Chapter 1
My mother arranged a blind date for my father's most prized student.
The other party was a top Pennington University graduate, perfectly matched with him in both career and appearance, so flawless there was nothing to criticize.
After a full dinner together, the two of them got along very well.
But when they were finally asked what he thought, he curled his lips slightly and said, “Why not Marlee?”
My mother laughed and scolded him for being improper.
She said that an ordinary university graduate like me had no right to be compared to him.
She didn't notice my face slowly turning pale.
And she would never know that I had been secretly dating him for three years.
Just last Friday, when I used breaking up as leverage to force him to make our relationship public, he leaned back against the bed and casually exhaled a ring of smoke.
"Do you believe I could find someone better tomorrow?"
"And do you think you could still get access to someone better than me?"
Feeling his amused gaze on me, I looked up again and forced a well-behaved smile.
"Regina and you are quite a good match. I hope I get to drink your wedding wine soon."
The smile on his face froze instantly.
*****
My mother didn't notice the shift in Jonas's expression.
Instead, she let out a sigh in my direction.
She said, "If only you were even half as accomplished as Professor Stanley's daughter, you wouldn't still be single."
My father chuckled, trying to ease the tension. He said, "Marlee's just the kind of girl anyone would be lucky to have. She's good-natured, thoughtful, and always reliable."
I'd heard those words so many times.
The "good girl" tag was stuck to me like glue I couldn't shake off.
But they'd never in a million years guess that someone as straight-laced as me had been secretly dating my father's prized student for three whole years.
Three years ago, Jonas pinned me against the wall, a playful smirk on his face as he saw right through the girlish secret I thought I'd hidden so well.
He teased, "Marlee, you like me, don't you?"
I thought alcohol was a really bad thing.
Otherwise, how could I get so tipsy just from the scent of it I couldn't even react?
Before I could protest, his lips captured mine, cutting off any feeble excuse I might have tried.
Three years later, he was sitting right beside me.
Just like countless times before, his hand found mine under the cover of the tablecloth.
He caressed the back of my hand carelessly with his burning fingers.
My father said, "Marlee's still young. There's no need to hurry."
"But as for the Stanley family's daughter, honestly, I just don't see what's so special about her..."
Before he could finish, I subtly withdrew my hand and set it back on the table.
Jonas paused, then spoke again, his tone teasing.
"Yeah, I think we're pretty well matched. Why not give it a try?"
Jonas used to hate it whenever someone tried to set him up with a date.
This was the first time he looked pleased about it.
My mother was absolutely thrilled and handed Jonas her contact info right away.
She went on and on about how great Regina was.
"She comes from a literary family, and she's so graceful and dignified."
"She's a graduate from Pennington University, so you two will have lots in common!"
She was so caught up in praising Regina that she didn't even notice when I quietly said I was going back to my room.
As I walked away, I could feel Jonas's probing gaze lingering on me.
But this time, I didn't look back.
It was late, and I'd just stepped out of the shower, my hair still wet and dripping.
Before I could even reach for a towel, someone quietly pushed open my bedroom door.
My parents had given Jonas his own room at our place, so he could crash here anytime.
After three years, sneaking into my room like this was practically routine for him.
Before I could even react, Jonas pressed me up against the wall.
"Are you really mad at me?"
"Are you mad enough to let your boyfriend start something with another woman?"
He loved making me call him "your boyfriend" whenever he was flirting.
But honestly, I just couldn't figure him out.
He was the one who kept us hidden for three years, always so afraid people would find out and he'd lose face.
And now, acting like nothing's wrong, he slipped into my room to coax me, as if everything's perfectly normal.
His familiar breath was so close to my ear that my knees nearly gave out.
Jonas seemed pretty satisfied with my reaction, his smirk only growing deeper.
"It's just a label. Does it really mean that much to you?"
"Even if I end up marrying someone else, that won't stop me from coming to you, will it?"
I shoved him away, pointed at the door, and said quietly, "I’m going to rest. Get out."
Jonas's eyes grew cold as he pulled out his phone right in front of me.
He sent a text to Regina, and she replied him right away: [Hi, Jonas. I heard there's a great coffee place. Want to check it out sometime?]
Jonas stared at me, like he was waiting for something.
But my face didn't give anything away.
Finally, Jonas coolly typed back on his phone.
[Sure, anytime.]
He walked out.