Claire stiffened under my hand. I felt it—the tiny hitch in her breath, the way her shoulders tensed like she had just been slapped in public.

Eyes darted toward her. Toward me. Toward the ghosts of people who suddenly thought they knew the whole story.

I smiled.

Not wide. Not friendly.

The kind of smile that warned people they had overstepped their boundaries.

"Cheated?" I repeated, tilting my head slightly. My voice was calm, and low. "Interesting choice of words."

"Let me clear something up," I said, projecting just enough for the whole entrance to hear. "Claire didn't cheat on anyone."

Silence crept in, inch by inch.

"Lance and Claire broke up. What happened after that isn't anyone's business—especially not people who haven't spoken to her since graduation."

A few faces flushed. Others looked away. Funny how courage evaporated when it was called out.

I glanced around, letting my gaze linger. Letting them feel seen.

"And if I were you. I wouldn't talk shit about someone who literally has a billionaire for a boyfriend."

"Because if I remember your face and your name… trust me. You're not going to enjoy what comes with that."

A strange thing happened after my tamed words of advice.

Smiles appeared.

Not real ones. Not the kind that reached the eyes. These were stiff, and forced.

They just… shut the fuck up.

Lina—who was probably the only thing holding this group together—clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

"All right," she said brightly, a little too brightly. "Mr. Mercer is right. Guys, let's all head to the event hall."

The words tumbled out fast, eager to patch the silence before it split open again. She was already moving, heels clicking as she turned, giving everyone an exit they were desperate to take.

People latched onto it instantly.

"Oh—yeah, of course."

"Right, the hall."

"Almost forgot the schedule."

Forced smiles stayed on their faces, but everyone was relieved.

Couples quickly paired up. Anyone left behind hurried to follow. The crowd moved away from me like water running down a sink, eager to escape the awkward moment.

Conversations started again, quieter now. Safer. No one wanted to say the wrong thing twice.

Especially not when an individual was standing right there who could walk up to their bosses and get them fired with a few words.

The doors to the event hall came into view as the last of the tension bled away.

Warm light spilled out from inside, music drifting softly into the corridor.

As we stepped in, the space opened up.

Round tables, white cloths, polished floors. Banners from their graduating year hung along the walls, trying a little too hard to summon nostalgia.

People spread out quickly, claiming seats, finding familiar faces, pretending the moment outside hadn't happened at all.

As for us, Lina invited us to sit at her table—the one closest to the raised platform where the performers would be.

We took our seats with her, her egotistic boyfriend, and, the eye candy herself—Mellissa.

She wasted no time.

"So," Mellissa broke the ice, smiling as she leaned forward slightly, "how did you two meet?"

Her voice was genuinely warm. Not forced. Not curious in a bad way. It was obvious she was used to talking to people, smoothing conversations, keeping things comfortable.

I glanced at Claire.

She met my eyes and gave a small nod—subtle. The kind of signal that said you've got this.

So I spoke for her.

"Actually. I was stuck in the hospital, paralyzed, for years. That's where Claire worked."

I took her hand, holding it gently.

"She took care of me, really looked after me. I fell for her kindness from the very start, but I never said anything. With the way I was, it just didn't feel like the right time."

I paused again, pretending to be sentimental.

"When I woke up. I wanted to pursue her, but she told me she was in a relationship. So I respected her decision."

Lina smiled softly. "So… you're not related to their breakup? Sorry for asking, but I heard some rumors. Gerald kept saying someone paid for Claire's mother's bills, and that's why he got suspicious all of a sudden."

I shook my head slowly. "Nope. That had nothing to do with me."

"Look, I did pay for her mother's bills, but it wasn't to win her over or anything like that. I'm just… the kind of person who wants to help when I can. I know what it's like to feel hopeless. That's also why I made sure all the nurses and doctors who helped me got bonuses"

Lina smiled, leaning in a little.

"Wow… that's really touching. No wonder the news about you giving so much to your employees became such a big topic. I wish all wealthy people think like you. The world would be a much better place."

I shook my head. "I'm just different because of what I've been through. They're not all inherently bad—it's just hard to relate when all you've ever known is comfort and luxury."

Lina nodded slowly, understanding in her eyes. "That makes sense. Experience changes people more than money ever could."

Those who had overheard us started spreading the made up love story, and suddenly our relationship changed in everyone's eyes.

What had been rumored as a scandal born from cheating turned into a dramatic story of kindness and care—how it all began with compassion and grew from there.

It was going well, until a bottle crack against the floor.

"You bitch! You actually brought the man you cheated on me with!"

The voice cut through the room. I turned and saw a man with messy brown hair and black eyes. He wore a black coat and looked drunk, swaying slightly as he stood there.

Claire gripped my arm. "G--Gerald."

So this was the ex-boyfriend.

Great. Just what I needed. I honestly thought this would be a boring, uneventful reunion, but nope—fate clearly wasn't letting me have a normal life even for a day.

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