Chapter 2

However, I never thought that the love I firmly believed Ariana had for me would burst like a bubble and disappear all at once as soon as her so-called first love and ex-boyfriend, Ivan Hatfield, returned home.

As it turned out, I really was just a substitute for someone else after all.

I inhaled deeply and cast my gaze upon the broken plaque that was now lying on the floor in a mess. The words on it said "Best wishes to Zack and Ariana", and I found it simply too much of an eyesore.

There was a huge crack running down the center of the plaque, as if representing the broken, shattered love that was left between Ariana and me.

I closed my eyes and calmed myself down for a moment. Then, I opened my eyes again. My gaze was now clear and determined.

I didn't want a love that was so shaky and rickety anymore. Ariana also wasn't worth any of the affection I had for her anymore.

…

It was almost 10:30 pm by the time I got back to the home that Ariana and I shared. I was just about to enter the bedroom when I suddenly saw what was going on inside.

I instantly felt a sharp pain in the left side of my chest.

Ivan was hugging Ariana intimately in bed.

"Didn't you say that you didn't love me anymore? Then, why are you still interested in me?"

Ariana didn't reply to him at once. Her eyes just turned redder as she kept kissing him all over.

"Hold up. If you want to get back together with me, then you're going to have to break up with that man first," Ivan said, stopping her just as they were getting to the good part.

There was a hint of a smile in his eyes as he mocked, "I refuse to be the 'other man' in someone else's relationship."

I saw an unfathomable look flash in Ariana's eyes. Her voice was hoarse as she agreed with him. "Fine. I'll do what you say."

Ivan hugged her tightly again afterward, and the door was suddenly slammed shut. The loud bang gave me such a start that I instantly snapped back to my senses.

Ariana's answer kept playing in my head. A wave of bitterness surged within me as it spread to all other parts of my body.

What was I to her, then? And what did the past six years of our relationship mean to her?

I sat on the couch in a daze the entire night, eventually running out of tears to cry.

Early the next morning, I pulled myself together and knocked on the bedroom door.

Ariana opened the door and looked both guilty and panicked to see me.

"Zack? Why did you come back?"

I said, "I live here. Why shouldn't I come back?"

She went silent for a bit.

"No, I mean… You didn't come back last night. I thought you'd have spent the night elsewhere. Should we… Should we go out for breakfast now?"

She stood in the way, refusing to let me go in. I could feel the bitterness in my heart again as I gave her a wan, bitter smile.

"Are you hiding something in that room from me?"

I then barged into the room, making instant eye contact with Ivan, who'd just stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

He sat down blatantly in the middle of the bed, looking like he owned the place, and said, "Oh, look who's here? It's the substitute. Don't you feel the least bit ashamed when faced with the real deal here?"

"Don't overthink things, Zack! I-I only brought him home because he didn't have anywhere else to stay. He stayed the night last night. That's all."

Ariana's face was deathly pale as she weakly defended herself.

"You think I'm blind, don't you?" I asked sarcastically, pointing at the marks and hickeys littered all over her body.

Ivan still looked arrogant as ever as he gave me the side-eye.

"If you know how to read the room, then get out of here. Do you want to know what Ariana told me about you last night?"

"Shut up, Ivan Hatfield!" Ariana exclaimed anxiously, interrupting him at once.

"What? Why are you still trying to protect him? You weren't like this when I was inside of you last night!" Ivan growled. His eyes burned with rage as he glared at her.

He suddenly jumped to his feet and began pointing at the things outside the door while screaming at the top of his lungs.

"See that carpet over there? I got someone to custom-make a vintage pattern for me! You can't buy it anywhere else at all!

"And that chandelier? I went to at least a hundred lighting shops before finally locating the perfect one that lights up the whole house with a subtle, gentle glow!

"And the record player and limited-edition vintage records in the study? I spent nearly half my lifetime collecting them all! Every single one of them is very precious to me!"

Then, he grinned mockingly at me. Disdain was evident in his eyes. He looked at me like I was nothing but a jester in his court.

"Do you still not get it? This house, the very one you'd both been living in for six years, has traces of me everywhere! She might have been living with you, but all she ever thought of was me! Are you still going to try fighting me for her love now?"

At that moment, I heard a loud ringing in my ears. My mind had gone completely blank, and my hollow eyes darted across everything he pointed out in the house.

No wonder Ariana had always refused to let me upgrade or replace any of the decor in the house, citing that nostalgia was her reason. I thought that it was because she was used to it and preferred the decor this way.

As it turned out, she was just keeping Ivan alive in her memories!