Goodbye to the Past, Hello to Love

The day Ryan shared a passionate kiss with his childhood sweetheart was on my birthday.

He promised to take me to the estate that night to watch the fireworks.

I dressed up carefully, wearing a red short dress despite the early autumn chill.

As I stood downstairs, shivering slightly, Ryan finally arrived.

A sleek black Maybach pulled up discreetly at the entrance.

Avoiding my mom’s teasing gaze behind me, I quickly slipped into the car.

As soon as I got in, I placed my hands inside Ryan’s coat pockets.

Perhaps finding it inappropriate, he glanced at the driver with a slight frown and pulled my hands out.

The car was already heading toward the airport.

Midway, Ryan’s phone rang. I saw Michelle Wood’s name on the screen and felt annoyed, refusing to let him answer.

Ever since she returned, every time Ryan and I were alone, she would find a way to insert herself. The three of us together always felt incredibly awkward.

But Ryan never seemed to mind.

In fact, when I complained, he even accused me of being too spoiled, saying I couldn't even tolerate his childhood friend.

And this time was no different.

Ryan pulled his wrist from my grasp and answered the call.

On the other end, Michelle’s voice came through, trembling with sobs.

"Ryan, I’m at the Champs Club…"

Seeing Ryan’s expression, I felt a deep chill spread through me.

Her voice was broken and uneven, but I understood everything.

Michelle lost a game of Truth or Dare with the others and had to kiss a man for three minutes.

Otherwise, she would face a punishment.

She didn’t say what the punishment was, only kept repeating that she didn’t want to be punished.

Ryan agreed without hesitation.

"I’ll be right there."

After saying that, he glanced down and told the driver to take me home before heading to the Champs Club.

Of course, I refused.

"If you go, are you planning to kiss her then?"

I looked at him, my voice cold.

"Ryan, I don’t want a man who’s been tainted. Don’t forget, today is my birthday."

This was my bottom line.

He pinched my cheek lightly, his gaze darkening.

"I won’t.

"They won’t push me too far. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. Just be good, Lizzie."

But not long after I got home, a video was sent to me.

In the dimly lit private room, Michelle was sitting on Ryan’s lap, kissing him passionately.

When she leaned in, he didn’t pull away.

There was even a faint smile on his lips.

Even though Michelle was the one taking the initiative, the scene was still overwhelmingly intimate.

People around them kept cheering and egging them on.

Tears immediately welled up in my eyes and fell.

I called Ryan right away.

When he didn’t pick up, I kept calling.

On the third try, the call finally connected.

"Ryan, let’s break up."

Saying those words felt like a knife twisting in my heart.

Three years of memories with Ryan still lingered in my mind.

He had always been indifferent to others.

With his background, arrogance was in his bones from birth.

Yet, with me, he had been gentle and attentive until Michelle came back.

Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed, recalling how, after she returned, he took me to the movies on Valentine’s Day.

We were supposed to be a couple.

But when a scary scene came on, he turned and shielded Michelle’s eyes.

…

Ryan never liked amusement parks.

No matter how many times I begged, he never agreed to take me until the day I went to celebrate his birthday.

I waited for him at the villa for hours before he finally returned, carrying two bags of cartoon plushies.

That was when I found out that earlier that afternoon, Michelle took him to an amusement park.