Chapter 2

Early the next morning, I had just woken up when my best friend, Simon Reese, called me.

His voice crackled with excitement.

“Dom! Huge news! Did you hear? Yesterday, Ella and Benedict both missed the exam!

“Word is, Ella went back home to get Benedict's admission ticket, and they got stuck in traffic on the way back.

“In the end, neither of them made it into the exam hall—it even made the local news.”

I was silent for a moment, then replied calmly, “I know. I was there.”

“What!” Simon exclaimed. “You didn’t try to stop her?

“I heard the homeroom teacher nearly exploded when he found out.

“He was counting on you and Ella to get into WIT or other top universities and make the school proud. Now it’s probably just you…”

Simon was still the passionate eighteen-year-old boy I remembered, but I was no longer the same eighteen-year-old I once was.

In my past life, hearing news like that would’ve made me frantic with worry over Ella.

But in this life, I had no desire to entangle myself with her anymore.

“I didn’t stop her. It was her choice. She’ll bear the consequences. It has nothing to do with me,” I said quietly.

“Oh, and by the way, I broke up with her. She agreed.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Clearly, Simon hadn’t expected that.

“You broke up?” he finally asked.

“Yeah.”

He took a moment to collect himself. “Well… It’s a little sudden, but I get it.

“Ella was acting strange. I mean, this is SAT we’re talking about, and she ditched it for Benedict?

“It’s just…something about it doesn’t sit right with me. I can’t explain it.”

I couldn’t blame Simon for finding it strange.

The truth was, Ella had simply worn her mask too well.

Even as her husband in my previous life, I never saw the true feelings she had buried deep in her heart.

But it didn’t matter anymore. From now on, I only have to look out for myself.

As for Ella, I was curious to see whether she could still have everything go her way in this life.

…

At the class reunion, Ella walked into the private event hall with Benedict.

The two of them sat down on the sofa and got rather intimate.

Everyone around us was eager to see the drama unfold as they looked at me, then back at the two of them.

Someone finally broke the silence and asked, “Ella, we heard you and Benedict are planning to take a gap year?”

Benedict nodded as he leaned proudly into her embrace.

“Ella went all the way home to get my admission ticket,” he declared loudly.

“We missed the exam, sure—but it showed me her true heart.

“We’re together now, and next year, we’ll go to the same university.

“We’ve got it all planned. After graduation, we’ll get married and have babies. Life’s going to be sweet from here on out.”

Ella beamed with pride.

“It’s never too late for school, but miss the chance at love, and it may never come again.

“Besides, I'm sure I’ll get into WIT next year just the same.”

Benedict raised his eyebrows smugly, then tilted his head and kissed Ella on the lips.

“Woooooo!”

A chorus of cheers erupted from the boys in the room.

Amid the noise, Simon glanced at me, trying to read my expression.

He leaned in cautiously and murmured, “Hey man, don’t take it too hard, okay?

“Ella said she liked you not long ago, and now she’s already moved on? Honestly, breaking up with her was the right call.”

I turned my head and gently patted Simon’s back.

“Don’t worry,” I said with a calm smile. “I’m not upset.”

I met Ella in our second year of high school. We were in the same class.

And we were both straight-A students — I ranked first, she was second.

The teacher intentionally seated us together so we could support each other academically.

Over time, we grew closer. We talked about everything.

Even during breaks, we would discuss assignments together, often drawing teasing whistles from some of the girls in class.

Whenever that happened, Ella’s ears would turn red as she whispered an apology to me.

I would just lower my head, too shy to meet her eyes.

Until one day, after school, she confessed her feelings.

Back then, she was tall, fair-skinned, a top student, and clearly bound for WIT.

I truly believed I was the male lead in a campus romance, and that she was the girl fate had chosen for me.

No one could’ve predicted it would all come to a brutal halt ten years later, on that rainy night.

Simon tried again to comfort me as I remained silent.

“Ella may look good on the outside, but deep down she’s just a two-faced hag.

“And don’t even get me started on Benedict. He flirts with girls at school and hangs out with thugs.

“If his family didn’t have money, the school would’ve chucked him out ages ago.

“Honestly, neither of them are any good. This won’t last.”

I let out a soft laugh and slung an arm around Simon’s shoulder.

“Relax, man. I really don’t care anymore. I’m happy for them. Truly. I hope they stay together forever.”