Chapter 1
Damien Norris, the cold and unattainable man every woman chased after, ended up with me, the so-called well-behaved girl.
People said Damien was too aloof, not the type to care about anyone, and that someone like me could never handle him.
But after three years together, he always treated me just as well as he did from the very beginning.
The guy who was never supposed to be thoughtful would drive all over the city just because I mentioned I wanted a cupcake. He even showed up at my door in the middle of the night.
When I was on my period, he'd cancel all his meetings and take a red-eye flight back home, just to keep my stomach warm.
I told him it wasn't worth it.
He'd hold me tight, his chin resting on my shoulder. "For you, Cora, it's always worth it."
Back then, I truly believed we'd be together forever.
But then one day, I overheard him talking to someone else. "Damien, you and Cora have been together for years now. Isn't it about time you got married? Make sure to invite us to the wedding."
Damien was sprawled out on the couch, legs crossed, looking completely indifferent.
"Marriage? Our relationship is just for fun," he replied.
*****
His voice was utterly devoid of emotion. But it was like a blade driven right into my heart.
The pain was suffocating. I could hardly breathe.
"No way, seriously?" someone blurted out.
Another voice spoke up. "Cora's got that good girl reputation. You two have been together for three years, and now you're suddenly talking about breaking up. Are you sure she can handle it?"
Damien replied, "That's not my concern."
His voice was icy, not a trace of emotion.
Right then, his phone rang. Damien picked up and walked out.
I slipped quietly to the side, trying not to be seen.
Watching him walk away, I slumped to the floor, feeling utterly defeated.
"No way. Damien is seeing someone new?" someone blurted out.
"New? Could be an old flame for all we know," another chimed in.
"Cora's really got it rough," someone else muttered.
The noise washed over me as I stumbled out, feeling like the walking dead.
I called my best friend, Erin Norris.
I had no idea how Erin got me back home. Deep down, I was completely numb.
My tears had almost dried up, and my eyes were so swollen.
When Erin asked what was wrong, I could barely get the words out, my voice trembling. "Damien... he never loved me. To him, it was all just a game. Erin, I'm so heartbroken."
"What?" Erin jumped up instantly.
She grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet. "Come on. Let's go find that bastard and get you some justice."
I sobbed, "But I don't even know where he is."
Erin said, "Just wait here."
With that, she pulled out her phone and headed out to the balcony.
I only ended up with Damien because Erin introduced us.
Damien was Erin's older brother. He was seven years older than her and had been studying abroad since he was a kid.
A few years ago, he came back to take over the family business.
Back then, Erin kept talking about Damien.
She always said, "Why let a good man go to outsiders? I'd better introduce him to my friend!"
So when the timing was right, she set us up.
I never really expected to end up with Damien.
But after messing around for a while, I actually started to fall for him.
"Let's go!" Erin grabbed my arm and, without another word, dragged me downstairs.
We jumped in the car, and she fired up the engine. The car shot off like a rocket.
In less than ten minutes, we pulled up in front of a standalone villa.
Erin stormed up and started pounding on the door.
The door swung open, and there was Damien, shirtless, with just a towel slung low around his hips.
The air instantly turned tense.
"Damien, who's at the door?" a crisp feminine voice echoed from within the house.
The next moment, a girl in a white slip dress appeared in the doorway.
When I saw her face, I froze right there. Her face wasn't just a little similar to mine. It was almost identical.
"It's nothing, sweetheart. Go on inside and wait for me," Damien said.
His tall frame blocked my view.
He turned back to the girl, his movements so gentle they could melt anyone's heart.
But when he turned back to me, his tone was ice-cold. "What do you want?" he asked.
My chest tightened, and my eyes burned with tears I couldn't hold back.
Before Erin could say a word, I marched up, my voice shaky. "Who was that girl in there?"
Damien said flatly, "She's my girlfriend."
It was the answer I saw coming.
I bit my lip so hard it almost hurt, fighting back tears. "Your girlfriend? Damien, don't you think you owe me an explanation? When did we break up?"
He replied, "Right now."
His voice was icy, completely devoid of emotion. It was as if he was just stating a fact, something that didn't matter at all.
But his words were like a blade forged in ice, stabbing deep into my heart. It hurt so much I couldn't even breathe.
"That's it? You just say we're done, and it's over? Damien, after three years, what did I even mean to you?" My voice was trembling.