Chapter 2

Standing in our empty apartment, I felt like the biggest joke in the world.

I packed my suitcase and walked out without looking back.

My phone kept buzzing with texts from my mother:

“Serena, what is going on? You completely humiliated us at the engagement party!”

“Apologize to Ethan right now. Stop throwing tantrums.”

I shut off my phone. A wave of sorrow washed over me.

They never cared about my feelings. They only cared about their precious reputation.

The Sinclair family was wealthier than ours. As long as I could marry in, they didn't care if I was miserable.

My best friend, Ava, kept texting me when she found out.

“There are plenty of fish in the sea. Who does Ethan think he is?”

“He’s just Chloe’s pathetic lapdog. I can't believe you treated him like a prize.”

Ava’s words hit the nail on the head. Just hearing those two names made me feel sick.

I ended up at a club. The bass vibrated through the floor, and the alcohol numbed my pain, leaving only a hollow sense of freedom.

Ethan hated it when I drank. He said the smell of alcohol on my breath disgusted him.

But on Chloe’s birthday, when she got so drunk she threw up everywhere, Ethan carried her gently, cleaned her up, and stayed by her side all night.

I knew then. He didn't hate alcohol. He just hated me.

"Serena, the guy in the VIP booth has been staring at you for an hour. I think he’s totally into you."

Ava ran over to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I looked over. A man with deep, intense eyes was staring right at me. My heart skipped a beat.

After a few more drinks, the world started spinning. Suddenly, a pair of strong hands caught my waist.

A deep, comforting voice whispered near my ear, "Careful."

It was the handsome man from the VIP booth.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was a desperate desire for revenge.

Normally, I would have pushed him away, terrified of betraying Ethan.

But under the flashing lights, his sharp jawline and perfectly sculpted lips looked incredibly tempting.

A voice screamed in my head: You’re single now. Who cares?

Drunk and reckless, I pulled him down and kissed him hard.

He froze for a second, but then he kissed me back with overwhelming passion.

He tasted so good.

"Ow." A sharp pain shot through my temples.

I opened my eyes and realized I was in a luxury hotel room, with a strange man sleeping next to me.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?"

A husky, lazy voice came from beside me. I turned and saw red scratch marks all over his neck.

My face burned. I looked under the sheets and realized I was completely naked. Everything came rushing back.

The memories of last night flashed in my mind.

I had held his hand, begging him not to leave.

I even actively stripped his shirt off and pinned him to the bed...

"I'm so sorry. This was a mistake. Let's just pretend last night never happened."

I frantically put my clothes on and grabbed my phone to escape, but the man blocked the door, pinning me against it.

"Since you know you did wrong, shouldn't you make it up to me? How can we just pretend it never happened, Serena?"

Serena? How did he know my name?

I frowned, staring at his face, my brain working overtime.

This face...

He looked so much like Julian, the chubby kid who confessed to me years ago.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I answered it awkwardly.

Ethan’s impatient voice came through:

"Chloe and I are at the Cartier counter right now."

"Do you want the gold or silver necklace?"

I snapped back to reality. I looked at the man in front of me, whose eyes had darkened with displeasure.

Clearing my throat, I said coldly, "No need. I don't want it."

The moment I said that, the man in front of me let out a soft chuckle and coughed on purpose.

Ethan, who usually acted deaf to my words, suddenly had incredible hearing.

His voice dropped. "Who is that? Why is there a man's voice?"

"None of your damn business!"

I yelled, slamming the phone shut.