Chapter 2

Andrew's parents stood there, their faces stormy. His mother looked like she wanted to say something, but her husband tugged her away before she could get a word out.

Chloe had slipped away long ago, no one knew where she was.

After I changed out of my wedding dress and slipped into a simple dress, I stepped out of the lounge, and there was Andrew, waiting right at the door.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he seized my wrist in a tight grip. "Summer, let's talk."

I shook his hand off. "There's nothing left to say. My lawyer will be in touch."

"You're really going to erase our three years over one mistake?" His voice cracked with pain. "I love you, Summer. This was a total accident. It was Chloe that came on to me, and I was drunk..."

"Four times drunk?" I scoffed.

"The video clearly shows four different dates."

Andrew froze.

"You... you actually counted?"

"Not only did I count them, I also recognized one of them — it was our anniversary, the day you said you had to go entertain some clients."

I watched his face going pale.

"Andrew, I'm not stupid. I was giving you a chance. But you always let me down."

He stepped back, looking defeated, but then something seemed to hit him and he suddenly blurted out desperately, "Is this all because of Ethan Sinclair? The way you looked at him on stage today—something was off. Summer, he ditched you and ran off overseas back then, and now that he's back, you're going soft on him? He's the real scumbag!"

I stood there, watching him get desperate like a cornered animal. It was honestly kind of funny.

"At least Ethan never once lied to me," I said.

"But you? You kept up the lie for an entire year." I said

I turned to leave, but Andrew called after me: "The Fields Family's got money troubles, right? Your dad's been scrambling for investors lately. You really think Ethan's back because he loves you? He's after the Fields Family's business!"

I paused, but didn't turn around.

When I reached the hotel entrance, Ethan's car was already waiting.

He stepped out, opened my door, didn't ask any questions. He just said, "Shall I take you home?"

I shook my head. "Let's go for a walk by the river."

The evening breeze was cool, and the city lights danced across the river.

Ethan and I walked side by side along the embankment, like we did all those years ago.

"You were the one who posted those videos, weren't you?" I asked softly.

Ethan didn't deny it.

"I warned you, Andrew can't be trusted," he said.

"So you really had to go this far to open my eyes?" I said.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head.

"That's pretty ruthless, Ethan," I said.

"Would you have listened if I'd tried to break it to you gently?" He stopped and looked at me.

"Three months ago, I sent you the receipts from Andrew and Chloe's hotel stays. You deleted them. I had someone take photos of them making out in a car and mailed them to you. You burned those. Summer Fields, who are you really trying to fool here?" Ethan said.

I couldn't find a single word.

Honestly, who was I fooling?

Maybe it was not wanting to see three years of effort go down the drain.

Maybe I was terrified of becoming the laughing stock among my friends.

Or maybe... I couldn't let go of that so-called love I stubbornly believed in.

"When you left back then, that was colder than this." I looked up at him.

"You didn't even give me a reason. Just a breakup text, and then you vanished without a trace." I said.

Ethan's eyes grew more intense. "I had my own reasons."

"Everyone says that," I replied quietly, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. "Everyone claims they had their own struggles."

I turned to face the river.

"Andrew says being drunk is his excuse, you say you had your own reasons. So what about me? Am I supposed to be abandoned again and again?" I said.

After a long silence, Ethan's voice came from behind me.

"I'm not leaving again," he said.

"There's no need for that anymore," I murmured.

"Ethan, there's no going back for us." I said.