Chapter 4

Ethan and I met because of a bag-snatching incident.

After we left the police station, I didn't think there would be any follow-up.

But as fate would have it, we lived in the same apartment complex.

So, we started running into each other, and chatting naturally followed.

Later, he pursued me for a long time.

He was gentle and caring, but completely lacked a romantic bone.

Aside from taking me out to dinner and movies, he had never even bought me a single flower.

When I complained to my best friend, Chloe, she said he was just one of those old-fashioned, unromantic guys.

Boring, but loyal and dedicated.

The important thing was that he was willing to spend money on me.

So, I agreed to be his girlfriend.

Back then, he didn't have a girlfriend.

Only later did I accidentally find out he had an ex.

I used to think that was all in his past.

I didn't feel the need to dig into it.

But now, it seemed I had overestimated him.

I hired a private investigator to look into their past.

Within a day, the PI sent me a massive digital file.

It was packed with details of their past.

I opened the folder, and the first thing I saw was a photo of Ethan.

He was wearing a shirt I bought him, holding his ex-girlfriend’s hand.

This was taken right after he and I had made our relationship official.

I stared at it, completely numb.

Which meant he hadn't even cut ties with her when he started dating me.

He had lied to me from the very beginning.

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

With trembling fingers, I clicked on a video file.

The lighting in the VIP room of the bar was dim.

But I could still make out the faces.

Then, Ethan’s cold, detached voice played.

"I used to love you, but I don't anymore."

"Let's just part ways amicably. Stop clinging to me."

The silence in the room was deafening.

Only the sound of his ex crying hysterically and pulling at his arm could be heard, along with a few awkward consolations from their friends.

But Ethan remained completely unmoved, only asking impatiently:

"What exactly do I have to do for you to agree to this breakup?"

"You wronged me, and now you're abandoning me. I want compensation."

"We were together for five years. Until you find someone you truly love, I want you to keep giving me the special treatment and gifts I deserve. Then we'll be even."

Ethan was silent for a moment before agreeing.

"Fine. But on one condition: you cannot interfere with my life."

"Other than that, we have nothing to do with each other."

By the end of the video, I found the whole thing ridiculously absurd.

So, the person he had "rebounded" with was me.

Without my knowledge, I had been turned into the homewrecker who ruined their relationship.

The video kept playing.

I saw many familiar faces.

They were all friends Ethan had introduced me to.

They had all been there that night.

They all knew about the agreement between Ethan and his ex.

Yet, throughout all our hangouts and parties, not a single one of them had ever mentioned it to me.

Everyone knew. I was the only one kept in the dark.

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