Chapter 1

"Hello, Max? My ticket got—"

"Marie? I'm just about to go onstage, and the line backstage is terrible. I'll bring you out for supper after the show, alright?"

I could hear the sounds of guitars being tuned and staff shouting in the background of the call. However, the call was cut off abruptly before I'd even managed to finish my sentence.

I just stood there frozen in place, a little stunned as I clutched my phone. I was still holding two bottles of chilled mineral water I'd just bought. The water droplets slid down the plastic bottle and dripped onto my shoes.

The weather was a scorching 86 degrees today, and the blazing sun was melting the asphalt.

"Miss? Don't block the queue for the gate if you don't have a valid ticket. Go over there to the plaza and wait there instead," a security guard said, approaching me and waving impatiently.

I had no choice but to bring the water with me as I moved to the open space they called a plaza with no shade whatsoever. Sweat dripped down my forehead right into my eyes, and the sudden sharp pain made me narrow my eyes instinctually.

I tapped into the messaging app on my phone, wanting to ask my boyfriend, Cornell Glover, how long he was planning to make me wait.

However, a notification popped up on my phone just then, informing me that he'd just posted a new story on his Instagram. The photo was a view of the stage from the VIP front row, and on the right side of the image was a slender wrist making a hard metal fan gesture.

That hand was prominently displaying the limited-edition bracelet I'd bought for Cornell for 5,000 dollars.

The caption read, "The best part about attending a rock and roll music festival is attending it with true fans who know what it truly means."

I shook with fury and called him at once. The phone rang for a very long time before he finally picked up.

"What's the matter with you? Are you done making a fuss about things?" Cornell said impatiently. I heard a deafening bass booming in the background.

"What do you mean by your Instagram story? Did you just give my ticket to someone else? Even the bracelet I bought for you?" I asked through gritted teeth.

Cornell cackled. "How could you be so materialistic, Marie Swanson? Ellie wasn't wearing any accessories today, and I thought that the bracelet matched her outfit. What's wrong with lending it to her?

"You're nothing but an amateur who doesn't even know basic metal etiquette. Do you even know anything about rock culture?"

I inhaled deeply to try to stop my voice from shaking.

"I might not know much about rock, but I know what basic etiquette is! That ticket belongs to me! Who gave you permission to do what you wanted with it without asking me first?

"Do you even know how hot it is outside here? And you're telling me to stay here in the sun and wait for you for hours?"

Cornell's voice turned firm and self-righteous.

"I already told you that Ellie Valdez is just an intern, and she earns only 2,500 dollars a month! She can't even afford to buy official merch! And you're the one carrying around handbags worth tens of thousands of dollars everywhere! What's the big deal about giving her your ticket?

"You're always acting so prude and high-and-mighty at the office. And now, you're even going to war with me over something as menial as a ticket? You're just jealous that Ellie knows more about music than you!"

I couldn't believe my ears. How could he act so generously toward other people with my money like this?

Just then, a sweet, coquettish female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Corey? Is Marie angry at you? Maybe I should just leave. I really want to listen to Max and the Swans, but I don't want to get in between you and Marie."

She sounded extremely aggrieved, and Cornell immediately comforted her.

"Don't bother about her. She's just being dramatic. You'll stay right here. I'm not letting anybody kick you out."

Then, Cornell yelled into the phone and said, "I'm warning you, Marie Swanson, don't you ever dare go crazy and cause trouble by embarrassing me. Ellie purposely travelled all the way here for this.

"If you dare to come in and make a fuss, then, we're through!"

I gripped the water bottles in my hand so hard that my knuckles turned white.

"Fine. I'm not going in. But you will take your things and come out right now."

Cornell sneered. "Come out? Max and the Swans are playing now, and you're telling me to leave? Are you out of your mind?

"I'm not coming out now, even if you dropped to your knees and begged!"

I felt a heavy feeling in my chest, and it was getting hard for me to breathe.

"If you don't come out now, Cornell Glover, then I am never contacting you ever again."

There were two seconds of silence on the phone. Then, Cornell's mocking laughter rang out.

"Wow, Marie, you've got some guts. Don't you dare threaten me with a breakup. If you leave me now, I will never get back together with you, even if you beg!

"Ellie, let's go up ahead. There's no need for us to pay any heed to this crazy bitch anymore."

Before I could get another word in, he hung up on me, and I could only hear the sound of the busy tone afterward.

I stood under the sweltering sun, watching the crowd around me, and suddenly found everything absolutely absurd.

We'd been dating for three years, and I always thought that his only shortcoming was that he had a short fuse. However, I never thought that he would belittle me in front of other people like this.

The security guard came over to me again and knocked on the fence with his baton.

"Hey, you! Stop causing trouble here!"

I took a few steps backward. Then, my vision suddenly turned black. The world began spinning, and I heard people shouting around me.