Chapter 3

3.

I blocked Xander and everyone associated with him.

I wiped every memory of him from my phone.

I checked into a random hotel and slept until the following afternoon.

Once I felt human again, I decided to head back to Xander's place to get my suitcases.

I expected him to be out partying with Yasmine, but the second I opened the door, someone grabbed my wrist.

I jumped, looking up to see Xander standing there with a smug look.

"I knew you'd come back. Blocking me? You've really grown a pair, Leila."

I frowned and wrenched my arm away.

"Even if I block you, you always find a way to track me down, don't you?"

I looked past him and saw Yasmine sitting in the dining room, eating fruit.

"Oh, I see the mistress is already moved in."

"Xander doesn't want to waste time looking for me, and I get that. But please, stop pretending you're so devoted to me. It makes me want to vomit."

"Wow, she's got quite the mouth on her. No wonder her parents died; it's probably karma for being such a bitch."

"If my brother hadn't been protecting her all these years, she wouldn't even be standing here. She should know her place."

Rhoda, Xander's cousin, dropped a dripping wet diamond bracelet into Yasmine's hand.

"Yasmine, I washed it for you. Put it on. It's a gift from my brother, after all."

"Rhoda!"

Yasmine's face turned bright red as she stole a glance at Xander.

When he didn't say anything to stop her, she shyly put the bracelet on.

Xander and Rhoda were cousins who grew up together.

We all went to the same college, though we had different majors.

When Xander first introduced me to their circle, Rhoda made it very clear she hated me.

No matter how hard I tried to be nice, she stayed cold.

Xander used to tell me, "Don't take it personally. She's just like that."

But the moment Yasmine appeared, Rhoda was all smiles.

I wasn't stupid. I knew exactly what that meant.

In Rhoda's eyes, Yasmine was the only real sister-in-law.

"What are you staring at? Get over here and help. You were the one who insisted on handling the company's investors. Now they have issues with the proposal. If we lose this funding because of you, you're kicked out of the company!"

Xander was talented.

He started his own business back in freshman year.

Rhoda and I had been helping him build it from the ground up.

To stay close to him, I never bothered with a formal title. I was happy being his assistant.

My pay was lower than my college scholarship, but I worked harder than anyone.

I was top of my class, so every major decision went through me.

In the past, I would have finished the work before anyone even asked.

But now, I just laughed.

"Xander, we were supposed to get married. She's treating me like trash, and you're just going to stand there?"

"Also, writing proposals isn't my job. I helped because I loved you. Now that the love is gone, I have no reason to help. She has no right to tell me what to do!"

I said it on purpose just to see where I stood in his heart.

As expected, he didn't hesitate to take their side.

"Didn't you say we broke up? If you don't fix this proposal, don't bother coming back to the office!"

For four years, Xander had protected me a thousand times.

But now that Yasmine was back, he couldn't even be bothered to pretend.

I forced a smile and nodded.

"Don't worry. I'm leaving right now."