Chapter 1 Aidan Stewart

"Are you sure?" the professor asked from the other end of the line. "This means staying abroad for a long time. Weren't you reluctant to leave your girlfriend before?"

I looked at the woman who was supposed to love me.

She was chatting happily with her friends. The smile that appeared when she heard Aidan's name still lingered on her face.

I looked down at the ground and whispered, "Nope. It's just my wishful thinking all along."

The professor didn't comment on it. "Alright. I'll book your flight. You leave in three days, so start preparing."

…

After the call ended, I took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked into the room.

My presence attracted everyone's attention. They began to exchange whispers among themselves.

"Look. It's the guy chasing Selena. Isn't he obedient? He really can't stay away from her, can he?"

"Mind your words! He's Selena's boyfriend! Do you know he's a genius?"

"So what if he's a genius? At the end, he followed her to the community college and was at her beck and call the whole time. Does he have no dignity?"

Selena's best friends had been mocking me from the start.

I simply disregarded them. I've decided not to let it get to me.

Their cheeks began to burn with embarrassment when I paid no mind to their insults.

"Hey! We're talking to you! Can't you hear us? Seriously? What kind of genius can't hear people talking to him?"

Selena lightly punched the arm of the girl nearest to her. "Come on, that's enough. You'll hurt Noah's feelings if you keep teasing him."

Then she turned to me and gently handed over her laptop. "Noah, take a look at the assignment. You're the only person we can depend on now."

Her friends went silent at her words, looking at me expectantly.

I glanced at the description on the screen. One solution popped up in my mind after another.

Yet, I kept quiet, refusing to help them.

Sensing that I was in a bad mood, Selena took my wrist with both hands and swung my arm playfully. "Dear Noah, it's time to put that clever little brain of yours to work. Please help us with the assignment?"

Ever since I entered community college, I had handled her homework and her dorm mates' assignments. Sometimes, I even helped her cheat on her exam by taking it myself.

I used to think it was Selena's way to show she cared about me. I perceived her behavior as she relied on me because she had feelings for me.

But now, I've finally discovered that I was a mere tool to her. Other than that, I meant nothing to her.

Her friends eventually lost their patience when I remained silent. "What the hell is wrong with you, Noah? You usually don't take so long to come up with a solution. What's with the silent treatment? Cat got your tongue?"

Instead of defending me, Selena looked at me reproachfully.

In the past, I would always give in whenever she looked at me that way, no matter how badly her friends treated me.

However, everything had changed.

As the tension thickened, someone approached from afar.

She hurriedly ran past me to greet him. "Aidan, what are you doing here? You should've told me you were coming."

He looked as if he had rushed over, a gift box in his hand. "I was told I could find you here, so I took a chance."

He handed her the gift. "I want to give you this. It's an appreciation for the College Students' Innovative Training Program thesis you shared last time. It helped a lot."

The anxiety vanished from her face. A smile replaced it as she accepted the gift. "It was nothing. You're giving me too much credit."

I remembered that paper. She had come to me in a panic, begging for help. It was simple enough, but it still took me an entire day to finish.

I pulled an all-nighter and finally sent it to her. Instead of thanking me, she forwarded the attachment to Aidan right away.

Her friends teased her, "Aren't you going to introduce us to handsome Aidan? He's adorable. I kind of want to pinch his face."

Selena's expression darkened instantly. She stormed over, threw the laptop to the ground, and stomped on it.