Chapter 2

Ethan and I were college classmates. Back then, he was the golden boy—his smile was bright and dazzling, like sunshine reflecting off the ocean.

He had countless admirers, but he treated everyone with a cold, polite distance.

Except for one night at a party, when his eyes met mine, and he smiled.

Because of that single look, I naively believed I was special to him.

I simped for him for six months, doing everything I could to get his attention, before he finally agreed to date me.

But right when I was falling head over heels, I accidentally saw his phone lock screen.

It was a photo of a girl. She was beautiful, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ethan, smiling so brightly it hurt my eyes.

What caught my attention most was the tiny mole just beneath her left eye.

I had the exact same mole in the exact same place.

Maybe I was just a substitute for the girl he actually wanted. Maybe that was the only reason I was allowed to be his puppy dog.

Even though I had guessed this heartbreaking truth, I never dared to confront him. I was terrified he would break up with me without a single regret.

But shortly after we started dating, his first love, Chloe, came back.

That day, Ethan and I were playing video games at his apartment. Just as we were having fun, the doorbell rang.

"Val, play by yourself for a minute."

Ethan put down his controller, gently ruffled my hair, and went to answer the door.

I thought it was just delivery, but after a few minutes, there was no sound from the hallway.

I walked over to the foyer to check. My heart stopped when I saw a pair of slender, pale arms wrapped tightly around Ethan’s waist.

"Who is she?" I asked softly.

Ethan’s back went visibly rigid. The girl stiffened too.

Then, her sweet, fragile voice echoed through the hallway. "Ethan, can we talk? Just the two of us?"

I finally saw her face clearly. My breath caught, and my mind went blank.

Ethan’s calm, detached voice broke the silence. "Val, you should head home first."

My nails dug deep into my palms as I fought to keep my tears from falling.

I grabbed my coat and walked past them.

While waiting for the elevator, I couldn't help but look back.

Ethan was gently guiding Chloe into his apartment. The door shut with a heavy *thud*, without him throwing a single glance my way.

The late autumn wind felt like knives scraping against my skin. Standing outside the building, I could still see the lights shining brightly from Ethan's living room.

Why did she come back?

Was Ethan going to break up with me?

...

I sat on a park bench in the courtyard, staring up at his window, my thoughts spinning out of control.

I waited from eight in the evening until midnight. She never came out.

Finally, the lights in Ethan's apartment went out.

And with that, my heart died too.

I stood up to leave, but just as I turned around, I heard their voices. "Chloe, about what you said... let me think about it."

Under the dim streetlights, Ethan was standing face-to-face with his first love.

"Please help me, Ethan. Please," Chloe pleaded, looking incredibly fragile. The sheer adoration and pity in Ethan’s eyes were practically overflowing.

"I’m pregnant," Chloe said, grabbing his hand. "If I told you the baby was yours, would you believe me?"

"Yes."

I didn't know what that single word meant for them.

But I knew, with absolute certainty, that I meant nothing to him.

*Ha.* I laughed bitterly at myself in the dark.

In the freezing night, I walked away quietly. The beautiful dream I had so carefully tried to protect was completely shattered by the wind.

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