Chapter 1

At our fourth engagement party, Chloe Collins abandoned me again to run to her ex-boyfriend.

Every single time, she used the same excuse, leaving me behind to be the laughingstock of the town.

But this time, I didn't want to stop her. This was our tenth year together, and I was just so tired.

"Chloe, if you walk out that door today, we are done. Let’s break up."

"I hope the two of you will be very happy together."

Chloe’s face instantly hardened.

"Why are you being so petty? Are you still mad because we accidentally kissed last time?"

"I already apologized to you! Julian is not like you. He’s innocent and fragile! Besides, he has no one else but me!"

She spun around and walked out.

I didn't argue. I blocked her on Snapchat, Instagram, and every other platform, and posted our breakup online.

When the spotlight hit me, I felt a wave of dizziness.

Watching Chloe’s figure disappear around the corner, I let out a bitter laugh.

The whispers of the guests rushed into my ears.

"Is the engagement called off again? How many times has this been? Do they think our time is a joke?"

"Seriously, she dumps him for another guy over and over, and he still stays. He has absolutely no self-respect!"

"There’ll definitely be a fifth time. Ethan Miller will never let her go."

I had heard these exact words countless times over the past ten years.

Every time, I would just smile, pretend nothing happened, and clean up her mess under everyone's mocking stares.

But now, looking at the half-empty hall, I suddenly found it all so pointless.

My ten years of devotion were pointless. My stubborn persistence was pointless.

Years ago, Chloe’s family was on the brink of bankruptcy and desperately needed money. That was the only reason she lowered herself to be with a "simp" like me.

No matter how cold she was to me over the years, I did my best to cherish her.

I always thought that one day she would see my worth and truly accept me.

But it had been ten years. Even a heart of stone should have melted by now.

Yet, she hadn't changed at all.

I sighed and decided to make one last call, just to see.

After a dozen rings, she finally picked up. Her voice was dripping with impatience.

"Are you trying to harass me to death? Don't you know I'm taking care of Julian?"

"Can you stop throwing tantrums and look at the time? Why did I end up with such a pathetic guy like you?"

"It was just one kiss when we got drunk! Are you really going to hold that grudge forever?"

Her screeching voice echoed through the silent banquet hall.

I saw someone in the audience burst out laughing.

My face burned with humiliation, but I cleared my throat and spoke into the mic anyway.

"He’s a grown man. What could possibly happen to him? This is our fourth engagement party, Chloe. It won’t take much of your time to just come back and finish it."

"Once this is over, you can do whatever you want. I won’t bother you ever again, okay?"

As I said those words, I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

How could a man beg so pitifully?

But before she could answer, Julian’s voice suddenly came through the speaker.

"Chloe, are you done yet? The bathwater is ready. It's going to get cold soon!"

The entire hall fell into a dead silence.

Everyone looked at me with pure pity.

My hands shook uncontrollably, and my eyes turned red with fury.

This was the "emergency" she was talking about!

Running off to take a bath with another man!

The call was abruptly disconnected, but I couldn't calm down anymore.

I typed the words that had been suffocating me for years and sent them.

[Let's break up.]

She didn't reply. She was probably too busy enjoying her night with Julian.

Just thinking about that image made me want to throw up.

I was the biggest clown in the world.

I opened Instagram and saw that Julian had just posted a new update.

In the photo, Chloe was fast asleep in a bed. Julian’s caption read:

*“So glad you’re always by my side.”*

It was a blatant provocation. What was even harder to ignore was that both of them were clearly shirtless.

My chest felt like it was crushed by a massive boulder.

But in that exact moment, my ten years of obsession evaporated into thin air.

I posted a picture of a clear blue sky on my Instagram feed, officially declaring the end of our relationship:

*“Single and free. I no longer have to worry about whose bed you’re sleeping in at midnight.”*

Let it end here.