Chapter 3

Ethan Wells. Vanessa's college classmate and the love she could never let go.

Back then, she practically revolved around him. If Ethan mentioned a favorite breakfast, Vanessa would cross half the city to bring it to him.

They weren't even in the same major, so she switched. Ethan liked clubs, so she learned to drink and smoke.

Anything he liked, she made herself like too—no matter the cost.

Everyone knew how far she would go for him.

But they never ended up together.

In his senior year, Ethan announced he was leaving the country to study abroad.

Vanessa chased him all the way to the airport. No one knew what he said to her that day, but after she came back, she locked herself away for weeks.

I was there for her through it all. And when she finally agreed to marry me, it felt like a miracle.

Even on our wedding day, I couldn't believe it was real.

When I slipped the ring on her finger, I cried like a child.

She didn't love me the way I loved her—I knew that. But I didn't care.

People called me pathetic, a fool. But she was my exception.

For years, I thought loving her was enough.

But I started to realize... maybe it wasn't.