Ethan’s face was pale as he forced out a smile.

“I’m not that fragile,” he said.

After they finished their small talk, they finally remembered my existence.

“Dominic, I know you always give it your all just for the prize money.

“But this time, it’s different. This might be my last chance to participate in this competition. So, to express my apology, I’ll give you double the prize money.

“I’ll offer you 600,000 dollars. Think of it as your living expenses for the year you’re banned. You can use the money to prepare for your wedding with Clara. For someone like you, a poor guy with no background or status, it should be enough.”

Ethan smiled hypocritically as he held up his bank card between his fingers.

It felt like he was tossing a coin to a beggar.

I stared at the PIN on the card. It was a combination of his and Clara’s birthdays.

How ironic!

“Go on, take it! Stop being childish and acting all righteous. It won’t pay your bills.

“Ethan’s already done enough. The fact that your form has dropped is obvious. If it were you out there today, you might not even win the championship!”

Clara took the card and slapped it against my chest. It was thin, but it felt like it could pierce my heart.

Ethan smiled modestly. “I understand that the Parker team has its own way of doing things. After all, two dominant figures can’t coexist in the same space. Anyone would find it hard to accept an equally strong competitor on their team.”

Hearing that, the anger I had felt earlier dissipated.

Instead, confusion began to take over.

With his skills, I could easily pick any trainee from the academy and crush him. How could he possibly claim to be my equal?

Moreover, the other reason I returned was to give the team an explanation.

This was the national finals. It was my decision to make Ethan a substitute.

I owed everyone an explanation for losing the finals.

But what Clara said next left me stunned.

She looked at Ethan in admiration. “I had no idea you were this amazing! If your family hadn’t stopped you back then, and you had insisted on entering the E-sports industry, you’d be the talented young prodigy everyone would be chasing!”

She shot me a contemptuous look, then warmly linked her arm with Ethan’s.

“Let’s go for the interview. Everyone’s waiting to hear your victory speech.”

I grabbed Clara’s arm. “Impossible! He could never win the championship!”

Clara glared at me. “Clearly, you’re just not good enough.”

A thought flashed through my mind. I could not help but ask, “Did you two bribe someone to throw the match?”

Both of their faces stiffened for a moment.

Clara slapped me. She looked furious and embarrassed as she retorted, “Dominic, are you still not done? Are you seriously trying to make such a huge accusation?”

“If you’re so confident, go ahead and tell everyone I put the stimulants in the water or that I bribed people to throw the match. Who’s going to believe you?

“Or are you just doing this to get my attention? I’ve told you, we’re just good friends. He has brain cancer. Can’t you stop being so jealous and unreasonable?”

Looking at her sharp, sarcastic face, I could not help but remember when we first met.

She was only sixteen back then and had just started high school.

I had not yet entered the E-sports industry. I was just a student who loved watching E-sports.

After one match, I happened to see her crying uncontrollably. She was upset because someone from the team she supported had been caught match-fixing.

I was only a few years older than her. I silently watched her cry for three hours.

I sat next to her as she angrily criticized everything that went against the spirit of E-sports. I stayed with her as she let go of the past.

That afternoon, she looked at me and said, “I’ll stay with you until the day you become a world champion.”

I only nodded at the time. But every time I pushed myself to the extreme, those words would pop into my mind.

She had forgotten all of it.

But it did not matter anymore.

As I watched the two of them walk side by side toward the podium, I took out my phone and sent a message.

I asked the team manager to announce my retirement on the official Twitter account.

After the incident, the entire internet was buzzing with two things.

The first was that Ethan, as a substitute, made his debut in the national finals and led his team to victory.

The second was the suspicion that I had used stimulants before the match and was disqualified on the spot.

I watched Clara standing by Ethan as he lifted the trophy and gave interviews. At that moment, my hand brushed against the diamond ring I had prepared in the pocket of my team jacket.

I had known Clara for six years, and we had been in a relationship for three.

During those years, I had dedicated nearly every moment to chasing my dream in the E-sports world and worked tirelessly day and night.

Through it all, Clara never complained. Instead, she silently supported me and stayed by my side.

Since my hand was severely injured, my performance had dropped drastically.

The fact that I could not return to my peak meant my career was nearly over.

I was content with what I had achieved in those seven years.

But still, I endured the pain and received a few steroid injections in the hope of ending my dream on a high note.

I decided to let go of everything. I promised myself that I would make it up to Clara in the second half of my life.

I could have retired with honor. I could have had my name etched in the history of E-sports. Instead, I became a joke and was despised by everyone.

While Clara celebrated Ethan’s victory, did she ever consider how much it hurt me? I had always been held on a pedestal, but I had fallen so hard.

Moreover, she was the one who had sabotaged me!

With red, swollen eyes from crying, I scrolled through the comments under the official post. I looked at the disappointed remarks from my fans beneath the official Twitter post as I silently whispered, “I’m sorry.”

In the end, just before Clara and Ethan shared a kiss, I turned away. I casually tossed the engagement ring I had prepared into the trash.

I briefly detached myself from my emotional turmoil and calmly handled the team’s business matters with the manager.

If I were retiring on a high note, these things would be minor problems.

But I had become a disgrace. The penalty for breaking my contract could be a huge amount.

Even if they took all seven years’ worth of my salary and endorsement money, it still would not be enough to cover it.

The manager watched me smoking by the window and shook his head in frustration. “You’ve been careless.”

He sighed.

I did not argue. I simply focused on handing over the team’s affairs.

Even though the situation was clear, the manager still gave me his final bit of trust. He said he would try to negotiate the penalty.

I smiled weakly and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about the money. I’ll pay whatever I owe.”

After I gave the final instructions, I left to pack my things while everyone was at the celebration banquet.

But as I walked past Ethan’s room, I heard some faint, suggestive sounds through the slightly open door.

When I heard Clara’s voice, my blood ran cold. My mind went blank.

They were obviously making out.

The waves of anger and humiliation surged inside me. I had a strong urge to storm in.

But my last shred of rationality reminded me to leave them some dignity.

After all, from the moment she chose Ethan and gave up on me, we would never have anything to do with each other ever again anyway.

I clenched my fists and forced myself to head back to my room to pack.

Just as I turned around, I heard movement behind me.

Clara panicked and said in a high-pitched voice, “Oh, Dom! When did you come back?”

I turned to face her. Despite the dim light, I could still see her unnaturally flushed face and swollen lips.

Ethan stood behind her. He was smiling faintly. His shirt collar was rumpled.

When Clara saw the mocking expression on my face, she quickly tried to defend herself. “It’s not what it looks like! Nothing happened between us!”

I looked at her calmly. “Sure. Nothing happened.

“Your beloved Ethan has cancer. He’s not going to last long. It was just a kiss. That’s it.

“Just this once.”

I raised an eyebrow and glanced between the two of them.

Then, I said nonchalantly, “I get it.”

Clara tiptoed and slapped me across the face.

I grabbed her wrist and watched her expression change to panic.

She seemed to regret what she had done. She stammered for a long time without being able to say a word.

“Dominic, what’s with the act?” Ethan asked calmly as he put his arm around Clara’s shoulder to support her.

“You’re supposed to apologize and own up to your mistake. At least do it with some sincerity. Stop pretending to be all high and mighty. Be a man! Don’t just wait for Clara to beg you to stay.”

Clara forcefully pulled her wrist free from my grasp and looked at me in contempt.

“Dominic, throwing a tantrum is one thing, but you need to know your limits.

“You’re retiring just because we kissed? Do you really need to use that to get my attention?

“You’re only suspended for a year, but Ethan might not even make it to tomorrow. Can’t you understand that?”

I looked at her as she reluctantly lowered her head. I felt nothing but a distance between us.

She knew that Ethan did not have much time left, but she never noticed that my left hand was almost useless.

She did not care about my reputation or everything I had worked so hard for.

She had long forgotten all of it.

When Ethan reappeared in her life, she started to fall for him more every day.

She changed her tone. “Ethan and I are really just friends. If this bothers you that much, then I’ll apologize.

“Stop making a fuss. I’m doing this for your own good. You’re getting older. Do you really think you can compete forever? I have to think about our future!

“Ethan’s family has connections with Everglory Group’s investors. With their help, you might still have a chance at a future.”

I instinctively looked up when I heard that.

But when I saw the expectant look in Clara’s eyes, I coldly cut her off. “Enough!”

It hurt to see that the girl, who used to talk to me about integrity and ideals, had turned into someone so cunning.

“You’re dead to me, Clara. We’re over.”

I turned and walked away. Clara called out in disbelief, “What did you say? Dominic, stop!”

She started sobbing.

Ethan quickly softened his tone and said comfortingly, “Clara, don’t cry. He’s a coward. He’s not worth your trust. If you want to break up, just do it! I can give you a home.

“When I bring in Everglory Group’s sponsorship with the national championship title, he’ll regret it!”

I could not help but laugh bitterly at his naive words.

I pulled out my phone. The screen showed a message from Roland Parker, the chairman of Everglory Group.

[Hey, Dominic. Grandpa here. It’s been seven years. It’s time to get your act together and do something useful.]