Chapter 2

Seeing my mom's eyes all red and swollen, I couldn't help but feel my nose tingle.

"I know, Mom. I won't do anything I shouldn't," I said, trying to reassure her, though my heart felt heavy.

Honestly, there was absolutely nothing between Victor and me. Our relationship was completely innocent.

I just stood there, watching as my mom shuffled away, her steps unsteady.

I couldn't hold back my tears anymore, and I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Suddenly, someone gave my shoulder a gentle pat and said softly, "Don't cry, or you'll look even sillier."

I didn't even have to look to know it was Victor.

I brushed his hand away and quickly wiped my tears. "I'm okay."

After that day, I switched seats.

But Victor, who used to tease me nonstop, was suddenly like a whole new person, popping up wherever I went.

I kept reminding him we were just classmates and turned down every request, but he wouldn't take no for an answer, always showing up like clockwork.

One day, I finally said what I'd been holding back.

"Victor, I hate you," I said, my voice trembling.

He'd always been so stubborn, but as soon as those words left my mouth, he disappeared as if he'd never existed. And weirdly enough, I felt empty inside.

Honestly, I thought that was the last I'd ever see of him.

But at a class reunion after graduation, he showed up in front of me again.

He was in a crisp black suit, looking more mature and composed than he did in school.

He was joking around with the others, but his gaze kept sneaking over to me.

Seeing Victor might make me do something totally out of character. I actually swapped my juice for a glass of wine.

After a few rounds, half the class was already slurring their words.

My cheeks were burning, and I was starting to feel a little dizzy.

Some of my classmates, caught up in dreams of college or just not ready to say goodbye to old friends, started heading out one after another, lost in their own thoughts.

Following their lead, I walked out of the restaurant.

It was late in the autumn, around seven or eight at night, and the sky was already dark. A chilly breeze made me hug my jacket closer as I kept moving forward.

The buzz from the drinks was starting to fade, and the moonlight spilled over me, stretching my shadow far across the ground.

Suddenly, there were two shadows on the ground, and any trace of alcohol left in me disappeared instantly.

I took off running, but the person behind me wasn't letting up.

Just as I was about to scream for help, my foot slipped, and I fell forward, my head slamming toward a rock.

But right at that moment, the person behind me pulled me into his arms and whispered, "Don't be afraid. It's me."

I instantly recognized his voice, and as I breathed in his familiar scent and soaked it, I realized I really liked him.

He just held me tight, saying nothing.

"Let me take you home. It's so dark out," Victor said, throwing his jacket over my shoulders.

As I stared into his eyes, I just knew he loved me.

"Do you like me?" I choked out, gazing at him through teary eyes.

Victor broke into a goofy grin, looking just like a kid. "Of course I do. I've been into you since the first moment I met you."

We got together, and I didn't let my mom down. I made it into Feroville University.

My mom found work as a piano teacher for a wealthy family, and life finally got better.

He said, "Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I promise I'll make sure you're happy."

And he kept his word. He always stuck with me, never letting go.

At least, that was how it seemed to me.

Day and night, I couldn't wait to marry Victor and build a happy life together.

This was our sixth year together, and we'd agreed this would be the year we finally tied the knot.

I marked off each day on my calendar, counting down and eagerly waiting for our wedding day to arrive.

As the big day drew closer, I had everything ready: the wedding dress, the diamond ring, all of it.

I knew he was busy. Being one of the top heirs in Feroville meant he had a ton of work to deal with every single day.

All our friends would tell him how lucky he was to have someone like me, who was beautiful, graceful, and always looking out for him.

He'd smile and say nothing, and I always thought he was secretly thrilled inside.

But when hearing the laughter coming from inside his hotel room with some girl I didn't even know, it finally hit me.

I kept telling myself maybe they were discussing business or something, desperately trying to fool myself.

But what I heard next was like a knife twisting in my heart.

Inside the room, a girl was sprawled across Victor's chest, her voice soft and teasing. "Victor, would your fiancée be mad if she found out about us?"

"Mad?" Victor chuckled, snuffing out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Please. All these years, she's been stuck to me like glue."