Chapter 3

Elias took the initiative to open the passenger door of his car for Bella.

I watched them in silence from the back seat. The whole time, all I felt was a sharp pain inside.

Even though Elias and I had shared so many intimate moments in this very car, he had never let me sit in the passenger seat.

He had said, "Our relationship isn't public. If people see us together, it won't do you any good."

I once thought he was being considerate. But I now realize that he was just afraid of people finding out about us.

I closed my eyes and instinctively reached to the side, only to find that the doll I had bought to leave in Elias' car was gone.

My heart sank. He was so eager to erase any trace of us in front of Bella.

Numbly, I put on my headphones to block out their conversation.

After Elias dropped Bella home, she waved goodbye to us.

The bracelet I had spent so long making jingled softly on her wrist.

I couldn't help but stare at her hand.

Perhaps she caught my lingering gaze, but Bella shook her hand in front of my eyes, then took off the bracelet and held it out to me.

"You like this? Elias gave it to me. It's nothing valuable."

She then slipped the bracelet onto my wrist. But the bracelet somehow ended up tangled with the matching piece I was already wearing.

Bella said in surprise, "Evie, you have the same one?"

She turned to Elias and said, "I'm giving this to her. You won't be upset, right?"

Elias' voice was cold. "No. It's just a cheap thing."

The token of our love, which I had spent two weeks making, was just a cheap piece of junk to him.

Tears blurred my vision. I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and calmly thanked them both.

"Mr. Vaughn's cheap item is priceless to me. I lost one such thing before, but it has made its way back to me—and at just the right time."

I had loved Elias with all my heart.

But since he didn't want it, I would take it back.

Presently, I saw Elias' grip tighten on the steering wheel, but he said nothing in response.

After Bella kissed him goodbye and went inside, it was just Elias and me left in the car.

Against expectations, he didn't immediately drive off. Instead, he opened the door, stepped out, and lit a cigarette nearby.

I knew this was his way of showing irritation.

I said nothing and kept my eyes on him.

After a long silence, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice. "Evie, I'm sorry."

I looked up at him, but he turned his face away, clearly avoiding my gaze.

The silence stretched on for a long time after. I was the first to break it. "Elias, is an apology all you have left for me?"

I wasn't sure what I was still holding onto. I had seen how much he favored Bella.

Yet, a small hope still lingered in a corner of my heart.

These past two months were spent in pure sweetness.

Our bodies matched perfectly. He barely ever went home after a night with me. Instead, he spent it in my bed.

I was well aware of the gap between us. Elias had told me that his family wouldn't allow him to be with a poor student like me.

I even considered staying his secret lover forever.

But today, seeing how Elias' parents treated Bella, I realized it wasn't simply about permission. He just didn't intend to fight for me.

When his cigarette burned out, Elias spoke again. "Bella is beautiful. She's nothing like you.

"Evie, being with you was just me having a taste of an Ashcroft University honor student. Now that the one I love has come back, I don't want to hurt myself any longer.

"To be honest, a plain-looking cleaner with an average figure like you being with me isn't a loss on your part. Let's just pretend this never happened."

Elias was the one who came onto me first, who walked into my bedroom on his own two feet.

Yet, he now spoke as if I had taken advantage of him.

Every night we spent together had turned into mere grievances.

I clenched the report in my bag tightly and retorted, "What about those assignments you made me do for you all this time? Elias, you only got close to me so I could help you keep up with her in school, right?"

Elias blew out a smoke ring, then irritably ran his hand through his hair. "Evie, you're smart. I'll pay you double from now on. Don't ask me that again."

What right did he have to think a little money could erase the pain and humiliation he'd caused me?

Before confronting him, I had foolishly hoped that maybe he loved me too.

But now, none of that mattered.

Without hesitation, I got out of the car, walked over to Elias, who was still smoking, and slapped him hard across the face. "Elias, this is how I'll accept your apology!"

Shock flashed in his eyes. He never expected the obedient me to do something like this.

"Evie, don't regret this," Elias said grimly. After dropping those threatening words, he got into his car and quickly drove away.

I crouched alone in a corner of the street, no longer able to hold back my tears.