Chapter 1

Three years after the breakup, I was working as a trainee front desk clerk at the seven-star hotel I owned.

Alex Sterling, my ex-boyfriend, showed up with his new girlfriend, Chloe Grant, wrapped around his arm. They were the first guests to check into the hotel's top-floor presidential suite.

"Alex, this place is gorgeous," Chloe cooed, snuggling up to him. "I hope the service is up to the same standard. I'd hate for some random people to ruin our night."

Her eyes drifted pointedly to the name tag pinned to my chest, [Evelyn Starr].

Alex casually swiped his key card to unlock the door without looking at me.

That night, I received three calls from his room.

The first time, he said, "The sheets are dirty. Send over new ones."

I called room service.

Two hours later, he called again. "The towels in the bathroom aren't soft enough. Have them replaced."

I called room service again.

At two in the morning, the phone rang for the third time. Before he could say a word, I answered in my most professional tone, "Sorry, Mr. Sterling, room service is off duty."

A familiar chuckle came from the other end, cold and laced with malice.

"Then do it yourself." He paused before adding, "Get your ass up here."

My fingers tightened around the phone. "Mr. Sterling, the front desk doesn't provide room service."

"Evelyn, are you quoting hotel policy to me?" He sounded amused. "You have three minutes. Otherwise, I'll have your manager come up here with you."

It was a plain threat.

I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I had already picked up a spare key card and was heading for the employee elevator.

The door to the presidential suite was slightly ajar. I pushed it open and stepped inside.

Alex was sitting on the couch, his long legs crossed, with Chloe in revealing clothes curled up against him.

The room was thick with the heavy scent of red wine mingled with perfume. On the floor, a splash of wine stained the pristine white carpet, with an empty glass lying overturned beside it.

"Alex, look at her. She's so pale. Did we scare her?" Chloe covered her mouth, giggling. "I hope you don't mind. Alex and I were fooling around, and I accidentally spilled the wine.

"I know this carpet is expensive. Surely you won't have to pay for it, right?"

She wore the most innocent expression while delivering the cruelest words.

Alex said nothing. He simply watched me, as though enjoying the sight of a dying butterfly trapped inside a cage.

"The carpet will be taken care of by housekeeping. Could you please tell me where the dirty sheets are?" I lowered my head, refusing to look at either of them.

"Oh," Alex finally spoke. He pointed toward the king-size bed. "Those ones."

I followed his gesture. The brand-new sheets were covered in another large splash of red wine, darker and more glaring than the stain on the carpet.

"Alex, you're such a bad boy." Chloe playfully punched him in the chest. "Those are brand-new sheets they just put on."

"Dirty sheets get replaced, don't they?" Alex lifted his chin at me. "What are you waiting for? Do you need me to ask you twice?"

I said nothing and walked to the bed, beginning to strip off the stained sheets.

As I worked, my hand brushed against the photo frame on the nightstand and knocked it over.

The frame fell, revealing an old photo hidden underneath.

It was a picture of Alex and me, taken in the cheap apartment near our college campus. I was smiling brightly, looking carefree.

Chloe spotted it right away. "What's this?"

She hurried over, grabbed the photo, and let out an exaggerated gasp. "Wow, Alex, you still keep her picture. Can't let go, huh?"

I froze.

"It's a piece of trash," Alex said, impatiently getting up and snatching the photo from Chloe's hand.

He walked over to me and handed me the photo. "Throw it away."

His command was brief, but carried a weight that left no room for argument.

I looked at him. Three years had gone by, and he looked cooler than ever, but his eyes were colder, too.

"What? Can't let go?" When he saw that I didn't move, he smiled. "Evelyn, don't tell me you think there's anything left between us."

"Alex, don't be so harsh," Chloe said, wrapping herself around his arm and flashing me a sweet smile. "Evelyn, don't get the wrong idea. Alex didn't bring me here and call you up to humiliate you.

"He only wanted you to know something. That life you once fought so hard to have? I have it now, and I didn't have to try."

Every word felt like a dagger driven straight into my heart.

I took the photo, my fingertips brushing over the smiling faces on it. For a moment, I was lost in the memory.

Then, right in front of them, I slowly tore the photo to pieces.

"As you wish," I said, tossing the scraps into the trash.

"Good," Alex said, pleased with my compliance. He sat back down on the couch, patted the spot next to him, and said to Chloe, "Come here."

Then he looked at me and gave me the cruelest order of the night. "Change the sheets, then get out. You're an eyesore."

I silently took a fresh set of sheets from the cabinet and began making the bed.

Behind me, their laughter and playful chatter continued without restraint. I felt like a puppet, mechanically repeating the same motions with my hands.

Once the bed was made, I straightened up. "Goodnight, Mr. Sterling, Ms. Grant."

I turned to leave.

"Wait," Alex called out.

I stopped, but didn't turn around.

He said slowly, "I'm throwing a party in this room tomorrow. You'll be in charge of serving the guests."

"That isn't part of my job," I said flatly.

"Really?" Alex's laugh drifted over from behind me. "Then I'll have a word with your boss and see if we can give you another job."

Chloe giggled. "Evelyn, Alex is trying to help you out. Don't you think working the front desk is exhausting? Serving drinks at a party will be so much easier. You might get to see what high society looks like."

She leaned into Alex's arms and deliberately flashed the expensive diamond bracelet around her wrist. "Right, Alex?"

"Yeah," Alex replied casually, like he was playing with a pet. "Evelyn, I'm giving you a chance. Don't be ungrateful."

My hand curled into a fist, my nails nearly digging into my palm.