Chapter 2

2

It took less than a minute for Beckett to start blowing up my phone.

"Have you lost your mind? It was just a little bit of money and you cut me off! Fix it right now! Clementine is waiting to pay for her things!"

I wasn't surprised. He was already out spending my money on her.

I kept my voice calm. "Since we're over, there's no reason for you to use my money. You love her so much, I'm sure you'll find a way to pay."

Beckett couldn't believe I was being this "cold." He was probably embarrassed at the register.

"Can you stop being so petty? Clementine even told me not to be mad at you! And look at you. You haven't even asked if I'm okay. You only know how to stress me out!"

He seemed to forget that he was the one who blocked my number two hours ago.

In his world, everything was always my fault.

I had given him everything for years. Even a stone should have been warmed by now.

But Beckett's heart was harder than granite.

After hanging up, I scrolled through social media.

Beckett had just posted a photo of him and Clementine holding hands.

The caption read: "True souls will always find their way back to each other, even when monsters try to block the path."

They were both wearing matching diamond rings. If I had to guess, they were bought with my money before I cut the card.

They didn't forget to paint me as the villain in their story, the "monster" blocking their love.

I felt a twisted sense of honor being their antagonist.

But then I saw a clear red mark on Beckett's neck in the photo.

I zoomed in. The background wasn't a restaurant. It was a hotel room.

Beckett was wearing a white hotel robe.

They weren't even trying to hide it.

This morning, he was at our engagement party. This afternoon, he was in bed with another woman.

A sharp pain stabbed at my chest. It felt like a thousand jagged blades were twisting inside me.

I was bleeding internally, silently.

How could he be so eager to replace years of my devotion?

Maybe I was bitter, or maybe I just wanted one last word.

I commented under his post: "Using your ex's money to impress your new girl? Does your conscience even exist?"

The comment was deleted within seconds.

Beckett sent me a DM, dripping with malice.

"So what if I used your money! Sue me then! To be honest, even this hotel room was paid for by you!"

I thought I was numb to him.

But reading that made my hands shake uncontrollably.

How heartless did a man have to be to say something like that?

I could see them laughing at their screens, mocking my pain.

This relationship had been rotten for a long time. I was just the only one refusing to let go.

I took a deep breath and hit the block button. I deleted his contact and every trace of him.

Then, I collapsed onto the floor. I couldn't even find the strength to cry.

Beckett and I did have good times in the beginning.

He was handsome and brilliant, the star athlete of our university.

I was just a girl with a wealthy family and a quiet crush.

Back then, Beckett and Clementine were the "it" couple. They were the center of attention wherever they went.

I never dreamed of being with him. I was happy just watching him smile from a distance.

But then, his family's business empire collapsed overnight. He went from a prince to a guy selling shoes to pay rent.

Clementine claimed she didn't care about money, but her parents did.

The golden couple was forced apart.

It was raining heavily the night Beckett called me, crying. He asked if I could come over.

I was out of town for a business trip, but I drove a hundred miles through the storm to get to him.

He threw himself into my arms and said he wanted to be with me. But he needed my family to help his father's debt.

I knew the foundation was shaky, but I loved him.

I agreed to everything he asked for.

I thought my years of kindness would eventually win him over. We were finally building a life together.

Then, Clementine came back from abroad. Her parents had died in a plane crash during a vacation.

There was no one left to stop them from being together.