Chapter 1

My friends all warned me: no matter how desperate you are, never pick up a boyfriend at a bar.

But that cute college boy on the dance floor was moving his hips so damn well.

So, I took him home.

I completely lost myself in the way Logan sweetly called me "babe" over and over again.

I stopped clubbing. I stopped playing poker with my girls. Instead, I stayed home every single day, cooking him gourmet soups.

But on my birthday, I overheard him talking about me with his roommates.

"Damn, man. You actually got the legendary heartbreaker of the arts district to settle down for you."

"So, who moans better? The wild party girl Chloe, or your sweet, innocent college girl Hailey?"

"If it were me, I’d choose Hailey. She’s so pure and clean."

Logan smacked the guy on the back of his head.

"Hands off Hailey. If you really want someone, I can give you that ancient vulture, Chloe."

I sneered in the dark.

When he loved me, I was his beautiful babe. Now that he didn't, I was just an "ancient vulture."

"Chloe is just someone to satisfy my needs. Who would actually marry a girl who used to play around like her?"

"Logan is a genius. He played the innocent college boy so well that even she fell for it."

"What kind of decent woman spends all her time in clubs anyway? She doesn't deserve to be taken seriously."

Everyone turned to Logan, who had been quiet.

Logan took a cold sip of his beer.

"I hate girls like her the most. Cheap, fake, and running around with every guy they see."

"Chloe is the dumbest girl I’ve ever met."

"The funniest part? After we started dating, she actually tried to act like a sweet, innocent housewife in front of me. It makes me sick just thinking about it."

The room burst into loud laughter.

"You really got it figured out, man. Use Chloe for physical stuff, and save your real romance for Hailey."

"Shh, don't mention Hailey! Logan might hit you. Logan and Hailey are doing the whole 'pure, sweet love' thing."

"Hey, Logan, when you get tired of Chloe, can you introduce her to me? She’s a total ten."

Logan let out a cold laugh. "I’m already tired of her. I'll send you her contact card right now."

I stood just outside the VIP room door, my hands trembling as I lit a cigarette.

Since I started dating Logan, he said he hated the smell of smoke. So, I threw away all my cigarettes and replaced them with lollipops.

Just because Logan once said, "You’re getting sweeter and more obedient," I happily tied on an apron and cooked for him every day.

"Logan really trained Chloe like a loyal dog. Remember when he said he had a stomach ache? She literally caught the next flight back from another city overnight just to take care of him."

"Where else can you find such an obedient girlfriend?"

They laughed, treating my devotion as a giant joke.

Logan added, his voice completely devoid of warmth, "Chloe doesn't deserve to be treated with respect."

I stared at Logan through the cracked door. He was bragging and laughing with his frat bros.

He seemed to have completely forgotten how he had begged me to be his girlfriend in the first place.

The first time Logan saw me, I was at a high-end club, playing party games with a group of hot male models.

He walked straight up to me and asked to take me out.

I laughed in his face. "I don't date younger boys."

But Logan didn't give up. He showed up at the club every single day just to get my attention, until one day, I got annoyed and yelled his name.

He smiled like a golden retriever. "I didn't think you'd actually remember my name."

I rolled my eyes. "I’m not interested in little boys who don't even know how to move."

Logan immediately unbuttoned his shirt, walked straight onto the dance floor, and started dancing. The entire club went wild.

He walked back to me, showing off his rock-hard abs, and whispered, "Can we date now, beautiful?"

I had shut my heart off after my last ex scammed me out of my money and feelings.

So, the more Logan tried to please me, the more I ignored him.

Until one night, I saw some guys humiliating Logan at a bar, forcing him to chug drinks. I couldn't stand it and stepped in to save him.

After that, his puppy-dog eyes followed me everywhere.

He kept begging me to take him in, calling me the sweetest things. My heart finally melted.

But looking back now, it just felt pathetic.

I walked back home, feeling completely drained. I looked at my bare, makeup-free face in the mirror.

I had changed so much for Logan.

I thought he came into my life with pure love. It turned out to be nothing but sweet poison.

Not long after I got home, Logan walked in smelling strongly of alcohol.

The moment he entered, he wrapped his arms around my waist. "You smell so good, babe."

He buried his face in my neck, sniffing.

His touch only made me remember everything I had just heard.

Logan had never introduced me to his friends.

He refused to post me on his social media.

He barely even held my hand in public.

The only time he showed any passion was in bed.

I shoved his hands away.

Right. He had told his friends I was only good for one thing.

I wasn't worthy of his respect.

Suddenly, a notification popped up on my phone. A friend request. I held the screen up to his face. "Why is your friend trying to add me?"

Logan pulled me onto his lap casually.

"Didn't you say you wanted to meet my friends?"

I pointed at the message attached to the request: Let's slide into bed tonight, sexy.

"What does this mean?" I asked, my voice cold.

Logan just laughed it off. "Oh, he’s just messing with you. It’s a joke."

My heart ached intensely.

He talked about me like I was a cheap hooker to his friends. How could I expect them to respect me?

Right around midnight, Logan's phone buzzed.

The second he saw the screen, he practically threw me off his lap.

He held his phone with both hands, a genuine, sweet smile spreading across his face as he typed.

I didn't even need to look to know who it was.

Hailey. The girl he wanted to have a "pure love" with.

It must have been so exhausting for him. Acting like a doting boyfriend to an "ancient vulture" like me at home, while keeping his precious angel happy on the side.

I walked into the bedroom, locking the door behind me along with my breaking heart.

I pulled out my phone and texted my dad.

"Dad, I’m done with this stupid relationship."

"I’m coming back home in three days to take over the family business."

My dad instantly replied with a relieved smiling emoji.

I went to Logan's profile on Snapchat and untoppled his chat, removing him from my favorites.

I wiped the tears from my face.

Logan thought I was a cheap player.

He thought I didn't deserve to be loved.

Fine. I was strong enough to love him, and I was strong enough to drop him.