Chapter 1

Tags: #PopUpComments #AgeGapRomance #GrovelingEx #SecondLeadSyndrome #FemaleLeadAwakening

After yet another blowout fight with Chase,

I was completely exhausted. I was done begging for peace.

Suddenly, a stream of glowing floating comments flashed right before my eyes:

[The male lead is such an idiot. Just because she's older and pursued him first, he lets his frat bros get in his head and acts like an entitled jerk.]

[Little does he know, his best friend is egging him on to break up just so he can swoop in.]

[Keep acting up, boy. The second you dump her, your best bro is gonna turn full feral puppy and chase her down!]

[Serena, girl, look at the second lead! He’s hotter, richer, and actually knows how to treat a woman!]

Testing the waters, I typed out a text to Chase: *Let's break up.*

The very next second, a message popped up from Chase's best friend, Leo.

2:00 AM. Chase demanded I drag my luggage and the gifts I had bought for him straight to his friends' party at a lounge.

I had just survived a grueling twelve-hour flight.

Every muscle in my body ached, and I barely had the energy to speak.

"I'm completely exhausted, Chase. Can I take everyone out for dinner another night?"

"Serena, all my boys are waiting for you. If you don't show up, you're embarrassing me."

Normally, the moment Chase laid down an ultimatum, I'd fold immediately.

I would have caved to his demands.

After all, I was the one who pursued him first.

Every single argument we ever had ended with me apologizing first.

But tonight, I had nothing left to give.

I said no. "I'm genuinely drained. Can you please be considerate for once? I spent the entire day on planes."

Before Chase could snap back, his buddy's teasing voice chimed in through the speaker:

"Ooh, sounds like Serena's actually mad. Better run home, bro!"

"Stop partying and step up!"

"Go home, rub her feet, and massage her shoulders. If you're gonna be a cute younger boyfriend, at least act like one."

The other guys erupted into laughter in the background.

Humiliated and furious, Chase slammed the phone down.

As I hesitated over whether to call him back,

Another stream of glowing text drifted across my vision:

[LMAO, the second lead is stirring the pot again! Chase thinks Leo's clowning on him, but Leo literally wants to shove him aside and scream, 'You don't even know how to worship her! If you can't handle her, step aside and let me!']

[Chase thinks that because she's a few years older and chased him, she owes him unconditional pampering. Every fight gets fueled by Leo.]

[He's waiting for her to grovel and soothe his fragile ego. Don't fall for it, girl! The more you cave, the worse he treats you.]

I stared at the floating words in complete confusion.

Were they talking about me and Chase?

Every time we fought, the more I tried to coax him, the colder he acted. He always demanded that I apologize in front of all his friends before he would let it go.

He loved watching me swallow my pride to beg for his affection in front of everyone.

My eyes drifted back to the first line.

Who was the "second lead"? Chase's best friend... Leo?

Every single time Chase and I argued,

Leo always had that amused, smug look on his face:

"Serena's older and works hard, Chase. Cut her some slack."

"You're the younger one. Be a sweet boyfriend instead of acting like an entitled king."

Leo always delivered those lines with a completely straight face, but to Chase's ears, it sounded like pure mockery.

It only ever made Chase angrier, demanding even bigger apologies from me before he’d forgive me.

I pressed my lips together and shot Leo a DM on SnapChat.

[Are you doing this on purpose?]

[Every time Chase and I fight, you throw fuel on the fire and mock him.]

[Are you only gonna be happy when he dumps me?]

Between the jet lag and the fight, I let loose everything I’d kept bottled up inside.

His reply came back within seconds:

[Serena, you’ve got me all wrong. I mean every single word I say.]

[If I had a girlfriend like you, I'd treat you like a queen and never let you go to bed angry.]

Then, as if deliberately baiting me, he added:

[I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. If you don't believe me, test it out yourself.]