Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Most of the attendees at my wedding, who witnessed the spectacle, had left. I was the only one left stunned and in disbelief. My parents consoled me with teary eyes. “Veronica, it’s all our fault. We shouldn’t have rushed you into marriage. Who would’ve thought…?” My fiance, Joe Smith, had fled from our wedding. The man who had kissed my forehead tenderly just the night before had vanished without a trace. I bawled my eyes out in the vanity room until my makeup was completely ruined. I felt incredibly hurt when I looked at the ring on my finger. I had a crush on Joe for three years, and my feelings for him had been evident. He enjoyed the luxury of having home-cooked lunches at work and hangover remedies after drinking out all night. I would always be there for him, come rain or shine. A week ago, Joe got drunk again. He was drowsy as he leaned against me in the back seat of the car. I tried my best to provide him a shoulder to lean on, and my heart swelled with joy from being so close to him. Right then, he asked, “Veronica, do you really like me?” I froze and nodded, but I realized that his eyes were shut. So, I quickly replied, “Yes.” Joe propped himself up and leaned closer. He looked incredibly handsome. Then, he smiled and kissed the corner of my lips before he said in a low voice, “Marry me, then.” It felt like the happiest moment of my life. I was so overwhelmed with joy that my ears began to ring. The next day, Joe asked his assistant to send me a ring that I thought was a bit large for my finger. Nevertheless, I treasured it deeply. After the spectacle, I scrolled through his social media and managed to find him in person at a bar. He was hugging another girl, and my dreams shattered instantly. “Now that you’ve left her at the altar, what’s going to happen to her?” Joe enjoyed himself as the girl kissed him on the cheeks. He laughed heartily and said, “I’m already tired of her clinginess. Besides, what can she do even if she gets mad? Everyone knows that she’s head over heels for me. Who would want her?” I was standing at the private room’s door, and I felt a rush of disappointment wash over me. Falling in love with Joe had been easy. He was a senior of mine. Being handsome and kind, he checked all the boxes for what I had envisioned in my future partner. However, I soon realized that there was a stark difference between us. We once went on a picnic, and he had invited his friends, who were all wealthy heirs and heiresses. During our excursion, they traveled in several recreational vehicles and even organized the picnic at one of their family estates. Looking at their lavish lifestyle, I felt embarrassed and hid my tiny picnic basket behind me. Joe noticed and graciously took the picnic basket from me. He complimented the simple sandwiches I had made. As the sun shone through the leaves, it lit up his face and gentle smile. I felt myself blushing and feeling light headed at that moment. He had given me plenty of cold shoulders and put me through a lot over the past three years. But such acts of kindness would make me forgive him for everything.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

It started pouring, and I did not bring an umbrella when I rushed to the bar. I had no choice but to stand at the entrance and get a ride through an app. Just then, a car stopped right next to me. I frowned as I glanced at the number plate, but I only managed to make out two identical numbers in the rain. I quickly hopped into the car to escape the downpour. “Thank you, sir. You…” When I looked up, I saw a familiar face. It was my childhood neighbor, Jason Evans. He handed me a towel as he gazed at me calmly and said, “I was rushing back for your wedding dinner. How did you end up in such a mess?” I let out a sigh and slowly dried my hair. “I got dumped. But aren’t you working with crocodiles abroad? Why are you back driving for e-hailing services?” Jason froze briefly and burst into laughter. “I bet that’s not what your mom said. Perhaps she meant I studied finance abroad?” He did not dwell on the subject any further. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home. Don’t worry about that man. You deserve better.” I forced myself to keep the conversation going. “Yes. Like who?” Jason soon sent me to the house I had bought, and he stared happily at my shocked face. “Like someone who sells crocodiles.” The next day, Joe transferred five hundred thousand to my account. This amount was nothing to him. I treated it as compensation for leaving me and gladly accepted it. I still felt a little upset, but I was the type who could quickly bounce back on my feet. So, I no longer yearned for what I could not have. I was an illustrator, and I had allowed a lot of work to pile up in preparation for my wedding. It was time to get back on track. When I arrived at the office to discuss custom illustrations with the editor, I ran into someone I did not want to meet. It was the girl who had kissed Joe. She clearly recognized me. Since we were the only two in the elevator, she suddenly burst out laughing. “It’s ridiculous that you came all the way here. You’re absurd.” I stared at her in confusion and saw her smirking. “It doesn’t really matter even if you know Joe is here. For your information, he’s arranged for me to be here to support my career, so get a grip.” I shot her a glance and stared ahead. “I work here, so don’t worry about me. Do you actually think you’re the main character? It’s ridiculous. “It looks like being Joe’s mistress doesn’t give you many advantages either. I thought you’d be my boss by now. That would’ve been more impressive. Don’t make me feel embarrassed for you.” I had always been sharp-tongued, but I had held back because Joe was not fond of it. However, there was no reason to let a stranger berate me out of nowhere. She trembled in anger and glared at me as she walked out of the elevator. Unfortunately, she was right. When I arrived at the editor-in-chief’s office, Joe was sitting inside and staring at me calmly. “Veronica, this job doesn’t suit you. It’s too challenging. “If you want to keep working, you can be my personal secretary. You’ll earn much more than you do now.” With that, Joe sealed my fate and casually handed my opportunity to the lady who had just entered. My voice trembled as I struggled to suppress my anger. “Joe Smith, are you insane? You have no right to decide what I do!” He frowned and replied, “I’m your fiance, so what’s wrong? Are you still mad about what happened that day?” He walked over and tried to take my hand. “Why bother with all these formalities when you’ll end up marrying me either way?” I took a step back and glared at him. “We’ve broken up, and the engagement has been called off. Don’t touch me. You disgust me.”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Joe was furious, and he left without glancing back. The girl followed him happily and flashed me a victorious smile. I arrived home as the sky turned darker. Then, I sat in the living room until nightfall before I finally opened my laptop. As I gazed at the faint blue light, I wiped my tears and submitted my portfolio to various companies. My phone rang twice, and I noticed that it was Jason, who had added my number the night before. He asked if I had eaten already. “Are you still working on your art career? I remember that you’d forget to eat whenever you got really focused. Are you free today? Want to have dinner together?”“I’m home, but I don’t feel like eating,” I replied weakly. Before long, there was a knock on my door. Jason was standing at the entrance with a warm meal box in his hands. “It’s from Mellow Diner. Your mom says you like it, and it’s still hot.” He glanced at me under the dim hallway light and froze. “Who made you cry?” I sighed and let him in. After that, I briefly explained what had happened. “I just picked the wrong person. He’s powerful and influential, so I can’t afford to provoke him.” The food from Mellow Diner was indeed scrumptious. As I ate, my mood gradually improved. Meanwhile, there was a storm of emotions on Jason’s face. He sat in front of my laptop and sent some emails on my behalf. He had taken off his coat, and he was wearing a fitted black shirt underneath. His side profile showed that he was an incredibly handsome man. “These companies don’t look too promising. I have similar businesses, so why don’t you drop by for an interview?” I looked down and suddenly felt overwhelmed. “Wait. How are all of you so rich? Why can’t I be rich too?!” Jason chuckled and eased up. “So, what do you think of my suggestion? Would you consider it?” I stirred the food on my plate, and a sense of unease settled over me. “But what if we have a falling out someday and you end up firing me?” Jason suddenly leaned in and looked straight at me. “Remember when we were kids, you promised that we’d stay close forever? So, there’s no backing out now.” I backed away a little and felt unsure about meeting his gaze. “That was when I was younger. What if you change…?” He shoved his phone into my hands and said, “Save my mom’s number. If I ever mistreat you, just complain to her. “I see your talent and effort, so don’t be afraid. I’m not that influential to dictate your path, so you’ll have to rely on your own abilities at the interview. Just give it a shot.” I felt reassured by his steadfast gaze and nodded gently. Several days drifted by peacefully as Jason moved into the house across from mine. I would see him leave for work in the mornings during my walks, and it would take me back to our younger days. I started receiving responses for the resumes I had sent out. Apart from Jason’s recommendation, I also decided to explore a few other promising options. Unfortunately, the companies that scheduled interviews with me rejected me on the day itself. “Ms. Scott, as you know, we have zero tolerance for plagiarism as creators. Therefore, we’ve decided not to hire you.” I was utterly confused. I never even got a chance to clarify before I was escorted out of the office. As a kind gesture, the human resource personnel who arranged my interview showed me a video. Joe’s new girlfriend, Kimberly Faye was on the screen, and she was showcasing her comic. It had just gotten serialized recently, but it was popular. The cover looked almost identical to one that I had submitted at my previous company. The only differences were in the characters’ clothing and hair colors. I quickly used my phone to search for her comic online. Even though there were only a few chapters, the comic was about 80% similar to the incomplete version I had submitted. Even the storyline matched closely. I felt like I had been struck by lightning. She had plagiarized my work. As soon as I got home, I dove straight into gathering evidence. I took screenshots of chat records with my former supervisor, submission timestamps, and computer logs. However, the moment I posted about her plagiarism on my account, someone reported me. My account was banned before I could share any of the evidence. Immediately after, Joe called. The background on his end was noisy, as though he was at a bar. He spoke with amusement in his voice. “Veronica, I don’t like it when you go against me.” I felt a surge of anger and replied, “Joe Smith, aren’t you shameless for indulging in your girlfriend’s theft of my work?” Joe chuckled lightly and said, “I don’t see her as my girlfriend, so stop being jealous over nothing. “I’m drunk, and I don’t feel well. Give me a ride, and we’ll make up. I’ll handle this for you.” I did not respond. I calmly saved a recording of the phone call and hung up. Jason was beside me, and he was helping me gather evidence. He glanced over and said, “I’ll use the company account to speak up for you. Don’t worry. We need to get back at him for this.” We worked until midnight and felt exhausted as well as sore. Just then, I heard the sound of the fingerprint lock at my door. Joe opened the door without hesitation and called out to me. “Dear, why didn’t you pick me up…?” Soon after, he narrowed his eyes and asked, “Veronica, why are there men’s shoes here?”