Chapter 3

On my way back to the banquet hall, my wife called.

"I just heard from your assistant that you fell into a flowerbed while trying to save a kid. Are you hurt?" Her voice was filled with concern, a hint of worry seeping through the line.

I couldn’t help but smile. "No, I’m fine. Don’t worry."

"Good! I’ve still got a few things to finish up here. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done."

"Alright, take your time. See you soon!"

I hung up, the smile still lingering on my lips, even as the class rep called my name, reminding me that Professor Warren would be a bit late.

He grinned, urging me over, "Come on, have a drink with us! It’s been years! And Sophia brought this special bottle back for us!"

The moment I stepped through the door, James was already waiting there. Before I could even politely decline, he shoved a glass into my hand.

"Here, Alex, have a taste!"

Everyone had gathered around James and Sophia, showering them with compliments about the wine.

I took a small sip before setting the glass down. To be honest, the wine was pretty average. Plus, my wife and I were trying for a baby, so I was trying to avoid alcohol.

I thought a token sip would be enough, but James clung to me like a piece of stubborn gum. He kept pressing me to give my "expert" opinion on the wine.

Everyone in the room had spent years in the game, so they knew exactly what he was doing.

Seeing me stay silent, a few others jumped in to fan the flames.

"Oh, looks like Alex can’t tell good wine from bad."

"Hey, don’t mind him. He can't see the wood for the trees and has no appreciation for the finer things!"

"Ah, but you know Professor Warren. He’s always been generous. Regardless of whether you’re a top student or a nobody, he invited everyone tonight."

"Come on, everyone remembers how Alex used to hang around Professor Warren back in the day, always trying to get on his good side."

Their words dripped with thinly veiled mockery, and James’s grin only grew wider. "Alright, I just thought Alex might want to try the wine, that’s all. No hard feelings." His tone was all smiles, but his eyes flashed with smug satisfaction.

Neither did I have the patience for this petty drama, nor did I feel like dealing with a room full of fair-weather friends. I stepped aside and checked my phone.

My wife had just sent me a message, asking if I was alright and letting me know she’d be arriving soon with Professor Warren. I quickly replied, telling her I was fine and to be careful on the way over.

As soon as I hit send, Sophia appeared in front of me. "Alex, I always thought you were just a coward when it came to the whole going abroad thing, but I didn’t expect you to be such a lightweight now, too."

Ah, so she had been watching from the sidelines.

"I’m getting engaged to James," she said, tossing her hair back with a self-satisfied smile. "Just think, if you’d gone abroad with me back then, we could have been married by now, maybe even had a kid. But no, you had to be stubborn. And look where that got you. You're a nobody stuck in a dead-end job, and you're a laughingstock."

I cut her off, my tone flat and uninterested. "Congratulations."

Sophia’s face instantly stiffened. "Congratulations? For what?"

"For finding happiness together. I wish you all the best."

Her eyes flared with anger, her cheeks flushed. For a second, it seemed like she might explode.

"You’d better mean that!" she spat, practically shaking with rage.

I just gave her a small nod before walking past her. If it weren’t for the chance to catch up with Professor Warren, I wouldn’t have bothered coming to this circus.

I found an empty room to cool off for a while. When I finally reentered the event hall, everyone was staring at me with strange, uncomfortable expressions. I had no idea what was going on until James piped up.

"It’s nothing. It's just a watch. If it’s lost, it’s lost. No need to let it ruin the night."