Chapter 2

I couldn't leave as Bella had grabbed my hand.

"Elias said some things that were a little harsh. Since you're already here, why not stay and have a Thanksgiving meal together?"

My gaze caught the bracelet on her wrist, identical to the one on mine.

Half a month ago, I made two bracelets by hand. One was for Elias, the matching piece to mine. Now, the bracelet I gave Elias was on her wrist.

While I was still in a daze, Bella pulled me toward the dinner table.

Elias' parents seemed very pleased with Elias' beautiful girlfriend.

During the meal, the older couple asked how they'd met.

Elias smiled and recounted his prized memory.

"In high school, I led our basketball team in a match against the neighboring high school. Bella happened to be a cheerleader for our school."

At that moment, Sophie covered her mouth in surprise.

"I remember this! Elias mentioned a cheerleader he met back in high school. So it was Bella! Elias even had a poster of her by his bed!"

I had seen that poster myself. In fact, Elias once undressed me before that very poster.

In his sports-themed bedroom, there was always a woman's image on the wall.

I once asked him to change the poster to one of mine.

He'd said, "Evie, I need my own space. This is exhausting."

I understood his feelings and never mentioned it again.

But I never thought that his personal space was where he cradled his feelings for another woman.

Bella was warm and confident. She quickly won over Elias' parents.

At one point, the topic shifted. Someone said, "Bella is two years older than Evie but much more stylish. Evie, you should learn a thing or two from Bella."

Elias sneered coldly. "Someone with a body like hers trying to imitate Bella? Impossible! Just look at those hopelessly dull black glasses of hers."

I looked down helplessly at my loose clothes.

Suddenly, I remembered holding him in my arms just last night. Elias had groped my chest and said they were big and soft.

He'd said, "Evie, I like how you look pure during the day but are so slutty when you take your clothes off."

Now, however, he was putting me down for another woman.

Sophie helped me change the subject. The talk soon turned to academics.

Bella said that she had already received her acceptance letter for the master's program at Ashcroft University.

Elias smiled, took her hand, and looked at her with admiration.

"Bella is amazing. I'm going to work hard to get into Ashcroft University too, following in her footsteps."

I bit my lower lip hard to stop myself from crying.

Elias had once told me he didn't like nerds and only wanted to marry a woman who'd take care of her family.

Because of that, I'd stupidly written his academic reports for two months, even ready to quit school and be a housewife for his sake.

But I now knew that he didn't hate smart women. He just didn't want me to be smart enough to see through his tricks.

I couldn't listen anymore and excused myself to go to the bathroom.

I stared at my reaction in the mirror for a long time.

Plain and boring, wearing old-fashioned glasses, I was nothing like Bella, who was flashy and with a stunning figure.

But even someone like me was a top student at Ashcroft University.

Bella was bragging about her acceptance letter, but I had already gotten mine a year ago.

I calmly opened my phone and messaged my advisor.

"Sorry, the thing about me taking a semester off was a prank by a friend who took my phone. I'll be back at school right after the break, in a month's time."

My advisor replied quickly, "Evie, I knew that message couldn't have come from you, so I never replied.

"You're the smartest and most outstanding student I've ever mentored. Why would you give up school for a man?

"Enjoy your break. When you come back, the teachers and senior students will be waiting for you."

I washed my face to clear my head and slowly returned to the table.

Bella was still talking about their shared past.

"Back then, I heard that the captain of the baseball team liked me, but he never confessed. I thought it was just a rumor.

"Just a month ago, I broke up with my then-boyfriend and found myself drunk in a club. That's when I ran into Elias.

"He took me home and kept asking me out thereafter. Three days ago, he confessed that he wanted to introduce me to his family during Thanksgiving."

Everyone at the table admired their love story.

They had been each other's secret crushes for years, then met again by chance.

If the guy involved wasn't my own boyfriend, I would have praised their love story too.

Elias looked at Bella with deep love in his eyes.

But I had seen that look last night too, when Elias was in bed with me.

Finally, the torturous meal ended.

Elias said he would drive Bella home.

I wanted to end this suffocating night just as badly.

At this moment, Sophie pushed me toward Elias.

"Elias, you usually drive Evie home. Why not take them both tonight?"

Elias frowned, about to refuse, but Bella spoke first.

"Sure. She's younger, and it's not easy being a maid. Let's just take her with us."

Elias' tight brow relaxed, and he smiled gently, nodding in agreement.

Sophie pushed me into the car—the same one where Elias and I had shared so many intimate moments.