Chapter 3

3.

The breaking point came during our junior year of college.

I won the gold medal at the National Collegiate Innovation Awards for an AI algorithm I developed.

That day, I wore the little black dress Julian had given me, eagerly waiting for him to see my moment of glory.

But I waited until the ceremony was over, and he never showed up. My calls went straight to voicemail.

Late that night, I saw his Instagram Story.

The photo was from a Taylor Swift concert. Daphne was smiling brightly, making a peace sign for the camera, wearing a little black dress identical to mine.

Julian's caption read: "Making a princess's dream come true."

My heart didn't just break. It shattered.

I called him, demanding an explanation. His voice, loud over the concert noise, was impatient.

"Sloane, can you just be a little more mature?"

"It was just a school award ceremony. Is it really that important?"

"Daphne has waited three years for this concert, and she was having a panic attack today. You expected me not to be with her?"

"And the dress? I bought two of them, one for each of you. What's the problem?"

"Aren't you two supposed to be best friends? Why are you being so petty?"

"I see her as a sister, and you're my girlfriend. There's no conflict!"

I listened to the dial tone, a chill running through my body.

He was right. There was no conflict.

The only thing in conflict was my feelings. And my feelings, clearly, were worthless to them.

That night, I confronted Daphne for the first time.

I stormed into her room and asked her what the hell she thought she was doing.

She was sitting at her vanity, slowly removing her makeup. Hearing my voice, she looked at my reflection in the mirror and suddenly smiled.

It was a smile of pure triumph.

"What am I doing? Sloane, do you really think you're that important?"

"You're just an orphan my parents picked up out of pity. You live in my house, you spend my family's money. What gives you the right to compete with me?"

"Julian is only nice to you because he feels sorry for you. Did you really think he loves you?"

"Look at you. Besides a pretty face and good grades, what else do you have? What resources can you offer him?"

"I'm telling you, all I have to do is snap my fingers, and he'll come running back to me. Because I'm Daphne Sterling. And you... you're nothing."

My mind went blank. The girl who used to get into fights for me, who couldn't stand anyone saying a bad word about me, was now overlapping with the sneering rich girl in front of me.

That night, I moved out of the Sterling mansion and into a dorm on campus.

The Sterlings apologized over and over, saying Daphne was just spoiled.

Julian came to find me, too. He waited below my dorm all night, his voice frantic.

"Sloane, I'm so sorry. I was a complete asshole."

"Daphne is just a spoiled brat. She was just saying things to hurt you. Don't take it to heart."

"Let's get back together. I promise, it will never happen again."

I just looked at him and asked one question.

"Julian, if it were me who was sick today, if I was the one who needed company, would you have skipped Daphne's concert for me?"

He fell silent.

His long silence was all the answer I needed.