Chapter 3
And there was a message: [Elena, don't you get it yet? Who does he really love?]
Elena knew it was from Kaylee.
For a split second, Elena felt a wave of disgust and anger wash over her.
Elena couldn't fathom how someone could be this brazen.
But the truth was, Sidney had been with Kaylee for over half a month and hadn't come home once.
While Sidney was away, Elena had finally come to her senses. She was furious and ready to throw caution to the wind, so she posted that status on her social media.
She never expected Myron to reach out to her.
But whether he was joking or serious, Elena knew that she was never going back to Sidney.
She had already wasted way too many years on him.
On the weekend, Elena dressed up a bit, grabbed her gift, and headed out.
It was their middle school homeroom teacher Jenna's birthday, and the class had all agreed to celebrate together.
When Elena arrived, everyone else was already there.
Most of them had seen her post, and now that she showed up alone, they couldn't help but gossip about whether things were off between her and Sidney.
But Elena didn't care about the looks she was getting. She handed her gift to Jenna.
Jenna was their literature teacher, always warm and approachable.
Back in school, she had always looked out for Elena.
So now, Elena still felt a deep fondness for her.
"Happy birthday, Ms. Perkins. May your life be blessed with all good fortune; may you stay healthy and live a long and joyful life," Elena said.
Elena said a string of blessings, making Jenna laugh so hard her eyes turned into little crescents.
Just then, the door swung open again.
It was Sidney.
And right behind him was Kaylee, beaming like a flower, draped in Sidney's jacket, their hands intertwined.
Anyone looking at them would say, "Now that's a real couple."
For a moment, all eyes were on Elena, Sidney, and Kaylee.
Kaylee was completely unfazed by the attention. She smiled and handed her gift to Jenna.
"Ms. Perkins, I'm Kaylee. Sorry we're late. Sidney waited for me to pick out a gift, and I took forever," Kaylee said.
Those words alone told the whole story.
Their gazes grew even more curious.
Everyone knew Sidney and Elena were the real couple here.
Kurt was their old classmate, and now that he had just passed away, Kaylee was already with his best friend.
For a moment, nobody knew what to say.
But Elena, right in the middle of it all, didn't care at all.
She casually pulled out her phone and started texting Myron. Lately, they had been seriously talking about getting married.
It was nothing like she had imagined.
The man she used to call the Tyrant Boss turned out to be a surprisingly good match for her.
Whenever she was with Myron, all those sad feelings about Sidney eased a great deal.
The Tyrant Boss: [Want me to come pick you up later?]
Elena paused, her fingers hovering over the screen.
After thinking for a moment, she tapped send: [Alright, thanks for the trouble, Mr. Garcia.]
The Tyrant Boss: [We're almost married now; just call me Myron.]
Elena felt her cheeks flush for some reason.
Sidney saw it all, and his expression soured instantly.
During the party, Elena ducked into the restroom to freshen up her makeup, but as soon as she walked out, Sidney stepped in front of her.
"Elena," Sidney said, his voice laced with jealousy.
"Who were you texting a moment ago?" he asked.
"Do I have to tell you every time I message someone?" Elena replied.
She met his gaze calmly, not giving anything away.
"You can be all lovey-dovey with Kaylee, but you still want to tell me who I can be with? Sidney, isn't that just ridiculous?" Elena shot back.
Just as Elena was about to walk away, Sidney, without saying a word, forcefully wrapped his jacket around her shoulders.
Elena immediately frowned and pulled away.
"Are you insane?" she snapped.
"Why are you dressed so revealingly? A bunch of guys couldn't take their eyes off you," Sidney said.
Sidney draped the jacket over Elena's shoulders again, not taking no for an answer.
Elena impatiently yanked the jacket off and tossed it to the floor.
"Anything Kaylee has touched, I don't want. Actually, I don't want anything that's yours, period," she snapped.
With that, she marched straight back into the private room.
A few minutes later, Sidney returned to his seat, his face dark and stormy.
Jenna's birthday party was just one long, awkward mess.
When it was finally over, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, including Sidney and Kaylee.
Sidney was holding Kaylee's hand as they walked past Elena. He shot her a cold look and said, "I'm taking Kaylee home. I might not be back tonight, so just get a cab."
Kaylee gave Sidney a playful pat and pouted, "Seriously, how could you? Elena's your fiancée.
"You can't just ditch her for me and make her take a cab. Elena, don't mind him. Come on, hop in. I'll make Sidney drop you off first."
She sounded like she was the one running the show.
And Elena was just some outsider.
Elena pulled her hand away from Kaylee and replied with a chilly tone, "No thanks. My ride's already here."