Chapter 2

They got into the car and drove off, leaving me standing there, the exhaust fumes swirling around me. Even from a distance, I could see the smug grin on Cordelia's face.

I clenched the flyer in my hand, finally letting my guard drop. I sank onto the bench next to me, taking a moment to steady myself.

Since the transplant, I'd been dealing with bouts of ringing in my ears.

The doctor had said it was just a side effect of the surgery. Every time it hit, all I could do was endure it.

And so, it had been three whole years.

I looked up at the building's screen.

Adam's interview was playing on a loop.

There he was, holding the championship trophy as the hottest name in town.

Suddenly, my mind flashed back to three years ago, when everything started falling apart.

Back then, Adam and I had been madly in love. One night, we got caught up in a robbery. Adam threw himself in front of me to protect me, and the thug hurt his ear. He lost his hearing in that ear for good.

His right ear was bandaged, but he still teased, "It's fine. I can hear just fine with one ear. I guess I can't compete for a while, but I'll be back next time."

He smiled, but I could see the sadness in his eyes.

Those world-class piano competitions were only held once every decade. As I looked at Adam, I couldn't help but wonder if he ever had a shot at his dream ten years later.

Guilt gnawed at me, and I collapsed into his arms, crying uncontrollably.

That same day, Nigel Slater, Adam's sworn enemy, came to me with an offer, asking me to be his girlfriend.

He told me he planned to take away from Adam the one thing he cared about most, and in exchange, he'd grant me one wish.

I told him that I wanted Adam to realize his dream.

And just like that, Adam and I fell apart completely.

I'd never forget the look of disbelief in his eyes the day we broke up.

He looked absolutely devastated. He dropped to his knees and begged me to stay, promising to turn things around and protect me for the rest of his life.

I had carried that memory with me for three years.

Thankfully, Adam did achieve his dream in the end.

He didn't let himself down, and he didn't let me down, either.

But when we crossed paths again, the contempt and resentment in his eyes felt like a punch straight to the heart.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Adam.

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

His voice came through, cold and flat, with no emotion.

"I've sent you the location. Bring back the necklace that I gave you. Show up in ten minutes, and I'll pay you 1,500 dollars," he said.

Before I could say anything, he hung up.

I clutched the necklace in my pocket. It was the one Adam had given me, the token of our love.

He once told me that as long as I had the necklace, his heart would always be with me.

For three years, I kept it close like a lucky charm as a constant reminder of him.

But now, with everything over between us, it was time to give it back.

*****

I didn't hesitate. The trip was only thirty minutes, but somehow, I managed to get there ten minutes early.

When I walked into the private room, breathless, I saw Adam carefully wiping Cordelia's mouth with a tissue. Everyone around them was gushing about how sweet they looked together.

Someone commented, "Adam really loves Cordelia. They're so cute together."

Another chimed in, "Back then, when Adam lost his hearing, Cordelia was the one who stayed by his side through his roughest year. She did everything she could for his surgery and even scrambled to borrow money to pay for it. How could he not love her?"

I frowned, forcing myself to suppress my feelings.

But I wasn't going to let Cordelia take credit for things she hadn't earned.

Adam and I were done, for good.

Honestly, I had never believed someone like me, a deaf cripple, deserved to stand with him, a world champion.

I stepped into the room, and it went silent for a moment. Then, someone snickered.

"Isn't this Adam's first love? The one who dumped him for just 650 dollars? Now that he's made it big, she's here trying to suck up to him," someone scoffed.

"Look at her," someone else added, "She looks like a mess. If you didn't know any better, you'd think she came to beg for a handout."

Laughter spread through the room, and Adam just stood there, letting them mock me.

A greedy glint flashed in Cordelia's eyes when she noticed the necklace I was holding.

"That necklace's not bad," she said casually. "Actually, it'd make a great anklet for me."

With that, she stuck out her foot, tilted her head, and gave me a taunting grin.

"Evelyn, aren't you strapped for cash? If you put it around my ankle for me, I'll give you 3,000 dollars right now," she teased.

Adam, who'd been silent through all of this, finally furrowed his brows.

He said, "Just hand over the necklace and leave."

I didn't have much of a choice. I was broke, and 3,000 dollars would get me by for a while.

I crouched down and slowly fastened the necklace around Cordelia's ankle.

Everyone was stunned. They hadn't expected me to actually go through with it.

Adam's fingers gripped his wine glass. His eyes were cold and sharp.

"Are you really that desperate, Evelyn?" Adam sneered. "You'd throw away every last shred of dignity just for some cash?"

The sting of humiliation hit me hard, but I didn't respond.

Cordelia smirked, dripping with sarcasm. "Dignity? Please. She's just another woman willing to sell her soul for a buck. The greedy ones always end up with nothing, while the real hustlers get everything they want."

She added, "Evelyn, 650 dollars is pocket change. Adam's spent 650 thousand on me before. If you hadn't bailed back then, you'd be the one cashing in now, not me."

I didn't respond, but the lack of my reaction seemed to set Cordelia off. Without warning, she kicked out, and her high heel slammed into my right ear.

I staggered, falling to the floor hard. My ear burned, hot and sticky. When I touched it, my fingers came away smeared with blood.

Adam set his glass down with a sharp clink, instinctively starting to rise to help me. But then something stopped him, and he held back.

I gritted my teeth against the pain and forced myself up, locking eyes with Cordelia.

She curled up next to Adam, feigning fear. "Adam, did you see that? Is she trying to hit me?"

"If she lays a finger on you, I've got your back," Adam said, shooting me a cold look. "So, my girlfriend just kicked you. What's your price this time? How much will it take for you to shut up?"

His icy glare pierced through me, making my heart feel like it was being shredded. But I just held out my account number.

"Wow, Mr. Quinn, you really know how to show off both your wallet and your devotion," I said. "So, that'll be a 5,000 dollar service fee, plus another 3,000 for the hospital bills. Total comes to 8,000 dollars."

"Got it," Adam said.

As soon as I stepped out of the restaurant, I felt my phone buzz with a notification. Adam had transferred 15 thousand dollars to my account.

I didn't even bother checking it. I just hailed a cab and headed straight home.