Chapter 3

My unusual relationship with Alexander started three years ago.

He was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, standing out at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

I stood in the falling snow, presenting him with the golden ceremonial scissors.

His intense gaze paused on me for a fleeting moment.

Not long after, my mom suddenly fell seriously ill; her life was on the line. The only thing that could keep her going was some expensive imported drug.

When I had nowhere else to turn, Alex appeared out of nowhere and offered to pay for my mom's treatment, but only if I agreed to be his.

With my mom's life hanging in the balance, I agreed to his terms and moved into his lavish mansion.

At first, Alex was careful not to take things too far because I was so young. He treated me with a kind of gentle protectiveness, never making a move on me.

He knew I struggled with feeling safe, so he'd always come straight home after work just to be with me.

Whenever I woke up crying from a nightmare, Alex would pull me into his arms and comfort me, even using his suit that probably cost a fortune to wipe my nose.

No one could resist him. He was ice-cold with everyone else, but when it was just me, he'd let his guard down. His eyes would soften as he pulled me onto his lap, fussing over me and slipping my shoes on with a playful grumble.

I insisted on shaving him, but accidentally nicked his chin. When blood started to drip, I felt so guilty that I burst into tears. He comforted me, coaxing me to kiss him, saying that would make it all better.

My heart was overflowing with love for him, so much that I couldn't hold it back anymore. I pulled him into bed.

After that, once he got a taste, he couldn't stop. He was addicted, and things only got more intense from there.

Back then, I'd curl up in his arms, stubbornly telling myself again and again, "See, it's not like that between us. We're not that kind of couple."

But when did things really start to change?

It must've been the day Lily came back, fresh from her studies.

Honestly, with a guy like Alexander, everyone's dream, rich and untouchable, girls lined up for miles just to get his attention. But I never lost sleep over it.

I'd seen him stone-faced, shutting them down without a hint of emotion, not even sparing them a second glance.

I couldn't help but feel a little smug, thinking I was the only one with the key to crack open his golden armor.

That all changed when my friends in the group chat dropped a bomb. His first love was back.

One of them messaged: [Those two grew up together, total childhood sweethearts. Word is, they were already dating in high school. Then Lily went overseas for her design dreams, and Alexander was totally down in the dumps, barely speaking to anyone.]

Another sent: [You only managed to land him because you caught him at a weak moment.]

Someone else sent: [Winona, you really need to start planning.]

Another added: [Families like theirs? It's almost guaranteed they'll end up together. Plus, they've got a whole past together.]

Another sent: [You probably don't get how lethal first love can be. I know girls who became stand-ins for their sugar daddies, just because the guy never got over his first love.]

It was like someone popped my perfect dream bubble; panic hit me hard, leaving me totally shaken.

After that, I just couldn't bring myself to wait around in the mansion for Alexander anymore.

I kept blowing up his phone from morning till night, always asking what he was up to and when he'd be back.

At first, Alexander thought my clingy moods were adorable, and he'd always humor me with endless patience.

But I was constantly anxious, unable to find a moment's peace.

Especially whenever my friends in the group chat told me he was spending time with Lily again, my imagination ran wild. I was scared he'd start giving all his gentleness to another woman.

Eventually, Alexander got tired of it and just stopped picking up my calls.

When he finally came home, I was always a bundle of nerves, and tears would start falling before I could even say a word. I'd ask him over and over to promise there was no one else.

He'd just rub his temples in frustration and say, "Winona, I'm exhausted. I've got a never-ending list of things to do every single day. Can't you be a little more mature?

"I work my ass off to give you a life of luxury and pay for your mom's treatment. Coming home to your constant drama isn't what I'm working so hard for.

"Do you have any idea what your role is here?"

After he said that, the air grew heavy with silence, stretching on between us.

It felt like the perfect dream I'd worked so hard to protect had been shattered in an instant, leaving me wishing I could just disappear from the shame.

I stared at him in disbelief, eyes swimming with tears, desperate for him to say he didn't mean it, that he'd just blurted it out without thinking.

But he just kept his lips pressed into a thin line, refusing to say a word.

It took everything I had to get the words out.

I asked, "What am I to you, really?"

He gave me one last look before storming out, slamming the door so hard it echoed through the house.

And at that moment, the hospital called to say my mom's condition had gotten worse.