keep your word."