Chapter 3

The engagement party was held at the Grand Plaza, the most expensive luxury hotel in New York City.

By the time I arrived, the ceremony had already started.

Chloe and Julian stood side by side on the stage, sharing their beautiful love story with the guests.

They talked about how they had been together since their junior year of college—six whole years.

But Julian and I had been together since our freshman year—eight years.

During our sophomore year, Julian met Chloe through me. Shortly after, Chloe excitedly told me she was dating Julian's twin brother, Christian.

Back then, I was just surprised to learn Julian had a twin.

Now, I finally realized that "Christian" was just a convenient lie he invented so he could openly date Chloe while keeping me on the side.

On stage, they continued to talk about how they supported each other.

To give Chloe a luxurious life, Julian had started his own tech company in his junior year. Upon graduation, he secured $1.5 million in seed funding, and by twenty-six, his company went public.

Now, he could finally give her the mansion and the dream life she deserved.

Friends and family applauded warmly.

I applauded too, clapping until my hands stung, tears streaming down my face.

When Julian first started his business, his capital was extremely low. I gave him every penny of my savings from my part-time jobs—about $3,000.

Fearing it wouldn't be enough, I secretly pawned my mother's vintage diamond locket, the only heirloom she left me.

I still remembered the warmth of the cash in my hands when I handed him the $30,000.

He had cried, holding me so tightly I could barely breathe.

"Elena, why are you so foolish?"

"I will make this business succeed. I'm going to give you the absolute best life!"

Later, Julian told me his startup had failed.

He insisted on giving me a promissory note and breaking up, saying he didn't want to drag me down with his debt.

I had slapped him, then held him tight.

"It's just a failed investment. It's not the end of the world."

"Julian, we are never breaking up."

He hadn't failed at all.

The failure was just a lie to keep me in my place.

That way, he could comfortably maintain two separate lives.

One was a waterfront mansion with Chloe, where he was the young, successful CEO, and she was his pampered princess.

The other was our 200-square-foot rented studio, where he played the struggling blue-collar worker, and I was the loyal, self-sacrificing girlfriend who endured poverty with him.

I was the one who met him first.

I was the one who sacrificed everything to fund his dreams.

Yet, in the end, he gave the wealth, the public recognition, and the title of wife to Chloe.

While leaving me with the lies, the betrayal, the constant financial struggle, and the unwitting role of the side-piece.

Through my tear-blurred vision, I saw Julian glance in my direction.

As confetti rained down, he and Chloe shared a deep, passionate kiss in front of everyone.

For a split second, I wondered.

Was that flicker of guilt and pain in his eyes when he looked at me real, or was it just another act?

Suddenly, Julian's mother, Eleanor, grabbed my arm and dragged me into a quiet corner.

She glared at me, her eyes filled with hostility.

A thousand confrontations rushed to my throat.

My own mother had passed away early, so I had always treated Eleanor like my own mom.

I scraped together every single penny to send her $300 every month. On weekends, I would make her favorite homemade mac and cheese and garlic bread and bring it to her house.

When she was in a car accident and needed an urgent blood transfusion, I ignored the doctor's warnings and donated a massive amount of blood. The physical toll caused me to miscarry the baby I was carrying at the time, and the doctors told me I would likely never be able to get pregnant again.

I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to ask why she helped Julian lie to me when she knew he never had a twin.

Eleanor let out a cold snort.

"You know everything now, don't you?"

"Elena, look at them. Chloe and Julian have registered their marriage. They are legal husband and wife now! If you keep clinging to him, you're just a pathetic homewrecker."

"Don't blame me for being harsh. Julian is a billionaire now. A multi-million dollar company needs an heir. Chloe is pregnant. He can't abandon a good girl carrying his child for a barren, useless piece of trash who can't even give him a family."

A barren, useless piece of trash.

Did Eleanor forget that I lost my ability to have children because I saved her life?

I slowly slid the simple silver band Julian had given me off my ring finger and slapped it into her palm.

"I hope they deserve each other."

With that, I turned and walked out of the venue.