Chapter 2
Three years ago, I just got into Riverside University as a freshman in the law department.
Then, my mom fell seriously ill, and it wiped out everything we had saved.
I had never known my father since birth; my mother raised me all on her own.
She was my only family in this world.
To make some money, I dropped out for a while and went to work at the most exclusive club in Bayport.
That was the day I met Edward.
The manager introduced me to him, saying I was new and still a virgin.
He stared at me for a long time, his voice deep and husky, with a magnetic pull, as he asked, "What brings you here to sell yourself?"
Back then, I was still young, and it took all the courage I had just to step into a nightclub.
His words were so raw and direct that they sounded especially harsh to me.
My cheeks flushed, and I could barely get the words out.
"My mom's really sick, and I need the money," I finally managed to say.
Because of what I said, I stayed with Edward.
Mom's illness was always up and down, never really stable.
For three whole years, I got a lot of money from Edward.
No matter how much I asked for, Edward always gave it to me, never once saying no.
All I had to do was keep him company, mess around with him, and drink with him.
And sometimes, I slept with him.
Life wasn't so bad these past three years.
Edward was eight years older, and he spoiled me like I was his kid sister.
He was always asking how I was doing, loved to surprise me, and if I asked for cash, he'd wire it without blinking.
Being Edward's girl meant nobody would touch me; even the manager tiptoed around me.
Word was that Edward totally fell in love with me.
Even I couldn't help but start fantasizing.
Edward was so good to me.
What if, someday, Mom got better and I didn't have to worry about money anymore?
Could I leave the lounge, go back to school, and finally be with him for real?
That hope quietly took root inside me and began to grow.
So when the doctor finally handed me the recovery notice, saying Mom was healthy again, I was so overwhelmed with joy that I burst into tears.
I ran all the way to Edward's place, still crying with happiness.
I couldn't wait to tell him the good news and start dreaming about our future together.
But the moment I punched in the code, the first thing I saw was a pair of shiny silver high heels by the door.
I froze for a couple of seconds, then walked up to the bedroom door, where I heard the unmistakable sounds of two people in the middle of something intimate.
My heart, which had been bursting with excitement, instantly turned to ice.
I started shaking uncontrollably and just sank to the floor.
I knew exactly who was in that room.
One was Edward.
The other was Charlotte Hayes, the golden girl from the Hayes family in Bayport.
Edward once took me to a casino, guiding my hand at the poker table, showing me how to outplay Charlotte.
And now, the two of them were inside, making love.
I squeezed my eyes shut, biting my lip so hard that I nearly drew blood, and trying not to let the sobs escape.
It made sense.
Why would the golden boy in Bayport ever fall for someone like me, just a girl working the nightlife?
Someone like him would never settle for just one woman.
All of it was just a fantasy I made up for myself.
I wiped away my tears, ready to leave.
But just then, I heard something that cut even deeper.
Once it was over, Charlotte, breathless and playful, cooed at him. "Don't you think you should keep things quiet with that bar girl?
"Your dad found out and totally lost it. He chewed me out for ages."
After a long pause, I heard the soft click of a lighter.
Edward's voice was cold as he spoke. "Just a bar girl, nothing more. I'm not planning to marry her. Why should my dad care?"
Maybe it was just my pride getting in the way.
That night, I walked out of Edward's place and spent the whole night by the shore, watching the waves crash under the moonlight.
By the next morning, everything felt painfully clear.
Nothing hurt more than a woman building up dreams about a future with someone, only to find out he never even planned to let her in.
After I finally understood my place, I walked out of Bayport and never looked back.
*****
Someone calling out their order pulled me back to reality.
I shot Edward a glance as I fixed him a cup of coffee.
"Finish your coffee and go back to Bayport, Mr. Sinclair. I'm not leaving with you," I said.
The day after I found out about him and Charlotte, I was set on going back to Riverside University and getting my life back on track.
Honestly, losing love hurt, but losing my future was what really broke me.
If he hadn't tried to force me to stay in Bayport, I never would've had to run.
But the good thing was, this was Riverside, not Bayport, where he could pull strings and get whatever he wanted.
If he wanted to come after me now, he'd have to jump through a lot more hoops.