Chapter 3

Summer POV

I had just turned off my screen, not yet having time to put my phone in my pocket, when someone suddenly grabbed my wrist.

My whole body stiffened. I looked up sharply to find a completely unfamiliar man's face.

"So you're the most popular girl."

The man's surprised expression turned to delight when he saw my face clearly.

Before he finished speaking, I tried to pull my hand free. "Let go of me!"

But a malicious smile appeared on the man's face. He tightened his grip, leaving a red mark around my wrist.

"Let you go?"

His evil gaze traveled over my pale wrist. "You're selling your private photos and videos, so you must really need money, right? I have money. But with your current reputation, asking a million isn't reasonable!"

As he spoke, he backed me into a corner, using his larger frame to pin me down.

"I like the library. Is ten thousand enough?"

My eyes turned red and I bit my lower lip hard, about to bite down on him when I saw a figure swiftly pull the man away and punch him hard.

Ethan's face was ice cold as he kicked the man hard in the stomach without hesitation. "Get lost!"

Then he looked at me, his eyes clearly filled with concern.

He lifted my wrist, his face full of distress. "I went to your dorm looking for you. Your roommate said you weren't there. I guessed you'd be here. Is your hand okay? Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?"

Looking at his expression, no different from usual, I yanked my hand back and turned to leave without a word.

"Summer!"

Ethan panicked and grabbed me. "Are you angry about that forum post?"

"This is my fault. My friend took my computer to play around. He's irresponsible. I didn't think he'd upload those things online. I already yelled at him and told people to delete the post immediately. Don't be angry, okay?"

I shook his hand off forcefully and turned around, my eyes no longer holding any love.

"Ethan, let's break up."

Just as the words left my mouth, the library door opened.

A rain-soaked figure ran inside.

When Sophie saw Ethan and me holding hands, her face instantly turned deathly pale.

The accusation she was about to blurt out turned into a trembling voice. "Ethan, are you and Summer... together?"

As she spoke, a tear fell from her eye, mixing with the rain as it traced down her cheek.

She turned and ran back into the rain.

When had Ethan ever seen Sophie so fragile and helpless?

His heart felt like something had slammed into it hard. Full of guilt and compassion, he couldn't spare a thought for what I'd just said. He dropped my hand and chased after Sophie.

He used so much force that I crashed into a pillar and fell to the ground.

By the time I slowly stood up and walked out of the library step by step, I saw on the distant sports field.

Ethan gripping Sophie's wrist with one hand, his face drenched by rain, shouting loudly at her. "Yes, our families are business rivals. So what? Even if it means defying my family and hurting Summer, even though the world is so big and there are so many women, I only want you."

In the pouring rain, Sophie's tears mixed with rainwater as she stood on her toes and kissed his lips.

Then Ethan cupped her face with both hands and kissed her back forcefully.

I stood quietly in the rain watching the two of them kiss in a scene as beautiful as a romantic movie. My heart felt torn in two, my eyes cried until they were dry.

I returned to the dorm soaking wet, showered, changed into clean clothes, then climbed into bed.

I didn't sleep all night.

The next day, I went to class as usual.

But unexpectedly, when I reached the classroom, I found a crowd gathered around my desk.

Seeing me walk in, some troublemaker whistled at me, half-joking, half-contemptuous.

"Summer, what are you selling this time? A ten-million-dollar check."