Chapter 1

My girlfriend, Loretta Summers, was quiet and reserved. She rarely acted affectionate toward me.

Most of the time, I was the one who initiated our conversations, and even then, they were nothing more than the occasional check-ins about everyday things.

I always assumed that was simply how she was. I had never expected her to change.

That was until the night she went to a reunion with her classmates, and I went to pick her up.

I was standing outside the hall when I saw her.

The same woman who was always so reserved and restrained around me was now leaning against another man, laughing brightly and talking with an ease I had never seen before.

The guy lowered his head toward her. Their faces were so close it seemed like they could hear each other breathing.

Suddenly, I remembered what she had been like when we first started dating. I had once impulsively tried to kiss her, but she instinctively pulled away.

She said that she wasn't comfortable being physically close to a man.

Because of that, we rarely kissed throughout our relationship. The furthest we'd gone was simply holding hands.

Yet now, she was letting another man get that close to her.

I swallowed the strange feeling in my chest and walked over. She was chatting with the guy about how much fun she had on her holiday.

She was animated and talkative, completely different from the woman who barely spoke a word whenever she was around me.

I listened in silence for a while before finally speaking. "Loretta, it's time to go home."

She turned around in surprise. The moment she saw me, she froze.

The guy sitting beside her raised an eyebrow. "Who's that, Lori?"

Loretta lowered her eyes. "He's… my boyfriend."

The man, Ivan Lane, smiled. "Oh, so you're Cassian Harper. Thanks for taking Lori home. She's had a little to drink tonight, so be careful on the way back. Try not to jostle her around too much."

I said coldly, "You don't need to thank me. She's my girlfriend. It's my duty to take care of her."

Ivan lowered his head, looking dejected. "I'm sorry. I didn't think before I spoke. Lori, don't be upset with me."

Loretta frowned and glared at me. "Cassian, don't scare Ivan."

"Scare him? What is he, a child?"

She immediately defended Ivan. "Cassian! I don't want to argue with you in front of so many people. We're both older than him. Can't you just let it go?"

Ivan lowered his head, his voice trembling as if he were about to cry. "Lori, it's my fault. I should've known better. Don't fight because of me."

What a manipulative little shit.

Still, Loretta wouldn't give an inch. The way she stubbornly protected him made me feel like I was the outsider here.

I swallowed my anger and turned toward the door. "I'm going home."

But when I reached the entrance, I stopped for a moment.

Loretta caught up to me and slipped her hand into mine. "Let's go, Cas."

I kept my expression blank and said nothing.

During the drive home, she sat in the passenger seat, her eyes crinkled as she gently rubbed my arm. "Are you jealous?"

I answered stiffly, "I'm driving. Sit properly."

She gave me a soft smile. "Don't be mad. I just think of him as a little brother. He's kind of hopeless. He just joined the lab and doesn't know how to do anything yet, so I have to teach him.

"Why don't I make you your favorite meatballs tomorrow? Consider it a thank you for coming all the way to pick me up tonight."

I told her I didn't want any, but my heart had already softened.

When we got home, I had just poured Loretta some water to help with the alcohol when she suddenly jumped to her feet.

She shouted at her phone, "What? Your gastritis is acting up again?"

I immediately had a bad feeling and stopped her as she tried to head to the door. "It's so late. Where are you going?"

The worry on her face was impossible to hide. "Ivan just called me. His gastritis is acting up again. He's in so much pain that he can't even walk."