Chapter 2

When Liam got ready to spend another night at Chloe's place,

I couldn't take it anymore.

I rushed forward, spreading my arms to block the front door.

"Liam."

I looked up at him, my voice trembling.

"Are you her boyfriend, or mine?"

The eyes that used to look at me with nothing but warmth were now filled with cold detachment.

"Elena, I'm just trying to be a white knight for someone who's hurting. Can't you be a little more open-minded?"

I froze, listening to him continue.

"A man is always a boy at heart. I'm just living out my childhood dream of being a hero. You should be supporting me."

"Elena, don't be so selfish. I can't be your personal savior forever."

Right.

His savior complex was distributed equally to anyone in the world who needed help.

Back in high school,

Whenever someone was bullied, he was always the first to jump in.

If someone couldn't afford lunch, he would share his allowance with them.

Even when my father beat me black and blue and left me shivering in the alley,

Liam was the one who found me and gently wiped away my blood.

I couldn't go back to that abusive household.

So, he took me in.

We relied on each other.

We healed each other.

But when the rumors of my assault spread at school, people started victim-blaming me, calling me damaged goods.

It was Liam who held me and whispered,

"Elena, they are the ones who are wrong, not you. To me, you are an angel."

But the very thing that made me love him was now tearing me apart.

I had fallen for him because he was a hero.

And now, I was losing my mind because he wanted to play hero for someone else.

Pulling myself back to reality,

I grabbed his sleeve tightly, begging him.

"Liam, please don't go..."

I stared into his eyes, desperately searching for a single shred of warmth or pity.

There was nothing.

He gently but firmly pried my hand off his sleeve. His words were brutally cold.

"I have to. Chloe is sick. If I don't go look after her, something terrible might happen."

Tears instantly blurred my vision.

I choked out,

"But I'm sick too."

"Liam, my father said he's coming for me. I'm terrified..."

Liam let out an annoyed sigh.

"I told you, the security in this building is top-notch. He can't get in."

Realizing he sounded too harsh,

He softened his tone, patting my shoulder gently.

"Elena, stop wrapping your whole identity around being a victim."

"Chloe took some psychology classes. She told me that the more I coddle you, the more you'll think you're broken. It's time you learned to handle your own emotions."