Chapter 1

"Stop looking at your phone. Can you at least give me a response?"

Seeing that I had completely dismissed his words, my ex's friend, Sam Hayes, was somewhat displeased. I leisurely put my phone down and looked at him calmly.

"Victor may come from a wealthy family, but he hates it when people flatter him because of his background.

"Even though his father serves on the board of trustees, he's never used that for his personal gain. Yet, he actually made a scene in the principal's office just to get your graduation certificate and nearly faced major disciplinary action!

"Claire Webb, do you even have a heart? Don't you feel anything at all?" Sam spoke passionately about past events, as if my lack of emotion was an unforgivable sin.

I frowned slightly and scanned the room. The alumni who were watching our confrontation quickly averted their eyes when they noticed me looking, feigning disinterest while straining to catch every word.

When my plagiarism scandal broke in the past, it caused quite a stir. Even after seven years, I could still see disdain and mockery on these onlookers' faces.

Today was no different. I simply wanted to go backstage in the auditorium to prepare for the upcoming celebration, but Sam stopped me with all this nonsense.

I couldn't tell if he was doing this out of loyalty to his friend or resentment over my sudden departure seven years ago. Or perhaps, someone else might have put him up to it.

But none of it mattered to me anymore.

I sighed softly. "What am I supposed to feel? It's all in the past."

My answer clearly wasn't what Sam expected to hear. He frowned deeply, staring at me in confusion.

I understood why he was making that expression. After all, I pursued Victor Whitmore passionately for three months in my freshman year, shocking the entire school.

After learning that Victor liked to stargaze at the observatory, I went through great trouble to find meteorite fragments and personally made a star necklace for him.

I risked disciplinary action for missing curfew to spend more time with him. I spent three consecutive months camping out at the law school library, pretending like I was just passing by so I could accompany him during his late-night studies.

On a stormy night when I heard he had a fever, I climbed over the dormitory wall to buy him medicine and ended up fracturing my right hand. When he asked about it, I just smiled and said I wanted to test the human body's resistance to pressure.

Victor knew exactly how I fractured my hand, but he quietly listened to my lies. That was also the day he agreed to be my boyfriend.

After we got together, he gave me a moon bracelet in return, saying we were made for each other. He also gave up his habit of late-night studying to stop me from staging encounters.

He even endured the crowded, noisy cafeteria, something this privileged young man had never done before. He stood in long lines just to get me my favorite barbecue chicken while my hand was fractured.

Each small gesture took root in my heart like seeds, growing into towering trees. I thought this tree of love would bloom and bear fruit, but Emma Palmer's appearance made it wither rapidly instead.

Initially, Victor clearly told me that Emma was just someone his father had forced on him for an arranged marriage. He said I was the only one in his heart.