Chapter 2

I couldn't help but curl my lip into a bitter smile as I watched Marissa and Dominic flirting right in front of me.

Marissa was always repulsed by my touch, so doing something so intimate like tucking her hair behind her ear was just out of the question. When we shared a bed, the boundary between us was clear, with a massive body pillow positioned between us.

According to her, she was waiting for my family to accept her before she could bring herself to come close to me. But the truth was, I already had a falling out with my family, all for her sake. My mother even suffered a heart attack from the stress and anger, and she forbade me from visiting her.

Marissa kept chatting with Dominic, a youthful bashfulness playing on her face. She handed the shopping bags of suits to him and said, "Please don't feel pressured, Dom. It makes me happy to be able to get you things."

I recognized the brand logo on those bags. The suits were on the pricier side. Clearly, Marissa had no problem spending freely on the love of her life. She was ready to sacrifice everything for this man.

Whenever she bought me clothes, she always bought the cheapest item from flea markets.

Dominic accepted the bags, then pulled Marissa into a hug, as if he had done so a thousand times before. He nuzzled into her neck tenderly and said, "Thank you, Rissa. If not for you, I wouldn't have been able to afford a car or a house."

My heart dropped, my blood running cold.

Marissa bought a house and a car for Dominic?

We had always rented. Whenever I suggested buying a car and a home so that she didn't have to suffer alongside me, she always responded with such grace.

She'd hand me a cup of tea and say, "It's fine, darling. It's pretty nice for us to be renting. It doesn't cost as much, so you won't have to work yourself. I can't bear to see you so tired."

Marissa had played me for a fool, claiming she didn't want the burden of a mortgage or car loans. But at the same time, she went ahead and set Dominic up with both without a second thought.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails broke skin. I only noticed when I felt something wet against my palms. Worried about being charged a dry-cleaning fee for my costume, I removed my gloves immediately and cleaned the blood off my palms.

It was also at this moment that Marissa noticed me and headed in my direction. My chest tightened with anxiety. I wasn't sure how to face her. Should I tell her off for being a heartless bitch, or should I pretend that I hadn't heard anything and just let it all slide?

It turned out my worries were for nothing. She didn't recognize me.

With her phone in her hand, she waved me over casually. "You, there. The mascot. Come take a picture of me and my boyfriend."

My mind went blank, and my heart sank straight to the pit of my stomach. Marissa just called Dominic her boyfriend.

Dazedly, I took her phone and watched as she linked arms with Dominic affectionately. Dominic put his arms around her with easy familiarity, pulling her close.

Through the screen, I could see the happiness on her face and the contentment in her eyes. Right as I took the picture, she tiptoed and planted a kiss on Dominic's cheek. Meanwhile, he gazed at her with pure adoration, as if she were his entire world.

My fingers trembled uncontrollably, and my breathing quickened.

Marissa took her phone back, then gave a satisfied nod. "That was a good shot."

Then her gaze fell on my arm. Upon seeing a red mole there, she exclaimed, grabbing my arm and turning it this way and that. She even called Dominic over to mock me.

"Ainsley has a red mole in this spot too. I consulted a fortune teller in secret about it once, and I was told that it's an unlucky symbol of poverty. It's no wonder a grown man like him is earning his keep by dressing up like a freak here. He really has no self-respect at all."

She shoved my arm away, her face full of disgust. As if I had tainted her hands, she pulled a wet wipe from her bag and cleaned her fingers thoroughly.

Fury surged through me. I was about to take my mascot head off, wanting to scream at her. But coincidentally, her ride arrived.

She grabbed Dominic's hand and pulled him hurriedly toward the exit while chattering away, "I made a reservation at Foursquare Dining. Let's get something to eat."