When the lights came on at the end of the graduation party, the spotlight suddenly shifted and froze on a young couple kissing passionately at the back of the auditorium. The young man held up a bouquet of roses and shouted to the crowd, “Sophie, be my girlfriend!” The moment the girl covered her face and nodded, the cheers in the hall nearly lifted the roof. Amid the thunderous applause, my hand trembled around my phone. The screen still showed the message he had sent half an hour earlier. Rowan: [Wait for me. I’ll come to you right away.] After the party, I took off the couple’s bracelet from my wrist and threw it into the gutter, along with four years of love.
View MoreIt rained heavily all night, yet the room felt stiflingly hot.Early the next morning, Noah couldn’t wait to take me to the marriage registry.After receiving our marriage license, he smiled like a child. Unexpectedly, he became even more clingy after we got married, wanting to be with me all the time.Jillian couldn’t stand our lovey-dovey behavior and granted me a one-month leave.Noah was overjoyed and immediately began planning a trip. He decided to take me to the Maldives for our honeymoon.There was sunshine, a beach, and Noah, who loved me deeply. Lying beneath a parasol, I basked in the peace and the bright future ahead. I never imagined someone would appear and shatter that tranquility. I was dozing off when Rowan’s tentative voice reached me.“Madison.”I opened my eyes, and Rowan forced a smile. Not a pleasant smile. There was something hollow and lonely about it.“Long time no see,” I said lightly. I was in a good mood, so I was kind.Rowan froze, staring at me
"Rowan, stop. I'll speak for you."After interrupting him, I paused for a moment before continuing, "Ever since you confirmed your relationship with Sophie, you began to realize she's just mediocre. She can't shed her spoiled temper, and you're exhausted from coaxing her long-term. Over the past four years, I took care of you and spoiled you emotionally. “When the passion with Sophie faded, the contrast overwhelmed you. You remembered how good I was to you, and it drove you to seek me out again."You’ve never submitted to anyone, yet you still demand I return to your side. Because you know—if I give in and make up with you, your life gets better. One humble gesture from you gets you a nanny you can sleep with and scold forever. A great bargain, isn't it?"I smiled. "Did I say everything right?"Rowan shed a tear and choked out, "No, Madison. You're the only one I ever loved!"His desperate look reminded me of myself once—equally humble.Back then, Rowan had always been high and
Jillian said, "Tell me—how long has he been pursuing you? He simps over you every day. Every woman is envious."I picked at my fingers and said nothing.Seeing I didn’t refute her, Jillian texted Noah, telling him to keep up the good work.To be honest, how could I not be attracted to such a wonderful guy? It was just... those four years with Rowan had been too humiliating. I didn’t want to taint someone as innocent as Noah.I left with the car keys in hand, trying to avoid Jillian’s further questioning. As soon as I reached the villa area, however, I saw Rowan waiting by the roadside. I passed him without a word, not even turning my head, and walked straight home.Rowan, clearly caught off guard, reached for me and pleaded, “Madison, let’s talk.”I pulled my hand away and replied impatiently, “You’re already engaged. Show some respect. I don’t want people pointing fingers and calling me a mistress behind my back.”Agony flickered in Rowan’s eyes. He slowly withdrew his hand and
My eyes narrowed as I turned to look at him. With my breath reeking of alcohol, I asked, “Handsome, do we know each other?”“Of course. I’m Noah Kempton.”At the curve of his lips, my mind short-circuited.Noah?Noah!The top student who pursued me during university—the devastatingly handsome one.My eyelids twitched as I snapped my head toward Jillian.She avoided my gaze, sheepishly rubbing her nose before grabbing her bag and backing away. “I... I’ve got something to do. Noah, take care of my honey, okay?”The door clicked shut. Silence fell.The weight of his gaze made me even dizzier.I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples, not caring if I looked pathetic.Noah noticed and crouched in front of me, his tone gentle. “Are you feeling unwell? I can take you to the hospital.”I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked, “Shouldn’t you give me an explanation for tonight? I don’t believe this is all just a coincidence.”“Drinking and Jillian finding you… Everything was arranged by me.
"Exactly, Madison. You've been together for four years and are about to get engaged. Stop making a fuss."I was so furious that I actually laughed. Even Jillian couldn’t help scoffing.I glanced at Rowan and Sophie, standing so close together, and said with biting sarcasm, “Drop the act. I’m not interested in men who flirt around while already taken.”My words dropped like a stone. The whole group went quiet. Several people exchanged awkward glances, too afraid to speak.Rowan got the message. He slammed his wine glass down and stormed over. “Madison, you’re really getting better at playing hard to get. Aren’t you worried I’ll actually fall for someone else?”I calmly studied his tense expression, wondering how I could’ve been so blind all these years.“I know you have a temper. Let’s say this one’s my fault, alright?” Rowan softened his tone. “I’ll take you to get a new bracelet. I’ve planned a trip too. Don’t you love matching couple items? I’ll make them myself this time. Are
I hauled my suitcase down the pedestrian street, too furious to care who stared.Passersby gave me cautious glances, stepping aside to let me through.A sudden downpour broke out. I cursed under my breath and ducked under an eave for shelter. I had planned to leave as soon as the rain let up, but it only grew heavier. My clothes were so soaked, I could wring water from them. The wet fabric clung to my skin, suffocating and maddening.Suppressing my irritation, I pulled out a cigarette—only to find the entire pack drenched beyond use. I let out a bitter laugh. My chest tightened. My eyes warmed. My nose began to sting.Then came a familiar voice, laced with a chuckle."Maddie, are you role-playing with that pitiful look? What are you, a drowned cat?"“Tsk tsk. Only Rowan would put you in such an awkward situation; Noah wouldn't have the heart to do that.”I looked up to see Jillian Jagger, my old friend from university, flashing her signature smirk.The Noah she mentioned was a
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments