Chapter 3
Later, I heard Elias quit school just for her, and after Christmas, they were heading overseas to study together.
Word that Elias had dumped me spread like wildfire through the school overnight.
People would point and whisper about me in class, and the cafeteria was always buzzing with gossip.
"See? She got dumped after all. I told you she wasn't good enough for Elias."
"Well, the gap between them is just too huge."
A dull ache started in my heart.
For the first time in my life, I knew what heartbreak felt like.
Margo clenched her fists in anger. "Julia, did you just let it go? That jerk just dumped you for another girl."
I reached out and gently stroked Margo's cheek.
Of course, I demanded answers. I bombarded him with messages and called him over and over, but it was like he'd disappeared. He never gave me a single response.
It wasn't until his birthday, right before he left the country, that, out of the blue, I finally got a message from him.
Elias: [Let's meet up. I'm going abroad.]
I hadn't let go completely at that time.
Full of lingering resentment, I followed the map he gave me and found the penthouse.
The table was covered with all kinds of luxury gifts, while all I had was just a regular shopping bag in my hand.
Elias stood out in the crowd, one arm around Sophie, a cigarette in the other hand. He was there, yet not the same boy I knew.
Someone nudged him, and only then did he notice me. He walked over, unhurried, flashing that cocky grin.
"Hi. Do you want to grab a seat over there?" he said.
"No," I said, my voice shaking. I came right out and asked him, "Why?"
"No reason. I'm just tired of it," he said, flat and unconcerned.
I couldn't accept it. "What did I do wrong?"
"Julia, stop," he snapped, his face suddenly turning cold. "This is meaningless. Your biggest mistake is thinking you ever truly knew me."
The world seemed to go silent all of a sudden, and I just didn't feel like saying another word.
After a moment, Elias's eyes landed on the bag I was holding.
He grabbed it right out of my hand and ripped it open without a second thought. A sleek diamond bracelet for men glinted under the lights.
I was just a poor design student.
Nobody knew how long I'd been saving up for those diamonds, or how much blood, sweat, and tears I'd poured into designing and polishing that bracelet.
"Looks nice," Elias said, barely even looking at it. He just tossed it over to the bodyguard, not caring at all.
He said, "Let Sophie's dog have it. I heard he's really into shiny stuff these days."
My heart hurt even worse, and before I knew it, I slapped Elias hard across the face.
He just turned his head aside, not even sparing me another glance.
As I was leaving, a drone light show started outside the window. Glittering words slowly appeared against the night sky.
It read: [Happy 23rd Birthday, Elias. Elias loves Sophie forever.]
By the time I finished, Margo and I had already arrived at my place in Sundral.
I calmly poured her a cup of coffee while she was already crying her eyes out.
"What happened after that, Julia? You never talked to him again, right?" Margo asked.
I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
Actually, I did try to reach out to him.
Three days after Elias's birthday, my mom suddenly got sick and was rushed to Sundral by ambulance.
She was in critical condition, and the only hope was to transfer her to the best private hospital in Sundral.
However, we had no connections and no money. Getting her in there was basically impossible.
Suddenly, I remembered Elias once saying that the Foster family had a stake in that hospital.
I didn't even hesitate. I just kept calling him again and again.
"Did he pick up?" Margo asked, watching me, clearly hoping for an answer.
I shook my head, then nodded. "He did pick up, but it wasn't him."
When the call finally connected, a woman's voice came through. "Hi, this is Sophie. Elias can't come to the phone. And from now on, please don't call again."
"Wait, this is really important. Someone is dying," I pleaded, my voice shaking. "Please, can you just let him talk to me?"
"Listen, I already told you. Whatever happens to you has nothing to do with Elias anymore. Stop humiliating yourself," she said coldly.
Her words pierced my throat like a jagged thorn, leaving me in deep pain.
I held the phone, unable to utter a sound, until the line ended with cold beeps.
My mom didn't get into that private hospital. She was gone forever.