Chapter 3

I was a little puzzled, not understanding why his reaction was so strong.

Deleting an ex after a breakup is pretty normal, isn't it?

Besides, I had someone at home who was incredibly jealous. If he found out I still had an ex-boyfriend's contact information, he'd probably make a huge fuss.

"Didn't you say you hoped I wouldn't come looking for you after we broke up?"

Liam's face went cold, looking like he wanted to say something but held back.

I added in a flat tone.

"And there's no need for a severance payment. I don't need it."

One setback after another, Liam's face looked even worse. He said coldly.

"Why are you still putting on an act in front of me? If it weren't for how pathetic you look now, I wouldn't even bother speaking to you."

Chloe gently comforted him.

"Liam, you're just too kind. Honestly, why bother with women like her? Look at her, she's a complete mess, a lost cause!"

His tone was dismissive, as if he'd forgotten that ten years ago, he was in a far worse state than I was.

In the previous life, Liam's family disapproved of him being with Chloe because she was a delinquent who skipped school and engaged in illegal activities.

The first time I saw Liam in college, he had just bailed Chloe out of the police station and was being forced by his family to break up with her.

During that period when Liam was at his lowest, I stayed by his side, helping him through it.

He loved photography, so I used the money I had saved for my own startup to buy him tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

Who would have thought that Liam was the one who confessed to me first?

I knew about his past with Chloe and had seen him occasionally lost in thought, staring at their old photos.

So, when Liam confessed, I asked him very seriously.

"Have you truly moved on from Chloe?"

At the time, he held me tight, his voice firm.

"That's all in the past. I've long since realized who truly cares about me. Stella, I love you, let's be together."

We dated for seven years, even his best friend was surprised.

"He was so crazy about Chloe, I never thought you two would last."

But no one knew that Liam had rejected my proposals countless times in private.

"Stella, I'm not the marrying type. Isn't it good enough for us to just be together like this forever?"

It wasn't until Liam's parents pressured him intensely that he finally agreed to marry me.

During our honeymoon, news of Chloe's accidental car crash arrived. He jumped off the cruise ship, leaving behind only a suicide note.

The entire letter was filled with his love for Chloe, without a single word for me.

At the very end, he wrote in his own blood.

"Chloe, I only ever wanted to be your groom. Now, I'm coming to find you."

My love for him turned to ashes in that moment.

So, when Liam wanted to break up with me after we were reborn, I didn't stop him.

Because I knew I couldn't.

Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Liam's contact information, thinking I'd never see him again in this lifetime.

But I never expected to run into him here.

I wanted to leave, but Chloe was relentless, determined to humiliate me in front of everyone.

"You really went to great lengths to get close to Liam. Judging by what you're wearing, you probably don't even have a decent job."

"Tell you what, I can get you a job as a waiter here. If you learn how to serve people, you could earn five figures a month."

Someone nearby, eager to please, chimed in with a chuckle.

"This is a hotel in a prime location in New York City! Getting to work here would be an incredible opportunity for you. Hurry up and thank Ms. Miller!"

I was surrounded and couldn't leave easily, so I said helplessly.

"Thank you, but I already have a job."

"It's photography."

As soon as I said "photography," Liam immediately looked at me. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes, and his lips moved a few times.

He turned his head away, not looking at me, his voice cold.

"How much money can you make from photography? A hobby won't pay the bills. Out of courtesy, since we're acquaintances, I can arrange a job for you."

I paused, immediately realizing he had misunderstood.