Chapter 1 Seven Years Later

Sophie and I met again seven years later, at our high school reunion.

I had just finished a few surgeries, exhausted and too lazy to clean up, so I walked straight into the banquet hall.

Sophie stood in the center of the crowd, holding Vincent's hand, basking in everyone's praise.

"Sophie, you're incredible. You've only been on Crescent Street in Astoria City for a few years, and you've already become one of the most promising traders! You're the pride of Aston High School!"

"Absolutely. I heard the big shots on Crescent Street even pay to have dinner with her just for her advice. They say her consulting fees alone are worth hundreds of thousands. That's more than most of us make in a year!"

"Sophie, I've been dabbling in the stock market myself lately. Think you could give me a few insider tips?"

Someone in the crowd spoke up curiously. "Sophie, are you and Vincent getting engaged?"

Sophie looked at Vincent with a soft smile. "Yes. We're getting engaged on December 20th."

A round of congratulations followed, cheerful and loud.

Then, someone asked, half-teasing, half-nostalgic, "Sophie, do you still keep in touch with Lucas? You two were so in love back then. And wasn't your first song written for him?"

At the mention of my name, Sophie's smile froze. Her eyes dimmed slightly.

Standing beside her, Vincent gave a polite smile and replied smoothly, "Come on now. Sophie and I are getting married soon. Childhood hobbies never last, and neither does young love. She's long since moved on from Lucas."

The crowd laughed again, showering the two of them with more compliments about how perfect they were together.

But I knew better. Sophie had written that song herself when she confessed her love to me.

In our previous life, she and I had fallen in love back in school. It was love at first sight.

I still remembered how she once looked me straight in the eye, her face so open, so sincere, and said, "Lucas, look into my eyes. I like you. Eyes don't lie."

And I believed her.

Too bad she lied anyway.

I walked into the banquet hall, calm and composed, still carrying the quiet fatigue from work. A few sharp-eyed classmates spotted me right away.

"Lucas! There you are. What took you so long?"

"Why did you show up in casual clothes? You could've at least put on something formal."

"Don't tell me you just got off work. Where are you working these days, man? We've got some big shots here tonight. Maybe they can hook you up with something easier!"

A few people chuckled, their words wrapped in mockery thinly disguised as concern.

I didn't care. I simply smiled and kept my composure.

From the moment I stepped into the room, Sophie's eyes hadn't left me.

I greeted her politely. "It's been a while."

She hesitated for a second, her expression shadowed and unreadable. Then, she let out a faint, mocking laugh. "Lucas, after all these years, you haven't changed a bit. Still the same unambitious guy."

Vincent shot me a look full of venom.

He pulled Sophie closer by the waist, his gesture possessive, and said sweetly for everyone to hear, "Now, Sophie, that's not nice. He's had it rough already. No need to rub salt in the wound. Lucas has suffered enough."

He gave me a slow once-over, his smile dripping with condescension. "But really, Lucas, what's with that outfit? It's neither casual nor formal. It's just messy. You're not getting any younger. These days, men have to put effort into how they look. No woman wants a man who can't bother to clean up. Keep this up, and you'll still be single by forty."

As soon as he finished, laughter rippled through the crowd.

It was easy to see why. Vincent was polished from head to toe. Every piece of clothing screamed luxury, a high-end watch glittered on his wrist, and even his hair looked meticulously styled. He carried himself like a man born into money.