Chapter 2

It was two in the morning before I finally got a cab.

My phone buzzed. A message from Stewart.

“Corey, thanks for the encouragement. I've decided to get back together with her.”

“She told me she never forgot me. She only hated that I looked down on her for being poor. Now she has money, so the misunderstanding between us is cleared up.”

I leaned back against the seat and typed one word. “Congrats.”

Whatever happened between the two of them had nothing to do with me anymore.

When I got home, I sank into the couch and scrolled back through old posts.

Every post in that account, the one just for the two of us, was a record of our life together.

Before Stewart went abroad, he'd cried against my shoulder.

“Tell me, she's got the looks, she's got the body — why does she have to be dead broke?”

“This morning, when she found out I was leaving, she nearly got down on her knees to beg me.”

“I know she loves me. But love doesn't put food on the table.”

Back then he didn't know that the broke little thing had already become the heir to a fortune, all for his sake.

While he was overseas, we'd video call, chat, share bits of our lives with each other.

And I posted every bit of it to my social feed.

It was those posts that led Leona Sullivan to me.

My account was full of her visits.

Every clip that had anything to do with Stewart, she'd liked it too.

I thought it was me she liked. So after two months of talking online, we met in person and became a couple.

Right as I was thinking it, a text from Leona popped up.

“Not coming home tonight. Don't wait up.”

It was the first time she'd stayed out all night.

The audience commentary drifted past again.

【The male and female leads are finally back together.】

【The side guy better not act up again and let the female lead come back.】

【Can we please stop getting in the way of the leads making a baby.】

I ignored it, tossed the phone aside, and fell into a heavy sleep.

Close to noon, Stewart's call woke me.

“Buddy, dinner tonight, on me, for both of you. Call it an early wedding celebration. Do me the honor?”

I hesitated for a couple of seconds, then agreed to go.

The two of them got to the restaurant before me.

By the time I walked in, the food was already on the table.

Stewart had his head resting easily on Leona's shoulder, the picture of two people at peace with the world.

“If Corey knew about us, do you think he'd be upset?”

Leona turned her head away, her face unreadable.

“Stop it. He can't find out about us.”

Her tone was as firm as the day she proposed to me.

That day she'd gone down on one knee, playing the man, and slid the ring onto my finger.

“Once it's on, you don't take it off. In this life, you're mine.”

Barely half a year, and everything had already been turned upside down.

I drew in a breath, picked up my bag, and walked to the seat across from them.

Only then did Stewart sit up straight.

“My blood sugar dropped a little just now, so I borrowed your girlfriend's shoulder for a bit. Don't read into it.”

As he said it, he gave Leona a little push.

“Why don't you move over and keep Corey company.”

Before she could get up, I cut in.

“No need. I've still got to set my things down over here.”

Stewart shrugged and picked up the drink in front of him.

“Corey, congratulations. Getting married any day now.”

He drained the drink in one go, then hesitated before speaking again.

“Actually, there's something else I wanted to ask your okay on tonight.”

“My mom knows I'm back and won't stop pushing me into blind dates, so I lied and said I had a girlfriend.”

As he said it, he glanced instinctively at Leona beside him.

“But I don't know a soul out here. I was hoping Leona could pretend to be my girlfriend, just to get my mom off my back. That okay?”

“Your Leona already said yes a minute ago.”

The commentary shot across again.

【My poor sweet male lead, he even has to make up a reason to bring the female lead home to meet the parents.】

【He's definitely going to say no again. Just as expected of the villain side guy.】

I picked up a piece of shrimp and put it in my mouth, ignoring the darkening look on Leona's face, and agreed on the spot.

“Sure. Just make it convincing.”