Chapter 3

Just the week before, when we went on a date, Elaine had been in the mood and kept me going for hours. I'd nearly thrown my back out because of her.

"Elaine, if you don't make us public soon, I'm done being your secret," I joked.

Back then, she'd cuddled into my chest and giggled softly. "Okay, okay! Once you wrap up the interview, we'll go public!"

I'd been so thrilled I hadn't slept a wink that night.

Now that I thought about it, Lisa was right. Throwing myself at someone only made me cheap.

My quiet, stubborn refusal to back down seemed to prick at Elaine's conscience. She sighed and said in a low voice, "Just be good, okay? I'll explain everything when we get home."

Her ambiguous response left everyone even more bewildered.

That was when Lisa stepped forward, holding her hand up as if she were taking an oath. "I can guarantee that Ms. Crowley is indeed Luke's girlfriend. They've been together for eight years. He's been harping on about her for the past eight years. I practically have calluses on my ears because of him."

The crowd exchanged glances, unsure who to believe.

Brian panicked. He pointed at Lisa, his voice sharp and heated. "You're lying! You say they're a couple, but where's the proof?"

He quickly pulled up his social media account and started showing his posts to our colleagues.

"This was last year. She took me to the Avelmonts to get away and relax. And this was earlier in the year. She took me to Fjormont to see the snow. And this was three months ago, when she flew me out on a private plane to Ettenhall Estate for a wine tasting."

Finally, he slipped his phone back into his pocket, rolled up his sleeve, and revealed the ring on his ring finger.

"And just a few days ago," he continued, his voice rising, "Elaine dropped hundreds of millions of dollars to bid on this 'True Love' ring for me."

He turned back to me, his face dripping with disdain. "You say she's your girlfriend, Luke? Do you have any proof like this? Proof of the two of you in love?"

My expression went rigid as I stared at Elaine. She didn't dare meet my eyes. Her gaze darted away guiltily.

Lisa was furious. She grabbed my arm and shook it hard. "What are you standing there for? Quick! Show them your proof!"

But I just stood there like a frozen corpse, completely unresponsive. Oddly enough, all I wanted to do was laugh.

In all these years with Elaine, even though we'd shared a bed and made love in countless positions, we didn't have a single picture together. Even if I secretly took one, she'd demand that I delete it immediately.

So taking me somewhere to see the snow was certainly not part of the equation.

I used to think she was just naturally aloof, a workaholic, and maybe even shy. But looking back at those photos on Brian's phone, where she was smiling so radiantly, I realized the truth.

All the times I'd accommodated her, all the excuses I'd made for her—they were all nothing but a massive joke.

Muttering under her breath, Lisa snatched the phone from my hand and started scrolling through it herself. But with just one glance, she froze.

Whether it was my chat history with Elaine or my social media, they were all practically empty. There were only a handful of scattered messages.

"Have you arrived?"

"Shall I go over to your place tonight?"

"I bought a few new outfits. I'll put on a show for you tonight."

Brian read every single word out loud in front of everyone.

The crowd instantly erupted. They swarmed toward me, hurling insults like "man-whore" and "worthless bastard".

"This is rock-solid evidence of him trying to seduce Ms. Crowley! Someone as immoral as him has no place at this station!"

Someone grabbed me by the hair and shoved me to the ground. Another person dug their fingernails into my flesh, as if they wanted to tear my skin right off. They descended on me like rabid dogs, their faces twisted with rage as they unleashed all their built-up frustration on me.

All Elaine had to do was step forward and tell them the truth, and my name would be cleared. But with just one glance from Brian, the foot she'd just lifted slowly came back down.

I lay crumpled on the ground, curling into myself and enduring the agonizing pain.

Until finally, from behind the mob, my grandfather's hunched figure appeared.

"Don't you dare talk about my grandson like that!" Grandpa yelled.