Chapter 1

His 99th Broken Glass

When Julian smashed his ninety-ninth glass, I finally broke up with him.

He exploded in rage. “Just because of a broken glass?”

“Eleanor Vance, don’t forget you were the one who came begging!”

I hadn’t forgotten. He was the one who broke the deal first, forgetting what he’d promised me.

For the past two years, playing his trophy girlfriend, he thought I was obedient and docile.

He had no idea. His 'one who got away,' his childhood sweetheart, his trophy girlfriend – none of them wanted to stay by his side.

When Grandma Helen was hospitalized, Julian found me and offered a deal: be his girlfriend for three years, and he’d get Grandma Helen the best specialist.

I couldn't refuse. The doctors had said Grandma Helen's illness was critical.

I begged Julian to keep his word. Grandma Helen was the only family I had left.

He agreed immediately, a smug, self-satisfied look on his face. “Right, what was your name again?”

“My name is Eleanor Vance.”

His expression shifted. A subtle, scrutinizing gaze, a condescending judgment washing over his face. He asked, “Is that… like *her* name?”

I replied, “It’s from an old poem my grandma loved, about spring and renewal. Like ‘verdant green,’ but with a deeper meaning.”

He scoffed. “Lost on me.”

“Like ‘green,’ but not just the color.”

He snorted. “Sounds awful.”

He clearly had no taste. I loved the name Grandma Helen had given me.

Julian took me to a bar, parading me in front of his friends like a new toy.

“You’ve still got it, Julian!” someone flattered him. “You snap your fingers, and they come running!”

He puffed out his chest, smug. “Women? Easy pickings.”

The only one who actually greeted me was Brandon Miller. He smiled. “Good evening, future Mrs. Hayes.”

Julian corrected him, sneering that I was just a mistress, not worthy of such a title.

His attitude was so rude, I almost thought I’d misheard him earlier.

But no, my hearing and memory were just fine. He'd simply decided he no longer wanted to acknowledge me as his girlfriend.

I didn't argue. I was terrified of angering him, of him backing out on our deal.

“Hey, Julian, does she even drink?”

Julian looked utterly confident, as if a simple drink was something everyone naturally knew how to handle.

But I didn't. Grandma Helen had always said drinking was bad for your health.

“Julian, you’ve got yourself a real trophy girlfriend here!”

Julian, for no apparent reason, exploded. He smashed the glass in his hand. “You can’t even drink! You’re an embarrassment!”

I figured the only thing Julian was good at was drinking. Every time I went to a bar with him after that, he’d down more drinks than I could count.

I'd occasionally worry he'd get alcohol poisoning, but he never did.

When Julian got drunk, he’d suddenly start looking for me. “Sera… Sera—”

Surprised, I hesitantly walked over, and he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Sera! Where did you go…”

I was completely flustered when Brandon Miller walked over, coolly looking down at me.

“Future Mrs. Hayes.”

I looked up. Brandon sighed dramatically. “Julian’s not calling you. He’s calling his ‘one who got away’ ex-girlfriend—Seraphina Lockhart.”

Seraphina Lockhart. The one he’d never truly gotten over.

It clicked in an instant. I finally understood why Julian had asked about my name earlier – he was thinking of his ‘one who got away’ ex-girlfriend.

“Three years ago, Seraphina went abroad for her studies, and they broke up. He’s never gotten over her.”

Brandon said this, looking utterly moved.

I didn't quite get it. Julian didn’t strike me as the ‘deeply in love’ type.

Anyway, if he wasn’t looking for me, but Seraphina, there was no point in me staying.

“Brandon? I need to get back to the hospital to look after Grandma Helen. Could you keep an eye on him?”

When I walked into her hospital room, Grandma Helen was knitting a scarf.

It was the middle of summer, but I knew she was knitting it for me. She was afraid she wouldn’t live to see winter.

She smiled when she saw me, immediately putting down her knitting to peel an apple for me.

I didn't want her to overexert herself. I gently moved both the apple and the scarf out of reach, then, under her slightly resigned gaze, I put a hat on her head.

Grandma Helen’s hair had been shaved off, and I worried she’d be cold.

“Grandma, don’t rush the scarf. Winter’s still a long way off.”

“The doctors said a brilliant specialist is coming for your surgery. My Grandma Helen is going to live to be a hundred!”

Julian was truly a high-handed jerk, always smashing glasses, but when it came to Grandma Helen’s illness, he was more attentive than I'd expected.

He brought in the specialist, scheduled the surgery for three months later, and even hired two nurses to help me care for Grandma Helen.

So, when he told me to move into the Hayes estate and learn household duties with Mrs. Gable, and how to cater to him, I acted perfectly obedient.

He seemed satisfied. “A woman should know her place,” he said.

I started learning how to be Julian’s trophy girlfriend – like always bringing him a glass of warm water after one of his hangovers.

Under the nurses’ diligent care, Grandma Helen’s condition improved day by day, and I gradually caught up on my missed studies.

At that point, I was truly grateful to Julian. I even thought I’d be a good trophy girlfriend and keep him satisfied.