Chapter 1 Chapter 1

At the end of the hallway, laughter slipped out through the crack in the door. The second I made out the words, I froze where I was standing. "You're something else, Nathan. Using a rich heiress as practice? That's wild." Nathan Gildon laughed. "Well, she was practically begging me to sleep with her. But she's had a crush on me for years, and I was her first. Guess that's a win for her. "I got caught up in the romantic mood last night. She looked like she really wanted it, so… I helped her out." The room exploded in laughter. My nails dug deep into my palms, cold sweat soaking my hands. Every sweet word Nathan whispered in my ear last night now cut through my bones like blades. Footsteps came closer. I stumbled back, then bolted down the stairs, as if I was running for my life. Back home, my tears broke loose, and they streamed out faster than I could stop them. The shame, disgust, and fury I felt made my whole body tremble. Last night, I thought it was love. Today, I learned he thought of our first time as practice. Every ounce of my pride and love was shredded by his mocking words. If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I never would've believed those cruel things came from the same man who had held me so close just hours ago. It turned out that people could sleep with someone they didn't love. They could whisper love into your ear even when they didn't mean a single word. I'd loved him in silence for six years. I thought I finally got what I wanted, but I was simply seen as a joke, a story to laugh about. A little while later, my phone buzzed. Nathan's name lit up the screen. [Things happened too fast last night, and I forgot to wear a condom. I don't remember if I finished inside you. Just grab a morning-after pill. [I don't have time for you tonight, so don't come looking for me.] I stared at those two messages and let out a self-deprecating laugh. Last night, we did it all night long. I thought the reason he wanted me again and again was because he loved me too much to stop. Now, I finally saw it for what it really was—he was just using my body as practice. I couldn't stop myself from wondering, almost torturing myself with the thought: If it had been Claire Ingram, would Nathan have forgotten protection? Would he have cared more about her than his own pleasure? I took the morning-after pill, then thought back on the six years I'd chased after him. All I could feel was how ridiculous I'd been. My family had one of the most powerful business empires in the world. We had wealth and status. My brother, Andrew Read, was basically a legend—everyone knew his name for his genius in business. Nathan had moved in next door six years ago. Because I had feelings for Nathan, Andrew took him under his wing and taught him how the business world worked. But the truth was, Nathan had been using me this whole time. While I was drowning in that pain, my best friend, Phoebe Love, sent me a voice message. "I thought you'd come to the party with Nathan tonight. Guess who I saw clinging onto him again? That annoying Claire from the class next door." Then came a video.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The video showed Nathan sitting right next to Claire. There were plenty of empty seats around her, but whenever someone tried to sit beside her, Nathan made them move. When they talked, his lips brushed close to her ear. I couldn't hear what he whispered, but I could see Claire laughing softly and leaning away. Even through the screen, the flirty tension was obvious. My chest tightened. It looked like Nathan was just about to win her over. Later, during a game, Claire got a dare to do partner push-ups with a guy. She hadn't even chosen her partner yet when Nathan jumped up first. Everyone started cheering. Claire's cheeks turned red as she lay back on the couch. Nathan held himself above her and did a few push-ups before pretending to slip, letting his whole body fall against hers. The crowd screamed louder. In the middle of all the noise, Nathan dipped his head and kissed Claire. She didn't stop him. The two of them kissed as if there were no one else in the room. I froze while staring at the screen, barely able to breathe. My heart tore apart inside me. If Nathan had feelings for Claire, he could've told me straight, and I wouldn't have kept humiliating myself, chasing after him. But he never said a word. He let me believe he loved me. He tricked me into giving him my first time, then turned around and went after the girl he actually wanted. He treated me like dirt while treating her as if she were some priceless treasure. "Mavis, are you seeing this? Nathan's such a jerk!" Phoebe's voice rang out. "You've chased him for years, and all this time, he just enjoyed everything you gave him, acting like he didn't know how you felt. He's been stringing you along while flirting with another girl!" She was right. I'd been stupid for way too long. But that would end now. Phoebe continued, "You should think hard about where you're applying to college. With your results in the AI lab, Westwood Tech would kill to have you. Why follow Nathan all the way to Redwood Business School to study business management? Giving up your dream for a man isn't worth it, especially not Nathan." Her voice burned with anger. She sounded as if she were ready to storm in and punch Nathan herself. I replied quietly, "I've made up my mind. I'm going to Westwood Tech with you." If I went to Redwood Business School, I'd be stuck on the West Coast, breathing the same air as him and the girl of his dreams. But if I went to Westwood Tech, I could start over in Christon, where it snowed in winter, and where nobody knew how I had wasted six years of my life. This time, I'd use the whole width of Barlandy to cut him out of my story. "I'm so happy to hear that! Let's get as far away as possible from that scumbag," Phoebe shouted, her excitement spilling through the phone. She'd wanted us to go to the same college for years. But Nathan and I had made that stupid promise to attend Redwood together. Now? I couldn't think of one good reason to keep it. Just imagining running into him again made me sick. I wanted to avoid him at all costs. So, I decided to go on a trip with Phoebe first. We'd leave in a week. In a week, I'd leave Nathan behind.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Before bed, I ran a bath, wanting to scrub myself clean. But the second I took off my clothes, the bruises on my skin showed up, bluish and sharp against the light. And just like that, the memories from last night came rushing back. I still remembered the heat of Nathan's body pressed against mine and the way he whispered sweet words in my ear, making me believe every single one. It all echoed as if he were still right there. I kept scrubbing my skin until it turned red. As I was stuck in my misery, the phone rang, making me jump. I was scared it might be Nathan. I wasn't ready to face him. When I picked it up and saw Andrew's name, I let out a breath and steadied myself. "Hey, Andrew." He sounded worried on the other end. "Charles said you came home and locked yourself in your room crying. What happened? Who hurt you? Tell me, and I'll deal with them." Hearing his concern broke me all over again, and my tears slipped out before I could stop them. "I'm fine. I've decided that I'm not going to Redwood with Nathan anymore. I'm going to Westwood Tech. It's all the way across the country, and I can study what I really want there." The second I said it, Andrew knew that Nathan had hurt me. His tone sharpened. "Was it Nathan? Did he do something to you? I'll make him pay." I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head even though he couldn't see me. "No, it's not about him. I just think, with my grades, Westwood fits me better." He didn't sound convinced, but I kept insisting it had nothing to do with anyone else. Finally, he let it go. After hanging up, I sighed. I couldn't tell Andrew the truth. If I did, he'd toss Nathan into the ocean and let the sharks finish him. But Andrew had just handed Nathan an important project. If he were to change the person in charge now, investors would think our family didn't keep our word and lose faith in us. So I told myself I'd wait. Once the deal wrapped up—which would be right when the school year started—I'd tell Andrew everything. I drifted in and out of sleep until dawn broke. In the middle of a dream, I felt a pair of lips brushing my forehead and jolted awake. Nathan was right there, trying to kiss me on the mouth. I turned my head fast, dodging him. He frowned, pretending to be annoyed. "Why didn't you answer my texts last night? Guess I'll just have to punish you today…" Fear shot through me. I jerked my knee up, hitting him right between his legs. While he doubled over, groaning in pain, I scrambled out of bed and ran. I threw on a jacket and rushed to the living room. The maid, Susan Knowles, was there, so Nathan didn't dare try anything. A moment later, he walked out as well, looking frustrated but forcing a smile as if nothing had happened. "Are you upset because I didn't bring you to the party yesterday?" He shrugged. "Those are my friends. You don't know them. If I brought you, the vibe would've been ruined." I laughed bitterly inside. What he really meant was that he wouldn't have had his fun. When Susan stepped away, Nathan leaned closer and whispered, "You took the morning-after pill, right? There had better be no surprises, or I wouldn't be able to explain to Andrew." Then he set a box of crepes on the table, sliding it toward me. "I bought your favorite dessert." I didn't touch it. I just ate the breakfast Susan had already made. That was when Nathan's fake patience cracked, and his face darkened. "Enough with the attitude. Who do you think you are? I went out of my way to be nice to you, and you're still giving me the cold shoulder?" He sneered, "We hooked up once, but that doesn't mean you get to control me. Let me tell you now: You'll never be the boss of me." The sharp shift in his tone hit me hard. The same mouth that had fed me sweet lies last night was now spitting venom. The humiliation from yesterday came crashing back, swallowing me whole. Tears poured down my face before I could hold them in. Nathan didn't expect me to cry so hard out of nowhere. He froze, looking awkward, as if he didn't know what to do. He opened his mouth to say something, but his phone chimed. He glanced at the message and went to grab his jacket. "I've got something urgent. Think about your attitude while I'm gone. No one's gonna put up with your nonsense forever. Call me when you come to your senses."

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Not even half an hour after Nathan left, Phoebe sent me a screenshot. It was from Claire's latest post. [My handsome prince brought crepes to save me, the starving princess!] In the picture were the exact same crepes sitting on my dining table. Phoebe's texts came right after, dripping with sarcasm. ["The starving princess"? Give me a break. [She makes me sick. Is that really what guys like?] I didn't know about other guys, but Nathan clearly liked it. I stared at the crepes on the table, then picked them up and tossed them straight in the trash. After that, I started gathering everything Nathan had ever left at my place—his stuff, his gifts, all of it. I packed them all up in a box and threw it out, too. I only had five days left before leaving, so it was better to get rid of them now. Five days passed quickly. Nathan never called or texted. Things were probably going very well with Claire. Or maybe he was waiting for me to cave in first. That was how it always went—after every fight or silent treatment, I was the one apologizing first. No exceptions. But this time? I didn't go running back. I blocked every single way he could reach me. I even told Susan and my butler, Charles Atler, that Nathan wasn't allowed in anymore. Once I'd done all that, I called my parents and Andrew, who were away on business trips. I told them I wanted to go to Eltoria to see the northern lights. The plan was to spend the whole summer traveling with Phoebe, then head straight to college when school started. That way, I wouldn't risk running into Nathan again. Phoebe's parents were business partners with my family, so they trusted us traveling together. Andrew even sent me a fat allowance, worried I might not have enough for the trip. Phoebe had already left two days early because of something she had to do. On my last day, bags packed and ready to go, I stepped out of the house, only to run into Nathan's mother at the gate. She was sweet as always. Raising Nathan alone hadn't been easy, but she never complained and was always kind to me. She smiled warmly. "Going on a trip? But why are you leaving alone? Isn't Nathan coming to pick you up? I thought he was taking you to Poneemia to see the fireworks by the lake." I blinked, confused. I had mentioned wanting to see a Poneemian winter before finals, but Nathan had never agreed. Lately, he hadn't even talked to me. So why would he suddenly take me there? Since time was running short, I mumbled a few quick excuses and left. But I wasn't ready for what happened at the airport. I saw Nathan and Claire together. They stood so close that they looked like a couple. It turned out that Nathan wasn't against going to Poneemia—he just didn't want to go with me. Claire leaned in, whispering something, and Nathan bent his head to listen carefully, giving her his full attention. He had never once treated me like that. I found my gate and sat down. And wouldn't you know it—their gate was right next to mine. Nathan seemed distracted, frowning at his phone. He made call after call, none of them going through. Finally, he borrowed Claire's phone and walked toward the restroom with a scowl on his face. A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. When I picked up, Nathan's voice came through, low and angry. "Mavis, how long are you gonna stay mad? You won't come to me, and now you block me, too? Seriously?" His words came sharp, each one stabbing. "You can stay away all you want. See what happens when you're at college, away from Andrew. Who else do you think is gonna take care of you?" He ranted on and on, not even letting me answer. Then he said, "I've got things to do, so don't waste my time. You'd better take me off your block list. I'm heading abroad with friends for a couple days. If I don't pick up, don't freak out and cry about it." I didn't say a word. I just hung up, blocked the new number, and shut my phone off completely. By the time Nathan came storming back to his seat, I was already standing, pulling my suitcase toward my gate. He yanked Claire along with him and disappeared into their boarding line. I boarded my plane without looking back, carrying only my bag.