Chapter 2

Serena's brow furrowed. Of course she had no idea where I was.

Tyler jumped in before she could speak:

"Austin makes his own choices. Serena doesn't know anything."

"Honestly, I used to respect Austin. Even though I lost to him every time, I viewed him as my ultimate rival. An enemy in the ring, but an inspiration outside of it."

"Running away tonight, though? I can't defend that. And quite frankly, Serena is disgusted by it, too."

My disappearance had been nagging at Serena. Her smile had carried a faint trace of unease.

Tyler's words wiped all of that away, painting me as a yellow-bellied coward who fled because he was terrified of losing his title.

The slight frown on Serena's face vanished, replaced by cold contempt.

"If he had fought like a man and lost, nobody would blame him," she sneered into the mics.

"Running away before the bell even rings? He's a coward. Cowards don't deserve fans."

My chest flared with phantom agony.

Three years ago, on my way to a championship bout, a city bus blew a red light and T-boned my cab.

By some miracle, I survived without broken bones, just a mild concussion and deep lacerations from shattered glass and twisted metal.

The league offered to postpone the fight.

I knew my body could still move. I knew I could still beat the guy in front of me.

I had the medics patch me up right in the locker room, taped my gloves on, and walked into the arena covered in bandages.

The adrenaline coursing through my veins drowned out the pain. I fought harder that night than I ever had before.

I knocked out a seasoned veteran to claim my very first championship belt.

That fight went viral nationwide. Millions rallied behind my grit.

My fans nicknamed me "The Iron Champion."

They said even if I went down one day, they would back me forever because of my heart.

Yet tonight, with a few poisoned words from Tyler, I went from an iron-willed champion to a pathetic fraud who fled to protect his record.

Listening to my wife trashing me to the press made my soul ache.

Even if I hadn't gone into anaphylactic shock, the drugs in my system would have triggered a failed drug test. My reputation would have been ruined either way.

Skipping the fight ruined it, too.

Serena was brilliant. As my manager, she knew the rulebook inside out. The second I swallowed that water, she had sealed my fate.

I watched her tear down my name on national television, and an icy dread wrapped around my heart.

The woman I loved more than life itself had pushed me into an open grave just to hand my rival a trophy.

Bitterness and despair threatened to swallow me whole.

The press conference wrapped up. Tyler took Serena's hand as they walked out through the VIP tunnel.

Serena blushed, letting him hold her fingers without pulling away.

I remembered that blush. Years ago, when she first agreed to be my girlfriend, her cheeks had flushed that exact shade of pink.

Tyler stopped walking, turned to look at her, his gaze thick with affection.

Serena lowered her eyes shyly, stepping closer into his space.

"All these years, I only made it this far because you were in my corner," Tyler murmured softly.

"What you did for me today... you're the real champion, Serena."

Serena looked up at him, her eyes completely melted with devotion.

So Tyler knew all along.

They leaned in, and my heart shattered into dust.

It was premeditated. The two of them had planned my murder together.

The air between them crackled with intimacy—an intimacy built on top of my dead body.

Tyler pulled her closer. Serena closed her eyes, tilting her chin up, waiting for his kiss.

Her phone began to buzz loudly in her purse.

Pulled from the trance, her cheeks burning, Serena stepped back and answered the call.

Her body was still half-pressed against Tyler's chest.

It was my gym owner. His voice was frantic:

"Serena, something happened to Austin! It's bad!"