My mother texted, urging me to come home for a blind date, just as Chase Quinn finished on top of me.

His warm breath ghosted behind my ear, and a dense, tingling itch seemed to seize my heart.

He gently wiped the traces from my body, but his words, when they came, were unnervingly cold:

"Since Mrs. Hollis is rushing you, you should head back early."

I thought he was jealous, and a sweet feeling bloomed in my chest. I quickly grabbed his hand, eager to pledge my devotion:

"Chase, I just want to stay by your side. I'm not going anywhere!"

He froze for a moment, then a disdainful smile spread across his face as he pried my fingers away one by one:

"You don't actually think I'm jealous, do you?"

He tucked my damp, stray hairs behind my ear. His touch was as gentle as ever, but his words were almost cruel:

"Raina is innocent and pure. I couldn't bear to touch her before we're married, so I had to use you to vent my desires."

"Now that our marriage is arranged, she'll soon be my rightful wife. You've outlived your usefulness."

...

The heating in the room was on full blast, but a chill ran through me.

This man in front of me... one moment he was being incredibly gentle and intimate with me, the next he was saying something so cruel it left my head spinning.

I was stunned for a moment, then forced a weak smile.

"Chase, you're joking with me, right?"

Chase Quinn stared at me, finally letting out a scornful laugh after a long moment. "Jasmine Hollis, we're all adults here. It was just a game, playing a part. You didn't actually take it seriously, did you?"

I said nothing, lowering my gaze to hide the emotion in my eyes.

'He saw these last three absurd years as a game, but I didn't. I've been in love with him for a full ten years.'

We grew up in the same military compound. Childhood sweethearts.

From a young age, Chase Quinn was always a standout among his peers—taciturn and aloof.

But this was the same Chase Quinn who, blushing, had bought me my first pack of pads.

The same one who, when other kids called me a fatherless brat, was always the first to rush forward and shield me.

When it was time to apply for college after my entrance exams, he, already a university student, made a special trip home. His gaze was burning as he looked at me and said:

"Jasmine, apply to Capital University. I'll be waiting for you there."

So, I filled all dozens of my application slots with Capital University, rushing headlong toward the city where Chase Quinn was, without a second thought.

'I thought he liked me too.'

Three years ago, his drink was drugged. In his hazy state, he grabbed my hand, and the deep affection in his eyes made me lose myself completely.

After that wild night, his expression cleared, but the moment he saw me, he shot up in anger.

His gaze was as cold as winter frost, stabbing right at me.

"Jasmine Hollis, what are you doing here?"

I was about to explain, but he gave me no chance, unleashing a torrent of accusations:

"Jasmine Hollis, do you have any idea how despicable this is?"

"Drugging my drink and then using the opportunity to climb into my bed... just how desperate are you? Are you that hard up for a man?"

At that moment, it was as if a basin of cold water had been dumped over my head. I froze completely.

The explanation was stuck in my throat, but I couldn't get the words out.

'So this was the kind of contemptible person I was in Chase Quinn's eyes.'

He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Afterward, I sent him countless messages explaining what happened that night, but he never replied to a single one.

Then, three days later, he sent a location pin and an apartment number.

I went as requested. The moment I stepped inside, I was pinned against the door. His kisses fell on me like a torrential downpour, his eyes filled with lust. His movements held no gentleness; he was like an untamed beast.

When it was over, Chase Quinn lay beside me, smoking. Through the swirling smoke, he said coldly:

"Jasmine Hollis, since you're so into me, I'll do you a favor and mess around with you."

No flowers, no confession of love. Only a body covered in marks and his promise to "mess around."

From then on, I became Chase Quinn's secret lover.

Whenever he sent a message, I would drop everything and go to him.

Over time, he started spending more and more time with me, and his attitude toward me grew better and better—so good that I almost forgot all the ugliness between us.

I immersed myself in this false tenderness and fell for him all over again, naively believing that he had truly fallen in love with me.

Only to find out today that these three years were nothing more than a game to him.

A three-year dream of folly, shattered to ashes in an instant.

The man before me was still waiting for my reply. I lifted my head and met his gaze.

"Of course not. Since you're already engaged, we should just end things."

"Chase Quinn, I wish you happiness."

Hearing the answer he wanted, Chase Quinn inexplicably felt a pang of disappointment. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

I didn't linger. I got dressed and was about to leave when I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock from outside.

My heart clenched, and a bad feeling washed over me.

Before I could react, the door opened with a *CLICK*.

Standing outside the door was the very same fiancée Chase Quinn had just mentioned—Raina Rhodes.

: Sister

"Chase, who is she?"

Raina Rhodes's voice was sickeningly sweet, with a hint of grievance.

Chase Quinn's icy expression thawed. He reached past me and affectionately wrapped his arm around Raina Rhodes's shoulder.

"She's the younger sister I've mentioned to you so often, Jasmine Hollis."

'Sister.'

That word, coming from Chase Quinn's lips, rolled through my heart, scalding me until my eyes turned red.

I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood on my tongue helping me barely restrain the torrent of emotions.

But Raina Rhodes, seemingly oblivious to the strange atmosphere, just giggled coquettishly and gently swayed Chase Quinn's arm.

"Oh, so it's little sister Jasmine. You should stay for dinner then. Chase is going to cook himself today, you know."

My eyes flew wide open.

Last week, I had a high fever. I pleaded with Chase Quinn to make me a bowl of congee, but he refused, saying he didn't know how to cook. In the end, I was the one who had to drag my sick body out of bed to cook for him.

'So he *does* know how to cook. He just won't cook for me.'

Chase Quinn seemed to recall that day as well. A flicker of guilt crossed his face before he composed himself and chimed in.

"Since Raina asked you to stay, you might as well eat with us."

I nodded mechanically, my mind elsewhere.

The memories of my time with Chase Quinn were like the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen—lingering in my heart, but impossible to grasp.

"Jasmine, do you have a sweetheart?"

Raina Rhodes's question pulled me back to the present.

Following her gaze, I looked down and saw the dense cluster of hickeys on my neck.

I instinctively buttoned the top button of my shirt.

Raina Rhodes put on the air of someone experienced, covering her mouth as she chuckled.

"Oh, Jasmine, we're all adults here. What's there to be embarrassed about?"

"But Chase is different from you. He says only wanton women lose their virginity before marriage, which is why he can't bear to touch me."

My face burned as if I'd been slapped out of nowhere.

I opened my mouth, but no rebuttal came.

'Was there anything wrong with what Raina Rhodes said?'

'I've been with Chase Quinn for three years without any official title. Isn't that wanton?'

Just then, Chase Quinn emerged from the kitchen carrying a platter.

In less than half an hour, he had prepared a three-course meal.

'So this is the "I don't know how to cook" he always tells me.'

I said nothing more, simply picking up a piece of food with my chopsticks.

It tasted wonderful, but all I could taste was bitterness.

Raina Rhodes's gaze swept over Chase Quinn and me, her eyes smiling.

"Chase, did you know Jasmine has a sweetheart? I wonder when she'll bring him over for us to meet."

I pressed my lips together, my eyes instinctively darting to Chase Quinn. His expression was normal as he said:

"Raina is right. If you have a sweetheart, you should bring him here for me to see. As your brother and sister-in-law, we should vet him for you."

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. I just nodded haphazardly in agreement.

But Raina Rhodes wouldn't let me off the hook. She went on to recount the story of how she and Chase Quinn met and fell in love.

They had fallen in love at first sight in college and were the perfect couple, envied by everyone at school.

Later, Raina Rhodes went abroad to study. Although they broke up, they could never get over each other.

When Raina Rhodes returned to the country a short while ago, Chase Quinn wasted no time going to the Rhodes Family to propose marriage. They were finally getting their happy ending.

I did the math. The time Chase Quinn came to me to discuss my college choices was right when Raina Rhodes had gone abroad.

'Then what was I? Raina Rhodes's replacement?'

'So from the very beginning, I was just a toy for Chase Quinn to pass the time with.'

The meal tasted like ash in my mouth.

When the meal finally ended, I stood up to leave, but Raina Rhodes insisted on giving me a ride.

I couldn't refuse, so I got into her car.

The moment I got in, Raina Rhodes's expression changed. She let out a sudden, cold laugh.

"Jasmine Hollis, your sweetheart is Chase, isn't he."

She stated it as a fact.

I was so stunned I could only stare at her blankly.

Raina Rhodes paid no mind to my answer, continuing on her own as her words dripped with thick sarcasm:

"The moment I left to study abroad, you got yourself into Capital University. Are you that desperate to steal another woman's man?"

I wanted to tell her no, that Chase Quinn was the one who told me to apply, but the words were caught in my throat. I couldn't say a thing.

"But no matter how hard you try, you're just a mistress who has to stay in the shadows. What right do you have to compare yourself to me?"

"The second I came back, Chase couldn't wait to dump you and come to my home to propose marriage. I'd advise you to take the hint and get lost. Don't be a persistent pest that everyone loathes."

Her words left me feeling so ashamed I wanted to crawl into a hole. Just as I was about to explain, Raina Rhodes dialed a number.

She shot me a taunting smile while screaming in terror:

"Chase, you have to save me! Jasmine said she wants to die and take me with her..."

Then she hung up.

Before I could even react, the car swerved sharply, crashing straight into a low wall on the side of the road.

The immense force of the impact flung my body forward. My forehead slammed hard against the seat in front of me. Blood gushed out instantly, and everything went dark.

Raina Rhodes wasn't in much better shape. Her hair was a mess, and a trail of blood trickled from her temple.

'Psycho!'

'To go to such lengths just to frame me.'

Before long, Chase Quinn rushed over with paramedics and carefully lifted Raina Rhodes out of the car.

"Raina, are you okay?"

Raina Rhodes, looking beautiful even with tears streaming down her face, huddled in his arms and sobbed:

"Jasmine blames me for stealing you. She insisted on grabbing the steering wheel to make me pay the price."

My head was spinning, but I still forced myself to argue back:

"I... I didn't..."

Chase Quinn looked at me with disgust, his voice like ice.

"Is there anything a woman like you wouldn't do to get what you want?"

"How dare you hurt Raina today. I swear I'll make you pay for this!"

Before I could speak again, Chase Quinn rushed to the ambulance with Raina Rhodes in his arms, leaving me with only the sight of his retreating back.

But when the paramedics tried to lift me into the vehicle, Chase Quinn stopped them.

"There's no precedent for a culprit to ride in the same ambulance as the victim. A person like her should be taken to the police station first to receive the punishment she deserves."

The doctor said urgently,

"We don't know the truth of what happened yet, and this woman's injuries are obviously more severe. If she doesn't receive treatment in time, I'm afraid she'll suffer irreversible harm."

Chase Quinn's expression softened slightly, and he was about to let me get on. But then Raina Rhodes, nestled in his arms, murmured weakly,

"Chase, no... Don't let her come with me. I'm so scared she'll do something terrible to me again..."

Upon hearing this, Chase Quinn's gaze instantly turned cold again. He said to the paramedics,

"Take Raina to the hospital first. Her safety is the most important thing."

"You're the medical team I'm paying for. Don't waste time on someone irrelevant."

Seeing this, the doctor had no choice but to set me down again as the ambulance sped away.

I lay alone at the scene of the accident, surrounded by people, but not one of them was willing to help me.

My wound was still bleeding, and my consciousness was gradually fading.

I kept murmuring to myself,

"Home... I want to go home..."

I don't know how much time passed before another ambulance finally arrived and took me to the hospital.

I forced myself to stay conscious and asked the doctor for a phone, my hand trembling as I dialed my mom's number.

"Mom, I miss you so much. Will you come get me? Please? I'll listen to you. I'll go to the blind dates..."

The moment I finished speaking, I couldn't hold on any longer and passed out.