chapter 2

Gabriel scoffed. “Don’t mind her. How many times has she pulled this runaway act over the years?

“She’s an orphan with no parents, no roots. Where could she even go?”

Those casual words—foul as a backed-up toilet—forced their way into my ears.

All I heard was ringing.

No parents?

No roots?

But five years ago, when I lost my parents in that accident, Gabriel had knelt before me.

He poured his heart out with desperate sincerity, declaring his heartfelt vow,

“Sloane, from now on, wherever I am is your home.

“In this life, I’ll be both your lover and family.”

Those vows? Gone like smoke in the wind.

Now they meant nothing.

When I looked back, the signs were always there.

For five years, every time I hinted at marriage, at building a real home together, Gabriel brushed me off with excuses about still being in his career-building phase.

I kept thinking I wasn’t good enough—walking on eggshells around Gabriel, kissing his ass.

He hated spicy food, so a chili addict like me learned to cook mild meatloaf just for him.

He complained about me moving in sleep, so I volunteered for the guest room.

Then year three of separate beds, Olivia came back.

That was when I realized it was never about me not being good enough.

I simply wasn’t the one who held his heart.

Countless nights, if Olivia sent even one message, Gabriel would jump up to meet her without a second thought.

But if I dared say a word to stop him, Gabriel would punish me with the silent treatment.

For the next month, no matter how many calls or texts I sent, he’d block me cold.

Even showing up at his company got me tossed out by security.

The crushing loneliness always broke me. Every time, I’d apologize, begging him not to break up with me.

Now, I stood in the dark, the biting wind whipping around me.

But this time, I wouldn’t look back.

After booking a hotel, I called Grandpa again—only to hear Uncle Liam’s voice.

“Sloane, don’t forget the promise you made five years ago.”

Five years ago, my parents died suddenly.

Grandpa, pitying me for being left alone, fought against all objections to bring me back into the family.

He even declared that if I wanted it, I would also have inheritance rights to the Mercer Group.

But there was one catch.

I had to agree to an marriage alliance they had set up.

But for Gabriel, I threw it all away—my family’s protection, a future handed to me on a silver platter.

I treated it all like worthless trash.

When I stayed silent for a while, Liam let out a heavy sigh and said,

“Sloane, the Johnson Family doesn’t accept love-struck fools. If you’re only trying to come back now because you suddenly realized Gabriel wasn’t the right match...”

I cut him off. “No, Liam...”

It wasn’t just about heartbreak.

For the past five years, I’d been drowning in grief over my parents’ death.

I had made Gabriel my whole world.

But only now did it hit me that no one could truly save someone else.

I shouldn’t have pinned all my hopes on a man’s sincerity.

Because sincerity changed in a blink.

I let out a self-mocking cold laugh.

Yet it took me this long to wake up.

I’d liked Gabriel for ten years, from high school to college, then after graduation.

Every major phase of my life, I’d been chasing his shadow.

I watched him and Olivia fall in love, then break up.

Back then, I thought my chance had finally come.

When Olivia dumped Gabriel for some wealthy heir, I stuck by his side, cursing her gold-digging ways with him.

I slid into the gap and became Gabriel’s girlfriend.

I thought my luck was finally turning around.

It turned out I was the joke all along.

I said, “Don’t worry, Liam. I’ll prove myself to all of you.”

The Johnson Group’s main business was jewelry now.

Their operations covered pretty much all of Liravun.

But in the past six months, Johnson Jewelry became the industry’s biggest joke.

Their head designer had copied his own senior’s work.

The huge scandal made their stocks crash and turned people off Johnson Jewelry.

Three days ago, I signed up for the Johnson Group’s design competition.

The winner would get hired by the Johnson Group and get a shot at joining their A-team for next season’s Solmara design competition.

There was no time to waste. After a quick break, I started sketching my draft.