Chapter 2

2

The comments under her post were filled with tears and endless blessings.

I looked down at the custom couple rings in my hand.

This was supposed to be my anniversary gift for him.

But none of that mattered anymore.

In the past, I would have definitely called Caleb to demand an explanation.

But this time, I quietly tossed the rings into the trash can and walked away.

Nobody knew that I, his so-called assistant, was actually his secret lover.

Right after graduating from college, I became Caleb's assistant.

At that time, Caleb and Melody had been dating for three years.

Caleb was just an unknown, struggling actor with no fame.

Meanwhile, Melody had become an overnight sensation with her hit single "Memories."

They rarely saw each other, and their immaturity led to constant fights.

Until that day, Caleb brought the ring to propose.

But he accidentally overheard Melody denying their relationship to someone else.

"Caleb? He's just a guy chasing after me. You know he only has a pretty face."

Before Caleb could even confront her, Melody texted him a breakup message.

She immediately blocked his number right after.

From that day on, Caleb changed into a completely different person.

He neglected his health and worked like a madman.

In less than three years, he won the Best Actor award.

Our relationship started after a drunken night together.

When he woke up sober, he offered to take responsibility.

That was how I became his underground girlfriend.

He treated me very well over the past five years.

Aside from Melody, he never had any scandals with anyone else.

Even when he became a massive superstar and Melody begged for him back, he stayed cold to her.

I honestly thought he had completely moved on.

It turns out I never truly understood him at all.

I took a cab back to our apartment.

I placed my freshly signed resignation letter on the table and started packing.

There really wasn't much to pack since I owned very little.

For the past five years, my entire life revolved around Caleb.

In the end, all my belongings fit into a single suitcase.

Just as I finished packing, my phone rang.

Caleb's anxious voice came through the speaker.

"Chloe, where are you right now?"

"...I'm at home."

He went silent for two seconds before trying to cover his tracks.

"Why aren't you at the restaurant I booked? Are you mad I'm late?"

"No, I just suddenly lost my appetite."

Caleb had booked a fancy restaurant days ago to surprise me.

But I had already received my "surprise" today.

There was no point in waiting for him anymore.

My cold tone must have tipped him off.

"Those news articles are all nonsense. Don't take them seriously, Chloe."

"You know Melody and I ended things a long time ago."

"Yeah."

I didn't want to say anything else, but Caleb started to panic.

"I'm coming home right now to celebrate our anniversary. Give me ten minutes."

Before I could refuse, he hurriedly hung up the phone.

I stood frozen for a few seconds before dialing another number.

It was my childhood best friend, Rachel Morgan.

"Are you really leaving? Can you actually bear to leave your precious Caleb?"

"If you come crawling back to him in two days, I swear I can't save you."

"I am serious this time."

I majored in design in college and even won several major competitions.

Rachel started her own company right after graduation.

She was short on designers and had offered me a job multiple times.

I would occasionally help her out online.

But because of Caleb, my progress was always painfully slow.

There were times when she desperately needed me to be there in person.

But Caleb would end up in the hospital with stomach pains.

I would book a red-eye flight just to rush back to him.

Since then, I devoted all my time and energy to Caleb.

We dated for five whole years.

Rachel was the only person who knew about our messed-up relationship.

She always asked why I would date someone with his status.

She warned me that Caleb was just playing around with me.

I just smiled and replied, "Because he saved me once, though he probably forgot."

Because of my toxic family, my college years were absolutely miserable.

When I couldn't take it anymore and wanted to end everything, he saved me.

He comforted me softly, "Cry if you need to, but don't give up on yourself so easily."

He draped a clean jacket over my shoulders and waited for the ambulance.

He left as soon as it arrived, but I recognized his face.

Even though he was just a nameless extra on a movie set back then.

Later on, I asked him if he remembered the college girl he saved.

Caleb thought about it for a long time before saying, "Oh, that was you."

Yes, it was me. I worked so hard to stand by your side just to feel a little bit of warmth.

But I didn't realize back then that sunlight shines on everyone.

I was never his one and only.

Rachel probably sensed something was different in my voice.

She tried to comfort me, "Chloe, I saw the news too."

"Just let it go. Melody will always be standing between you and Caleb."

"I booked your flight. You leave in three days. Cut your ties and move on."

"You might lose the guy, but you'll still have a career. Life moves on!"

"Okay."

Just as I agreed, the apartment door was pushed open.