Twenty–four hours after returning to the city, an old friend dragged me to our college reunion.
And there she was – Chloe Hamilton, my first love, appearing before me after five long years.
Without warning, she produced a dazzling diamond ring and proposed before our entire class.
The room erupted. Everyone watched expectantly, certain I’d say yes immediately. After all, hadn’t I been the one desperately chas- ing her, practically begging on my knees until she finally agreed to be mine?
But they’d all forgotten..
Forgotten how at graduation, Chloe had publicly accused me of plagiarizing my thesis – all for another man’s affection.
Forgotten how she fabricated evidence, claiming I’d cheated on exams and bullied classmates.
The university revoked my degree. They ejected me from the ceremony as hundreds of eyes burned into my back. That same day, I fled overseas.
Now, back in the city I’d sworn never to return to, her best friend Sophie revealed the truth:
“After you left, Chloe pulled every string. Used all her family’s influence to reinstate your diploma.”
“She never stopped waiting, Caleb. You’ve always been the love of her life.”
“Caleb, are you even listening to me? I’m trying to tell you something!” Sophie, Chloe’s closest confidante, had practically glued herself to my side the moment I walked in, unleashing a torrent of words.
Her expression was a mix of exasperation and something close to desperate pleading. Around the room, the gazes of our other classmates converged on me–a cocktail of curiosity, pity, and outright mockery.
Honestly, hearing the name “Chloe Hamilton” again after five years felt eerily distant, almost unfamiliar. The fierce, all–consuming love I once held for her had long since been swallowed by the relentless current of time, drowning in the depths of a past I preferr- ed to forget.
Five years ago, I’d vanished without a trace, leaving the country. So, few in this city knew I’d built a new life, I honestly couldn’t tell if Sophie’s breathless monologue was born of her own conviction or if she was merely delivering a carefully a new family, overseas. rehearsed message. Frankly, it didn’t matter.
I pressed my lips together, gathering my thoughts, before speaking in a low, measured tone. “Chloe and I are a closed chapter, Sophie. What you’re saying holds absolutely no meaning for me anymore.”
Not just Sophie, but everyone in the room stared, eyes wide, as if I’d just announced I’d grown a second head.
After all, I had pursued Chloe relentlessly, almost obsessively, for three whole years. My relentless campaign was so public it nearly put me on the dean’s radar. Rain or shine, I’d delivered her a warm breakfast and a fresh coffee every single morning. When her chronic stomach issues flared up, I once scoured every pharmacy in a snowstorm just to find a specific brand of antacid. Every time some clueless guy tried to confess his feelings for Chloe, I’d appear, practically materialize out of thin air, to stake my claim.
When she dreamed of starting her own business but lacked the capital, I not only drained my entire college fund and savings but even sold the vintage watch my parents gave me for my eighteenth birthday. In places no one saw, I, who had never known hardsh- ip, lived on instant ramen and stale bread for an entire semester to make sure she had enough.
Finally, after my relentless efforts, Chloe agreed to be my girlfriend.
She played the role of the perfect girlfriend, attentive and sweet. She’d stand up for me, a fierce glint in her eyes, whenever some- one dared to call me a ‘doormat‘ or whisper about me being a ‘kept man.‘ She’d even let me dream with her, sketching out our futu re together the day she signed her first big contract.
I truly believed she was my soulmate, the woman I’d spend my entire life with.
Until our senior year, when Dylan Hayes suddenly emerged. He was Chloe’s childhood friend, a ghost from her past who suddenly
materialized, transferring into our very own class. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I even made an effort to be welcoming, to conn-
ect with him.
But slowly, subtly, Chloe stopped seeking me out. Our calls grew shorter, our meetups less frequent. When I tried to make plans,
she’d suddenly have a million excuses.
On my birthday, she stood me up again. She told me she had an urgent business trip to a neighboring city. A knot of unease tighte-
ned in my stomach, so I discreetly went to her company. And there he was: Dylan. Surrounded by a circle of laughing employees,
practically on a pedestal. Even more infuriating, some of them were openly calling him “the boss’s Prince Charming.” This, despite
every single one of them knowing I was Chloe’s boyfriend.
The woman who’d told me she was out of town Chloe herself – stood among them, smiling serenely, not bothering to correct a
single word.
My heart felt like it was being systematically shredded.
When Chloe finally spotted me, there wasn’t a trace of shame or guilt on her face. Only a cool, almost casual question. “What are
you doing here?”
She was my first love, the woman I’d envisioned spending my entire life with. I didn’t want conflict, not with her. So I spoke directly, pointing at Dylan. “Is your ‘business trip‘ really just throwing a party with him in the office?”
