Chapter 2

Julian and I grew up together.

His parents were heavy gamblers who beat him whenever things went wrong.

My dad couldn't stand it, so he often brought Julian to our house for meals.

Julian was quiet, but he treated me like I was his entire world.

When my dad made fish, Julian would spend fifteen minutes picking out every single bone before putting the fish on my plate.

He would collect plastic bottles and cardboard to sell, saving every penny just to buy me the hair clips and plushies I liked.

I used to tease him and call him my silly boy.

He never got mad. He would just look at me and smile.

After his parents died in a drunk driving accident, my dad officially adopted him.

Over the next few years, Julian blossomed.

My dad’s business grew rapidly, too.

But both of them loved me just as much as they always had.

It wasn't until high school that my dad expanded his charity foundation to sponsor more students.

Tiffany was one of them.

She wore thick glasses and washed-out clothes.

Just like the old Julian, she was quiet and withdrawn.

A girl like her was an easy target for bullies at our private prep school.

Julian, who usually minded his own business, unexpectedly stepped in to protect her.

Only then did we learn about her life.

Her father was also a gambler, and her mother had abandoned her.

Her family valued boys over girls, and her father had almost sold her to pay his debts.

Their identical trauma triggered Julian’s savior complex.

I realized he wasn't just helping Tiffany; he was trying to save his younger self.

So, I reached out and became friends with Tiffany, too.

Whatever I bought for myself, I bought a copy for her.

I invited her to our house for dinner almost every weekend.

Gradually, the bullying stopped.

Until...

A knock on the door snapped me out of my memories.

I opened it to find Julian and Tiffany standing outside.

When Julian saw me, his eyes filled with pain and guilt. "Chloe... how can you live in a place like this?"

It was a sketchy neighborhood. The apartment was tiny and poorly furnished.

You could see the entire place in one glance.

There was a folding cot in the living room.

That was where my dad had slept after he got out of prison.

Even though his health had been destroyed by his time behind bars, he had insisted on giving the only bedroom to me.

I didn't want these people dirtying my dad's peace. I blocked the doorway, my face cold. "What do you want?"

Tiffany was dressed in head-to-toe Chanel, looking every bit the pampered wife.

She was unrecognizable from the timid girl she used to be.

"Chloe, why so cold?" Tiffany smirked. "If Julian hadn't run into you, I’d still think you were locked up in the asylum."

She handed me a beautifully wrapped gift box.

It was a necklace from a luxury brand I had designed years ago.

Back then, I was hailed as a prodigy designer.

My brand was on its way to becoming a global luxury powerhouse.

But it was completely ruined the moment Julian personally signed the papers to lock me away.

Tiffany stared at me, waiting for me to lose my mind.

I just stared back at her, completely calm.

Before I could say a word, Julian looked down and noticed the photo in my hand.

A spark of hope lit up his eyes. "You still kept that photo? Does that mean..."

Only then did I realize I hadn't thrown the old photo away yet.

Without hesitation, I ripped the picture to shreds and threw it into the trash can.

Right on top of Tiffany’s gift box.

"That brand used to be my hard work," I said, looking up with a faint smile. "And that photo used to be my favorite memory."

"But once something gets dirty, I throw it away."

Julian’s face went deadly pale.

It was obvious he knew that the "dirty things" I was talking about included him.

Tiffany’s smile stiffened. She said petulantly, "We just came to catch up. You don't have to be so hostile."

She peered over my shoulder, and her eyes lit up when she saw my dad's photo. "After all, your dad was our benefactor. We should pay our respects."

Benefactor?

The man she personally framed and sent to prison was her benefactor?

After high school, Tiffany and Julian went to the same university.

I gave up my Ivy League offer to go to a local college just to be close to Julian.

Naturally, we got married.

But Julian became busier and busier.

Tiffany, who shared his major, was with him day and night.

Slowly, I found myself locked out of their conversations.

Even on our anniversary, Tiffany showed up.

"I'm so sorry, Chloe. Julian and I have a major research competition tomorrow," she had said, batting her eyelashes. "I had to come find him. I really didn't mean to crash your date."

She had ditched her glasses for contacts and styled her hair perfectly.

She looked more like the girlfriend on an anniversary date than I did.

They grew closer, but I kept telling myself that Julian was my husband.

Then came the day of our wedding.

My dad caught Julian cheating with Tiffany.

But because my dad knew how desperately I loved Julian, he privately confronted Tiffany and demanded she leave.

Tiffany refused. She tore her own clothes open and screamed.

She accused my dad of sexual assault.

Before our wedding reception even ended, the police dragged my dad away in handcuffs.

I knew my dad would never do such a thing.

I begged Julian to help me clear his name.

He promised he would, but behind my back, he destroyed the security footage that could have proven my dad's innocence.

"Chloe, you have money, you have status! But Tiffany has nothing!" Julian had yelled at me. "If people find out she lied, her life will be over!"