Chapter 2

Charlotte, Donald, and I went to the same high school. I had a crush on her back then.

Charlotte was the school sweetheart, and Donald was the golden boy. They were a perfect match.

When we went to college, they naturally started dating, and I could only watch from the sidelines as a loyal friend.

But by the end of freshman year, Donald ghosted her completely.

He moved abroad, leaving no return date.

Charlotte was devastated and almost took her own life. I was the one who stayed by her side, comforting her day and night.

I knew she loved romantic gestures, and I knew she loved showing off.

So, on every holiday, I bought her the most expensive flowers and exquisite gifts to satisfy her vanity.

I chased her like a shadow for three years before she finally agreed to be my girlfriend.

I genuinely believed I had finally replaced Donald in her heart.

But a first love is always a first love, apparently.

The moment he returned, she threw everything we had built out the window for him.

After calming down, I called my parents to let them know the wedding was off.

I expected them to lecture me. After all, as a billionaire's son, I had spent ten years acting like a beggar for a woman who ended up cheating on me. It was humiliating.

But my parents simply sighed with relief. My mom laughed. "Finally woke up, huh? Marriage isn't a game."

My dad added, "Marriage is a lifelong commitment. Choosing the wrong person leads to a lifetime of misery."

"Whatever you decide, we've got your back."

Yeah. Some people see marriage as a sacred promise, while others treat it like a joke.

If she could cheat before the wedding, there was no way she would stay faithful after.

Talking to my parents made me feel a lot better.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. I thought it was Charlotte, but it was actually a Snapchat message from Donald.

"Anthony, it's been a while. Come out for a drink tonight. All the old high school crew is here."

It turned out they had organized a high school reunion to welcome Donald back.

The way he phrased it made it clear he was daring me to show up.

Well, I wanted to go see just how shameless they could get.

I also wanted to clear things up in front of everyone so nobody would make a laughingstock out of me behind my back.

When I arrived at the VIP lounge, Charlotte and Donald were already sitting together, flirting openly.

She was leaning heavily against his arm, laughing provocatively.

Donald looked extremely smug, his arm casually brushing against her chest.

If this had been the past, I would have punched him in the face immediately.

To me, Charlotte had been a goddess who shouldn't be touched by anyone else.

But now, she was nothing to me.

She was no longer the innocent girl from my memories.