Chapter 3

Late that night, my phone suddenly rang.

I stared at the unfamiliar number, already knowing the answer. But I answered anyway, and immediately heard his familiar, cloying voice.

The man demanded that the woman on the other end admit he was her most beloved. Her voice grew more excited, each cry louder than the last.

I listened in a daze, until after what felt like an eternity, the woman's syrupy voice asked Leo,

“Leo, who do you truly have in your heart—me or Alice?”

Leo panted, “Of course it’s you… I faked my death and ran off with you, isn’t that proof enough?”

My heart clenched. Even though I knew the whole truth, it was still shattered into a million pieces.

Leo and I had known each other since we were sixteen.

Back then, my parents had already found a suitable match for a strategic alliance: Alexander Sterling, the heir of the powerful Sterling family.

But I didn’t want to marry him. My parents’ marriage had always been transactional. Growing up, I watched them feign affection in public, only to bring different partners home in private. Their rare moments together were filled with endless arguments and mutual accusations. I was sick of such a hypocritical and broken family dynamic, so I strongly resisted any arranged marriage.

That year, Leo transferred to our class and became my deskmate. During my lowest moments, he approached me like a happy puppy, wagging his tail, full of boundless energy. So, when he confessed his feelings, I didn't hesitate to say yes.

We went from high school sweethearts to husband and wife, becoming an enviable couple in everyone's eyes. They all said we were a real-life campus romance, and I immersed myself in those words, believing I had found true love. Little did I know, the person I thought would never betray me had, at some point, started another life, another home, with another woman.

He even faked his death to run off with her.

Sleepless through the night, I mercilessly discarded all of Leo’s belongings. Those things I once cherished now felt like garbage. Every corner of the house was meticulously cleaned, scrubbing away every trace of his existence.

I used the phone number to search for Chloe Miller’s SnapChat account. Unsurprisingly, she accepted my request. Browsing her posts, I realized she had often been right under my nose.

Chloe used to be Leo’s secretary. Her latest SnapChat update was from a month ago. The photo showed a pair of lovers, windswept and weary, embracing on a foreign street. The caption read: [That year, he chose true love, willing to throw everything away just to run off with me.]

Jake Morgan and Mark Evans had both commented below:

[Cheers to Chloe and Leo, forever and always!]

[Chloe, Leo made huge sacrifices for you. You better make it up to him, big time~]

Leo replied to Mark’s comment:

[Her ‘repayment’ is beyond amazing, fills me up every single day.]

Chloe replied with two words: [You’re awful.]

The further I scrolled through her SnapChat, the more I glimpsed the intimate details of their life together. Leo often held Chloe, softly singing her to sleep. Despite a hint of reluctance on his face, his eyes were full of doting affection.

His so-called business trips always included Chloe. Those nights I thought he was working late were actually spent in another woman’s embrace. Once, I’d urged him not to work so hard. He just said firmly, “I don’t want anyone thinking I’m just living off my wife’s money. I’m going to make so much money that everyone will envy you for having such a capable husband!”

Five minutes before the 'accident,' Leo had sent me a message:

[No matter what happens, I will always love you.]

That message had brought me to tears every time I read it over the past month.

Now, all of it burst like a bubble, gone in an instant.