Chapter 3

**Nora's POV**

A week later.

Ethan threw a massive celebration party at Cipriani Wall Street, one of New York's most exclusive venues.

Almost every wealthy heir, socialite, and influencer in the city showed up. The valet parking lot was packed with limited-edition supercars.

Standing in the gilded lobby of the venue, I felt completely out of place.

I was wearing a simple white dress—the only decent piece of clothing in my closet.

I had bought it for thirty dollars at a thrift store two years ago just to accompany Ethan to a family dinner he couldn't avoid.

The fabric was stiff, and the fit was slightly off. Surrounded by six-figure designer gowns, I looked incredibly cheap.

Honestly, I hadn't wanted to come. But Ethan’s close friends had taken turns calling me, saying, "Nora, Ethan got his sight back, and you're the MVP here. If you don't show up, we won't even enjoy the drinks."

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the heavy double doors of the private room.

But as the door cracked open, the laughter and conversation inside made me freeze.

"Ethan, now that your eyes are finally healed, when are you going to marry Nora? She took care of you for three years without a single complaint. Even we were touched by how devoted she was."

It was Ethan’s childhood friend, Dylan Foster, speaking with a mix of teasing and sincerity.

The room fell quiet for a second, and everyone turned to look at Ethan, who was sitting at the head of the table.

Ethan was swirling a crystal wine glass, the dim lights highlighting his flawlessly handsome, sharp features.

After a moment of silence, his lips parted. "Nora is a good girl."

He paused, then added, "But for three years, what I owed her wasn't love. It was a debt of gratitude."

*A debt of gratitude.*

The words cut through the crack of the door, ringing painfully in my ears.

"Then how do you pay that back?" another wealthy heir chimed in. "Just give her money? The Carters have plenty of cash, but what about her youth? Ethan, don't tell me... you're still thinking about Chloe? She ran faster than anyone when you had that accident!"

At the mention of Chloe's name, Ethan’s grip on his glass tightened, his knuckles turning white.

He didn't deny it. He only offered a suffocating, heavy silence.

Just then, the sharp click of high heels on the marble floor echoed from the end of the hallway.

"Ethan, sorry I'm late."

Accompanied by a sweet, melodic voice, the door was pushed open.

Chloe Vance walked in, wearing the latest runway-model red backless designer gown. She looked like a proud swan, stepping into the room with absolute confidence.

Her makeup was flawless, and her eyes sparkled with the thrill of victory.

The air in the room instantly froze.

Everyone knew about Chloe calling off the engagement back then. Seeing her walk in like she owned the place made several people give her highly skeptical looks.

But Ethan’s reaction caught everyone off guard.

He set his glass down, stood up, and personally pulled out the chair next to him. His gaze softened as he looked at Chloe. "You're not late. We just started."

Chloe gave a smug, sweeping glance around the room before sitting down next to Ethan as if it were her birthright.

As the tension reached its peak, I took a deep breath and walked into the room.

My entrance made the already awkward atmosphere drop to absolute freezing point.

My cheap white dress and her red haute couture gown formed a brutal, humiliating contrast.

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