Chapter 4

With no phone and no ride, I ran all the way to the office.

By the time I stumbled in, the backs of my ankles were raw and bleeding, throbbing with every step.

My boss gasped in shock when she saw me, asking if I was okay.

I waved a hand dismissively:

"As long as we didn't blow the deadline, I'm fine."

That night, my team and I pulled an all-nighter fixing the contract.

At dawn, the client's final approval came through.

A multi-million-dollar deal.

Secured.

The entire office erupted into cheers, everyone hugging each other.

I forced a smile, but underneath the relief was a bottomless void.

The stinging pain in my heels was a sharp reminder of the humiliation from the night before.

I plugged in my phone and turned it on. The first thing that popped up was a new Instagram post from Hailey.

"Got drunk for the first time because of someone's malice, but waking up next to the person I love most made it all okay."

Two photos were attached.

One was the starry night sky—breathtakingly clear.

The other was Ethan, still fast asleep beside her.

They were lying in the same bed, wrapped together in suffocating intimacy.

The breath caught in my throat. I stared blankly at the screen.

A tear rolled down my cheek.

It fell directly onto my phone.

And accidentally clicked "Like."

Panicking, I quickly wiped my screen and unliked the post.

Too late.

Ethan called almost immediately, his voice sharp with accusation:

"Did you intentionally like her post just to make Hailey feel guilty?"

I was left speechless.

My heart had turned to ash, yet the numbness still stung.

No explanation for the intimate photo.

Not a single word asking if I was safe.

His first reaction after dumping his girlfriend on the side of the road on their anniversary was to defend his adopted sister.

Ethan's tone grew colder:

"Hailey woke up crying her eyes out. She feels terrible about what happened last night."

"I finally got her calmed down, and now you're provoking her again."

He sighed heavily, as if being immensely generous:

"Tell you what. I'll arrange dinner tonight so you can apologize to Hailey."

"That way, you two can move past this."

I laughed out loud.

A raw, mocking sound that made Ethan scowl over the line.

"You're dreaming, Ethan."

"I will never apologize for your disgusting behavior."

Sniffling and muffled sobs came through the speaker.

Hailey grabbed the phone: "It's all my fault... Elena, please don't be mad at Ethan because of me."

She sniffled again.

"If it helps, I can just stay far away from you both..."

"No way!" Ethan cut in fiercely.

Even through the phone, I could picture him desperately pulling Hailey into his arms.

Just like every other time she cried.

"Hailey, your parents are gone, and my parents don't like you," Ethan said softly. "If you leave me, who else do you have to rely on?"

Hailey let out a soft, smug chuckle and asked,

"Then what about Elena?"

Ethan's voice was dismissive: "That's her problem."

Then, he turned back to me:

"Elena, if you still want to be with me, stop throwing these childish tantrums."

"Apologize to Hailey right now, or we're over."

There were no tears. No pleading. No dramatic apologies.

"Let's break up."