Chapter 2

Seeing their suspicious looks, I pulled an official acceptance letter from my bag and set it on the desk.

"What? You don't believe me?"

The moment Chloe saw the document, her face twisted with anger.

"Why didn't you tell Julian about such an important competition?"

"Are you scared he'd outshine you and take first place?"

Natalie's expression darkened as well.

"We all work in the same department, Ethan. Why are you so secretive? I've never seen anyone as selfish as you."

I stared at them in disbelief. "I barely know Julian. Why would I owe him that?"

Even though we worked in the same department, Julian was arrogant to the core. He always looked down his nose at newcomers like me.

Over the past six months, we hadn't exchanged more than three private sentences. And somehow, that was my fault?

Chloe grew even more furious.

"Don't you know how Julian is by now?"

"As his colleague, shouldn't you take the initiative to build a good relationship with him?"

Without waiting for my answer, Chloe pulled out her phone and dialed the competition committee, trying to register Julian on the spot.

Natalie walked straight out the door to check on Julian in person.

Watching them scramble, a bitter taste filled my mouth.

In their eyes, I was nothing more than an outsider.

A few minutes later, Chloe hung up the phone.

Registration was already closed; Julian couldn't sign up.

Panic washed over Chloe's face. She paced back and forth, muttering under her breath.

"If Julian misses this competition, it will ruin his promotion track!"

"No, I have to fix this for him."

Suddenly, her eyes locked onto me, gleaming with an idea.

"You already have a reserved spot, right? If you withdraw and give your slot to Julian, he can go!"

Her words made my stomach churn. My breath hitched in my chest.

"Julian's future matters, but mine doesn't?"

During all the years I spent with Chloe, I treated her like she was my entire world.

Yet, to her, I wasn't worth a single hair on Julian's head.

Chloe stepped closer, putting on a sweet, pleading voice she rarely used with me. "Ethan, Julian is older than you. Just let him have it this time!"

"You're still young. You'll have plenty of chances later!"

Looking at her desperate attempts to cater to another man, I scoffed inwardly.

The fiercely independent woman who never bowed to anyone was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush—all for Julian.

Too bad for her, I wasn't the naive fool from my past life anymore.