Chapter 2

I never imagined that I would ever cross paths with Liam Hayes again in this lifetime.

At a high-profile charity gala in New York, he stood in the crowd with Chloe on his arm, his smile elegant and composed, bearing no resemblance to the boy he once was.

The people around them beamed, their voices dripping with flattery.

"Mr. Hayes, you're truly impressive, achieving so much at such a young age. Securing that statewide project means your future is limitless!"

"And this must be your lovely fiancée, right? A perfect match, you both look incredible together!"

Chloe gazed at Liam with deep affection, her voice soft.

"We're planning to get married at the end of the year. If you're free, please do come to the wedding."

Another round of congratulations followed, and someone asked.

"I heard you two have been together for ten years. Why are you only getting married now?"

That question piqued my curiosity too.

In the last life, Liam loved Chloe so much he was willing to die for her.

After being reborn, he immediately broke up with me.

I thought they would get married right after graduation, but it seems they still haven't made it official.

Hearing the question, a flicker of stiffness crossed Liam's face, almost imperceptible, before he quickly covered it with a smile.

"Business first, then marriage, right? I wanted to give Chloe the best life possible."

He looked at Chloe, his eyes practically overflowing with tender affection.

In my previous life, when we were together, I brought up marriage many times.

It wasn't until his family pressured him that Liam reluctantly agreed to marry me.

It turns out, the difference between love and indifference can be painfully obvious.

I was about to turn and leave when my eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of a small figure. My body instinctively followed.

Splat!

Champagne splattered across the floor. The waiter, holding a tray, glared at me with an annoyed expression.

"Where did you come from? Can't you watch where you're going?"

His voice wasn't quiet, drawing everyone's attention.

Liam's eyes widened in surprise when he saw my face.

"Stella, what are you doing here?"

I lowered my head, apologizing to the waiter and explaining.

"I'm here looking for someone."

Someone curious asked Liam.

"Mr. Hayes, do you know her?"

Liam's hand, holding the wine glass, tightened. His gaze darkened.

"Yeah, an ex-girlfriend."

Someone nearby, too quick with their tongue, blurted out, "You two were together for ten years, I thought you were each other's first loves!"

The smile on Chloe's face faded slightly. She took Liam's hand, saying dismissively.

"We were young back then, had a small fight and separated for a bit. Who hasn't made a few mistakes when they were young?"

Liam didn't say anything, his gaze sweeping past me and settling on the waiter.

"Put the damages on my tab. Let her go."

He stood there, his expression calm. Aside from that initial surprise, he wasn't interested in giving me a single extra glance.

It seemed he wanted to clearly draw a line between me – that "mistake" he made – and himself, especially in front of Chloe.

The waiter immediately started pushing me out.

"Mr. Hayes is being generous, helping you clean up your mess. But there won't be a next time!"

He eyed my wrinkled pajamas, scoffing.

"This isn't the kind of place you belong. Get out of here!"

I pulled free from his grip, trying to explain patiently.

"I'm looking for someone. Once I find them, I'll leave on my own."

The waiter sneered, rolling his eyes.

"I've seen plenty of people like you trying to latch onto the rich and powerful. Do you even have the right to be at a gala like this? If you don't leave now, I'm calling security!"

"Wait."

Liam's voice came from behind the waiter.

Chloe, pulling at the hem of her dress, looked at me with a sigh, sounding exasperated.

"He's here looking for me. Let me talk to him."

Chloe stood beside him, possessively intertwining her arm with his.

"Stella, Liam and I are getting married soon. I think anyone with a shred of decency wouldn't come looking for an ex at a time like this."

Liam's face tightened a bit, and he couldn't help but try to reason with me.

"Why are you still so fixated on me? Even if you'd waited ten years, I still wouldn't have fallen for you."

"Being with you was a mistake. Now that I finally have a chance to correct it, I hope you can move on from the past."

Chloe eyed me from head to toe, a sneer in her eyes.

"I can understand why you'd still come looking for Liam. After all, things aren't what they used to be. He's a renowned entrepreneur now, surrounded by people trying to butter him up."

Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave her confidence, as Chloe said with her nose in the air.

"You graduated from a good university, didn't you? How did you end up like this? If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to leave the house!"

Liam frowned, pulling out his phone, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"If you feel like I wronged you when we broke up, I can give you a severance payment now."

"Fifty thousand? Is that enough?"

His fingers moved across the screen for a couple of seconds, then froze.

"Did you delete me from your contacts?"