Even with no parents to speak of, his blue school uniform washed so many times it had faded to near-white, and a face that seemed to resent the world itself—

None of it could stop him from being the most dazzling presence in any crowd.

Because before he became the city's most outstanding young businessman, he had been a painting prodigy who'd stunned countless people with his talent.

One year, he nearly missed an important competition because he couldn't afford the entry fee. I gritted my teeth and paid it with my living expenses, then stretched what remained to feed us both.

Until my mother found out.

She humiliated him in front of everyone on the crowded school grounds, tearing him apart until there was nothing left of his dignity.

While I was still dreaming of the trophy he'd bring home—

He turned in a blank exam paper.

And never picked up a brush again.

He started skipping class, staying out overnight, launching a business with people I'd never met.

When I asked why, he only said he wanted to give me a better life.

He was still gentle. Still attentive. But sometimes it felt like I was living through a long, silent punishment.

Later, I learned the full truth and had a massive fight with my family.

Out of guilt, I threw myself into supporting every plan he had for the future.

So when Laura first promised she'd look after Jeffrey for me outside of school, I felt nothing but gratitude.

They started having more and more in common.

At first, I stood between them, arms linked with both, laughing as I brought them closer together.

Later, they were the ones with their arms around each other, joking like old buddies, while I stood off to the side with a smile.

Unable to get a word in.

Then came that New Year's Eve. Jeffrey was in low spirits—his business had hit a rough patch.

I gathered a big group of his friends and organized a party.

As the countdown began, I finally saw a hint of relief break through on his face.

"...Three, two, one—zero!"

The moment the fireworks exploded, my smiling eyes went wide with shock.

Laura had grabbed his tie and planted a loud kiss on his cheek.

The cheering and noise around me went mute. The heart pounding in my chest simply... stopped.

Then came the endless fall.

The woman met my gaze, gave a playful wink, then kissed my cheek too, completely unfazed.

"Jill! Happy New Year!"

My lips moved, but no words came out.

A friend's joke from not long ago surfaced in my mind.

"Jill, I don't know what you're thinking, but honestly? It kind of seems like your boyfriend's fallen in love again."

"I saw them at a bar the other night—they were practically glued together."

...

The rumors had never stopped. And I'd never believed them.

But looking at the smile on his face, I wasn't sure anymore.

I became paranoid. Suspicious.

I started showing up at every gathering, watching their every interaction.

I'd probe his friends for their opinions, studied those relationship advice posts online to figure out whether what they had was really "just friendship."

Until one night, I crept out of bed, grabbed his phone, and went through every app.

The moment I turned off the screen, I saw his eyes—wide open in the darkness.

In my panic, I accidentally called Laura.

The call connected almost instantly. Her voice was thick with a coyness I'd never heard before.

"Jeffrey? Did you actually put a tracker in my brain? I was just lying here thinking about you, and you called. What, don't tell me you were thinking about me too—"

"Laura." My voice cut through. "Have you no shame?"

Silence on the other end. Before I could say another word—

Jeffrey snatched the phone from my hand.

"Jill, that's enough. Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough these past few weeks?"

Looking at the anger on his face, my eyes stung with tears.

"I'm embarrassing?"

"One of you is my boyfriend, the other is my best friend—and you two have been flaunting your little 'bond' in front of everyone behind my back. How is that not embarrassing?"

A vein pulsed at Jeffrey's temple. "So you just believe whatever people say? You can't think for yourself? I've been tolerating your antics because I thought you'd eventually see reason. Clearly, I was wrong—you're still completely impossible!"

Laura's voice came through the phone, thick with tears.

"Jill, I had no idea you thought of me that way. Maybe you don't realize it, but that's just how we talk to each other—it's all jokes."

"I know our dynamic bothers you, but Jeffrey isn't just your boyfriend. He's my friend too. I can't cut him off just because of you. I hope you can understand that."

"If you're really that upset, I can post something to clarify that there's nothing between us."

Jeffrey looked up at me.

"Jill, if you insist on making a scene, then let's just break up."

That was the first time Jeffrey ever mentioned breaking up.

And the last.

That same night, I booked a flight, turned off my phone, and vanished for an entire month.

Until one morning, through the mountain mist, I saw him—eyes bloodshot, looking like he hadn't slept in days.

He'd come for me. But he didn't say a word.

He just pitched a tent beside my rented cabin and stayed.

Before dawn, he'd already split firewood and fetched water.

When I went out to sketch, he followed at a distance, silent.

…

None of it seemed like the proud man I knew.

Eventually, even the other young travelers staying in the village started teasing me, urging me to forgive him.

Forgive him? I wasn't that naive.

But then I saw him—drunk, crying, begging me to take him back.

It was the first time I'd ever seen him cry.

He swore there was nothing between him and Laura beyond friendship, and promised to keep his distance from her.

He apologized over and over, begging me not to leave him.

Rekindling a flame doesn't take long. I forgave him quickly.

And said yes when he proposed.

What I didn't expect was how fiercely my parents would fight it.

They'd already arranged a match for me—someone from a family of equal standing. They refused to let me marry beneath myself.

It ended with my father throwing a severance document at me, threatening to disown me if I didn't call off the wedding.

I cried for a month. Then, out of sheer defiance, I signed it.

We had a small wedding. We couldn't afford much—even my dress was rented.

My parents weren't there. Jeffrey noticed.

That night, he pinned me down and took his time with me, but didn't say a word.

Until the very end, when he bit my ear and whispered, "Jill, stop being foolish for my sake."

I didn't understand then.

Later, I realized what he meant.

He didn't think it was worth it—me turning my back on my family for him.

And he didn't need my devotion that badly.

"Miss, we're here."

The driver's voice pulled me back.

The car had stopped outside the courtyard of a well-known private dining club.

The moment I stepped out, I heard a voice calling from the entrance.

"Is that Jill?"

I composed myself and walked in with a smile. "Mrs. Lambert, I'm sorry I'm late."

Nellie Lambert's hair had gone silver at the temples, but her step was steady—a spirited woman who carried her years well.

"I was just giving Jeffrey a hard time," she said. "Why didn't he bring you along when he drove over?"

I smiled and explained, "I've been staying on the east side of the city lately. It's faster to take a cab."

Mrs. Lambert didn't say anything, just tightened her grip on my hand, then pulled me down to sit beside her.

The room buzzed with classmates greeting each other and presenting gifts, the atmosphere lively and warm.

After a few glasses of wine, someone started joking around. "Out of all of us, Jeffrey really has the best luck."

"A genius everyone envied back in school, then made a fortune in business, and even married a sweet, understanding heiress."

Someone pointed at Laura with a grin.

"Look at that—not only does he have a devoted wife at home, he's got a beauty by his side at work too!"

Laura, mid-motion placing food in Jeffrey's bowl, paused her chopsticks and shot the speaker a mock-angry glare.

"What do you all know? Jeffrey is my boss—my meal ticket! Of course I'm going to suck up to him!"

"Besides, I don't think Jeffrey's luck is all that great. If we're talking lucky, that's Jill."

"She's a real trophy wife now. All she has to do is tend her flowers and play with the dog at home, and she's got money to burn. No in-laws to serve, no one nagging her about having kids! Talk about picking the right stock back in the day."

As she finished, a few classmates around the table chimed in with agreement.

I kept my head down, eating in silence.

Mrs. Lambert set down her chopsticks gently. She was still smiling, but her voice had turned several degrees cooler.

"That's not quite fair to say."

"Back then, Jill stretched every penny to help Jeffrey stay in school—all behind her family's back. If my grandson hadn't been her childhood friend, I never would have known that this pampered young lady sold off her treasured handbags and collectibles online just to scrape together money. She even gave up the competition spot her family had fought so hard to get for her—handed it right over to Jeffrey."

"Jill suffered quite a bit marrying Jeffrey."

The table fell silent. Someone let out an awkward laugh, trying to smooth things over. "You're right, Mrs. Lambert. We didn't know any of that. Spoke out of turn."

Laura picked up a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks, still smiling, her tone innocent.

"But if Jeffrey hadn't saved Jill back then, she wouldn't be where she is today."

In the silence that followed, Jeffrey finally spoke up. "Alright, enough. It's Mrs. Lambert's birthday. Let's not keep talking about me."

He raised his glass, inviting everyone to toast together.

I took a quiet sip of wine, my mind drifting back to that summer when I first started school.

The car my driver dropped me off in must have been too flashy. Behind my back, people started spreading disgusting rumors about me.

That I was being kept by some older man.

Even the new student teacher started making veiled jabs at me during class.

One day after the bell rang, all my classmates scattered, and I sat alone at my desk, crying softly until the sky grew dark.

When I finally got up to leave, I discovered that someone had locked the door from the outside.

I didn't understand why everyone was treating me this way. Fear and hurt welled up inside me, and I broke down sobbing.

When the drunk security guard followed the sound of my cries and peered through, I thought I'd found my lifeline.

The door swung open. The middle-aged man's hand crawled disgustingly along my arm.

I screamed and bolted. The sound of footsteps chasing me nearly shattered my courage.

Until I stumbled into an embrace that smelled of fresh soap.

It was Jeffrey.

He couldn't afford a dorm, so he'd set up a makeshift bed in the school's storage room.

His classmates helped keep his secret. The teachers turned a blind eye.

The boy who had always seemed so cold and aloof—in that moment, he was the most solid, dependable person in the world.

He chased the man away for me and called the police.

It wasn't until he helped me into the ambulance that he finally spoke.

"Stop crying. If you're ever out late again, text me. I'll come get you."

That was how we exchanged numbers.

And how our story began.

The memory drew a bitter smile from my lips.

I still didn't understand how we'd ended up here.

The wine had gone to my head. I excused myself to find the restroom.

I never expected to pass the smoking area and hear Laura's tittering laughter.

"Did you see her face just now? I almost died."

"After all these years, she still has no idea you're the one who told us to lock that door, Jeffrey."

I froze. Ice crawled up my spine, and my knees nearly buckled.

His voice carried a note of weary resignation.

"Don't keep bringing up the past. I was young and stupid."

"Oh, please. Don't tell me you still feel guilty? You hated her constant crying back then too. Dating her, marrying her—you've basically thrown away half your life on her."

"Exactly. Our Jeffrey had girls lining up for him back then, and look at him now. If you ask me, she made out like a bandit."

"Hey, what do you think would happen if I messed with her again? Would she still be as fun as before?"

Jeffrey cut her off instantly.

"I'm warning you—don't even think about it."

"Okay, okay, we get it..."

Their voices grew closer. When the door swung open, tears had already blurred my vision—but I could still make out the smile that hadn't quite faded from Jeffrey's face.

It vanished into panic.

"Jill..."