Chapter 3

Alex froze and sniffed at his clothes.

With an apologetic look, he took out a gift box and handed it to me.

"I picked this out just for you. Don't be mad, okay? Next year, I promise I'll clear my schedule and spend your birthday with you."

I was about to tell him we were through when his phone rang.

He answered immediately.

His eyes lit up. I had never heard him sound so excited.

"Really? You've made up your mind? I'll come see you right away."

After hanging up, Alex let his smile fade and turned to me.

"Something urgent has come up with an important client. I need to go see her. I'll be home later."

Before I could say anything, he walked out without a moment's hesitation.

The apartment fell silent.

A client?

I scoffed. His so-called client had to be Quinn.

After a moment's thought, I went outside, got into my car, and followed Alex.

I was no longer the pathetic girlfriend desperate to prove that I mattered to him.

I needed more evidence to finally end the relationship I had wasted five years on, so I followed his car until he pulled up outside a luxury hotel.

Once Alex entered a private dining room inside the hotel's restaurant, I followed and stopped just outside the door.

Someone asked teasingly, "Aren't you worried Cathy will find out and dump you?"

Alex said confidently, "Not a chance. We've been together for five years. Every time I give her an excuse, she accepts it without a fuss. She can't live without me."

His friend chuckled.

"I've got to hand it to you, Alex. You've won Quinn back and kept your girlfriend happy. However, Quinn clearly wants to get back together with you, and that sweet little girlfriend of yours has more backbone than you think."

"If she really does try to leave you, who are you going to choose?"

A long silence followed.

When Alex finally spoke, he sounded uncertain.

"I don't know. When I first got together with her, she was just a substitute for Quinn."

Hearing him say it so plainly, I felt neither hurt nor self-pity.

For five years, I had been nothing more than someone to take Quinn's place.

That answered my last remaining question.

I turned to leave. I had only taken a few steps when a woman called after me.

"Wait."

I turned and found Quinn looking me up and down.

"I've seen your pictures. You're the girl Alex found to take my place, aren't you?"

She ran her fingertips over the necklace at her throat.

"Alex and I grew up together. We drifted apart when I went abroad for my studies. Every year, he lets me choose from the birthday gifts he buys. You only get what I don't want."

Quinn took out her phone and opened her photo gallery.

The screen filled with roses, with them embracing happily in the middle of the display.

The worst was a photo of them in bed with their fingers intertwined.

I had thought I was prepared, but that did nothing to soften the blow of Alex's betrayal.

"Everything you had was only because Alex chose to give it to you. Now that I'm back, you should give me back everything that belongs to me."