Chapter 2

Half an hour later, Julian found me on the rooftop.

He always knew.

Whenever we fought, I'd hide up here, letting the cold wind clear my head, forcing myself to calm down.

He rushed over like a madman, pulling me away from the edge of the stairs. We stumbled, falling to the ground.

His embrace was warm, but my heart was utterly cold.

Without a word, a torrent of accusations rained down on me. "Stella, are you out of your mind?!"

"It was just a joke! Did you really have to try and jump?"

I froze. "What?"

He reined in his anger, his voice softening. "Good thing you're okay..." He sighed, pulling me to my feet and holding me tight.

"My silly girl, how could I ever think you're old? I've just been so busy lately... Once this period is over, we'll get married."

"Besides, in my heart, you'll always be my eighteen-year-old princess."

As he said this, his face held a rare tenderness. It was as if the humiliating scene at the bar had never happened.

I suddenly couldn't tell which side was the real him.

But none of it mattered anymore.

Suddenly, he pulled a cake from behind him. "Today marks ten years since we got together."

"The first year I started the company, I got taken for everything. Everyone laughed. They said I deserved it. But you never left. You believed in me when I had nothing."

"Without you, I would have given up."

"Money was so tight back then, but I always got you the cake."

"No matter how hard it got, I couldn't let my little princess go without."

"Stella, you're my life. Thank God...we made it."

His voice was low, hoarse, with a barely perceptible catch.

So, he remembered.

He remembered all those dark, cold winters in that damp basement, with me by his side, when he couldn't see the light.

He had everything now. And the first thing he wanted was to replace me.

"Make a wish." he said, his eyes bright with expectation.

I met his gaze, my voice level. "Let's break up."

Splat.

The cake hit the floor. The two little frosting figures, once nestled side by side, split cleanly apart.

Just like us.

The tenderness in his face cracked, then fell away completely-shock flooding in, chased instantly by a scalding rage.

"Stella, you better not regret this!"

He turned and stormed downstairs, heading home.

He trashed the apartment we'd decorated together as our future home.

He ripped up our photos, smashed the clay figurines we'd made together...

The final crash was him slamming the door shut as he stormed out.

Thirty minutes later, Julian, who almost never posted on Ins, updated his story for the first time ever.

"Clothes are best new, and so are women."

The photo showed him and Chloe locked in a passionate kiss beneath a sky full of fireworks.

I forced out a cold laugh. Casually, I liked it and commented, "Congrats."

A friend request popped up on my phone. I recognized Chloe's profile picture immediately. "Thanks for giving him back to me."

Julian called right away, his voice harsh. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Congrats on getting back together."

"You're the one who broke up with me. Don't come crying back, begging me to return!"

Julian's voice returned to its usual nonchalant tone.

He probably thought I was just playing games, and casually hung up.

I had naively thought that even if the whole world turned against me, he wouldn't. But the truth was, I had been so utterly wrong.