Chapter 3

"Surprise!"

The elevator doors slid open, and the crowd popped confetti cannons.

In the middle of the falling colorful rain, Vivian looked at Julian with eyes full of tenderness.

She didn't notice me at all, standing there in the dark corner. She ran straight into Julian's arms.

Julian leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Happy birthday, baby!"

Vivian affectionately brushed a piece of confetti off his shoulder and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

"Thank you, handsome."

Amidst the cheers and teasing from their friends, Julian brought out the cake, lit the candles, and gestured for her to make a wish.

Vivian stood on her tip-toes and kissed him deeply on the lips.

"I don't need to make a wish. Heaven has already given me the best gift I could ever ask for right here."

I stared blankly at the flickering candle flames.

Six years of long-distance. To see Vivian, I had saved stacks of cheap bus and train tickets.

I never let her make the tiring trip to see me even once.

On my birthday during our fourth year, she sat beside me, completely distracted, staring at her phone all night.

For the last two years, she was virtually non-existent in my life.

And now, she was calling Julian the best gift heaven had ever given her.

My chest felt completely numb, a dull, agonizing ache. A single question echoed in my mind over and over again.

*What about me? What was I to you?*

Julian smiled, helping Vivian blow out the candles.

"If you won't make a wish, then I will."

Someone in the crowd yelled, "What did you wish for, Julian? Let me guess, does it involve Vivian?"

"Duh! Everyone knows Julian is a total simp for her. His whole world revolves around Vivian."

Vivian blushed, playfully hitting Julian's chest.

He gave her a doting look, and in the next second, he dropped to one knee.

The room erupted.

Julian pulled out a red velvet box, his expression dead serious and full of devotion.

"Vivian, it's been four years. Will you marry me?"

Vivian covered her mouth, her eyes instantly filling with tears.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for her answer.

But then, a cold laugh broke the silence of the room.

"Four years? Vivian, what about my ten years? What did our ten years mean to you?"

Everyone whipped their heads around to look at me.

Vivian turned, her face freezing in absolute horror and shock.

Their friends looked back and forth between us, whispering.

"Who is this guy?"

"No idea."

One of Julian's friends walked up and threw a heavy punch straight at my face.

"Are you out of your mind? Julian was nice enough to let you join the party, and you come in here to ruin his proposal?!"

The blow left me dazed for a second.

Julian looked back at Vivian, confused. "Babe, do you know him?"

"No."

Vivian coldly pulled her gaze away from me without a single shred of hesitation.

She forced a sigh. "Julian, you really shouldn't just invite any random street rat to your parties. Just ignore him."

My eyes widened.

This was the woman who once cried hysterically when I got a tiny paper cut. Now, she watched someone punch me and didn't even blink.

I loved Vivian for ten years, only to be called a "street rat."

With shaking hands, I threw a heavy punch right back at the guy who hit me.

He fell straight to the floor, groaning.

The next second, two heavy security guards pinned me down.

At Julian's nod, the guards didn't hold back.

In front of everyone, I was beaten until my face swelled and my ears rang.

As the guards held me down, Julian walked up to me and kicked my knee hard.

I let out a sharp cry and collapsed onto my knees before him. My dignity and my ten years of devotion shattered completely in that exact moment.

Vivian stood to the side, motionless, though a tiny flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes.

Julian's lips curled into a mocking sneer.

"I tried to be a nice guy and let you hang out. I didn't expect you to be a psycho."

"Beating you up is wasting my energy. Throw him out like the trash he is!"