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 chasing 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 preferred 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, a new family, overseas. I honestly couldn't tell if Sophie’s breathless monologue was born of her own conviction or if she was merely delivering a carefully 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 hardship, 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 someone 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 future 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 connect 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 tightened 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?”

There was no anger in my voice, no accusation, just a quiet, almost desperate question. Chloe’s brow furrowed instantly, a flicker of impatience crossing her features. “Dylan’s just starting his internship here, I was just hosting a welcome party for him. Can you stop being so ridiculously jealous? Honestly, Caleb, it's suffocating!”

I froze, utterly stunned. I never imagined the woman who, just days ago, had been clinging to me, whispering 'honey,' would so ruthlessly criticize me in front of her entire staff. Perhaps my expression was too nakedly shocked, because a flicker of realization crossed Chloe's face. A faint flush of panic spread across her cheeks as she quickly stammered an apology. “Caleb, I’m so sorry, I misspoke. That’s not what I meant.”

My hands clenched into tight fists. I looked her dead in the eye and asked, each word a hammer blow. “Then what did you mean? And why did you lie about going on a business trip?”

Chloe took my hand, her fingers intertwining with mine. “I wasn't lying, honey. My plans did change suddenly, the client rescheduled, and I just hadn't had a chance to tell you yet!” Her voice was so affectionate, so natural, that it chipped away at the wall of resentment I'd built. But the phantom echo of 'Prince Charming' still grated on my nerves. “Then why were your employees calling Dylan 'the boss’s Prince Charming'?”

“Oh, come on, Caleb, it’s just a silly office joke! Who here doesn’t know you, my big jealous bear, are my man?” As she spoke, she squeezed my palm, her thumb tracing patterns on my skin. “Honey, please don’t be mad, okay? It’s your birthday, after all. Tonight, I’ll take you somewhere special for dinner.”

I was just about to warn Chloe against such 'jokes' in the future when Dylan suddenly rushed over, looking utterly distraught. Gone was his earlier meekness, replaced by an unmistakable swagger in his voice. “Mr. Caldwell, I am so, so sorry if I caused any trouble. If it really bothers you, I... I can just leave Chloe's company and find an internship elsewhere. Anything, just please don't let me cause arguments between you two.” His head hung low, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Everyone else looked on, convinced I was some kind of arrogant bully. They dared not speak, but their eyes silently pleaded with Chloe. Seeing Dylan’s act, Chloe immediately let go of my hand and walked over to him. She spoke to him in soothing tones, her movements gentle and comforting.

She didn't stand me up that night; she really did take me out for dinner. But the food tasted like ash. Because even though she was sitting across from me, her words, every single one of them, were about Dylan.

“Dylan and I grew up together, he's practically my brother.”

“His parents asked me to help him get an internship, so I brought him into my company.”

“I was worried you'd overthink things, so I just... didn't tell you.”

“If there was truly something between us, we would have been together years ago, wouldn't we?”

“Caleb, I know how good you are to me. My heart and my eyes are only for you.”

Chloe sounded so earnest, I found it hard to argue. I just nodded, a dull ache settling in my chest. She pulled out a pair of simple silver couple's rings. She slipped the female one onto her own finger, then gently slid the male one onto my ring finger. “Caleb, with my current finances, this is all I can afford. I know it's not much, it feels like I'm… underserving you.” She smiled, a hint of false sincerity in her eyes. “But I promise, when I make it big, I'll put the most expensive ring in the world on your finger.”

Looking at the girl nestled in my arms, and the ring glinting on my finger, the last of my unease finally began to dissipate.

But she eventually broke that promise.

After that night, Chloe stopped pretending. She and Dylan began openly moving around campus together. Whispers started circulating around campus, that Chloe had dumped me for Dylan. Before I could even trace the source of the rumors, Dylan himself showed up at my dorm. He’d shed his meek facade completely, now radiating an obnoxious arrogance.

“Caleb, do you know what kind of man is truly pathetic? It's a doormat like you!” he sneered. “Chloe wants me, not you. Do yourself a favor and back off gracefully!”

My fists clenched at my sides, but I bit back a retort, refusing to engage with his provocations. But his eyes gleamed with a predatory certainty. “Since you’re so determined to delude yourself, I'll be happy to help you see the truth.”

After Dylan left, I immediately called Chloe, recounting everything. But to my utter disbelief, she didn't believe me. Her voice, on the phone, was laced with an almost palpable impatience. “Caleb, I've already explained everything. There's absolutely nothing going on between Dylan and me. Why are you constantly so suspicious? We grew up together, I know exactly what kind of person he is. Why would you try to slander him like this?”

“I’m slandering him?” My voice rose sharply. The line went silent for a moment, thick with unspoken accusation. “Chloe, is that truly how you see me? As someone so vile?”

The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. Finally, she spoke again. “If you really dislike it that much, I'll make sure Dylan leaves as soon as his internship is over.” Her voice dropped, growing weary. “But Caleb, I’m already so stressed with the company. Even if you can’t help me, please don’t add to my problems right now. You’re making things so much harder.” She paused, a tired sigh escaping her. “And you’re busy with your final thesis, right? Let’s just… not see each other for a while. Let’s both cool off. We can talk properly after graduation.”

With that, she hung up, leaving only a chilling dial tone in my ear. She'd rather believe I was slandering Dylan than accept he was capable of such words. That was the first time I truly felt Chloe wasn't worth my devotion. And the first time we truly had a cold war.

Chloe was true to her word. For the next month, I didn't reach out to her, and she didn't contact me either. Even when we passed each other on campus, she'd look right through me, as if I were a ghost.

Until graduation day. I was just about to accept my cap and gown from my advisor when the department head suddenly appeared. Right there, in front of all the students and faculty, he asked, “Mr. Caldwell, your thesis and Mr. Hayes's thesis are identical. Who copied whom?”

I stared at the department head, my mind reeling. “Dean, that's impossible. I wrote my thesis myself!”

Dylan, conveniently, appeared beside the dean at that moment, quickly proclaiming his innocence. “Dean, I didn't copy anyone. Every single word of my thesis is my own! If you don't believe me, ask Chloe. She can vouch for me!”

Suddenly, every eye in the room swiveled to Chloe. My own gaze was fixed on her. But Chloe just… avoided my gaze. At that moment, if I hadn't understood what was happening, I’d be truly, irredeemably dense. I’d habitually saved all my thesis drafts and important research to a shared cloud drive that Chloe and I used. So, the question of who gave my thesis to Dylan was instantly, sickeningly clear.

The dean’s scrutinizing gaze landed on Chloe. Chloe took a shaky breath, then spoke to the dean. “Dean, Dylan is interning at my company right now. I’ve personally seen him burning the midnight oil, working on his thesis.”

With Chloe's testimony, the identity of the plagiarist became undeniably clear: it was me. Under the searing, contemptuous gazes of everyone present, I walked up to Chloe, looking her straight in the eye, and asked, each word deliberate and measured. “Chloe, are you saying my thesis is plagiarized from Dylan’s?”

I saw the flicker of hesitation, the internal struggle in her eyes. But I waited, and waited, and all I got was a single, devastating sentence. “I only know that Dylan wrote his own thesis.”

Hearing that, I actually laughed out loud. This was the woman I had poured my heart and soul into loving for four long years. If I could, I'd have walked right then and there to the nearest ophthalmologist and paid them whatever it took to cure my inexplicable blindness.

Seeing my expression, a fleeting flicker of something – perhaps regret – crossed Chloe's face. She was about to say something when Dylan, quick as a viper, cut her off. “Mr. Caldwell, I know you’re Chloe’s boyfriend, but you can’t force her to commit perjury for you! I know you don’t like me. You always picked on me, bullied me. You even tried to force me to give you exam answers! And when I refused, you sent thugs after me to beat me up!” As he spoke, he dramatically rolled up his sleeves, revealing a network of angry-looking bruises and purpling marks. “If Chloe hadn’t shown up that day, I probably would have been seriously hurt by those thugs.”

Hearing Dylan’s outlandish accusations, I honestly wondered if my ears had malfunctioned. Every word he uttered was in English, yet strung together, they made absolutely no sense. Bullying him? Cheating off his exams? Sending thugs after him?

“Dylan, if you're suffering from paranoid delusions, I suggest you see a doctor. But don't you dare try to drag me into your twisted fantasy!”

Before Dylan could retort, Chloe suddenly snapped, “Enough!” She looked at me, and in her eyes, there was no trace of guilt, only a burning anger and undisguised disgust. “Those thugs already confessed, Caleb. They admitted you paid them to go after Dylan! Caleb, I never thought you could be so cruel, so utterly malicious! He’s barely stepped out of this academic bubble, and you’ve already made him endure something like this!”

I stood there, frozen, and after a long moment, my voice came out barely a whisper. “Chloe, so you’d rather believe Dylan and a couple of hired thugs than believe me?”

Chloe was silent for a long moment, then she said, her voice strained, “I only believe what I see with my own eyes.”

I stood there, utterly numb, my heart rattling in my chest. All I could hear was the chorus of contempt and mockery aimed squarely at me. The department head, seething with rage, practically roared. “I never imagined such a despicable student would emerge from my department! You have clearly not met the standards for graduation! You will not participate in this graduation ceremony. As for your disciplinary action, I will report it to the university and you will be notified. Now, leave!”

I ignored the dean, my gaze locked on Chloe’s. But she averted her eyes, a frown creasing her brow, and spoke in a low, exasperated tone. “Caleb, just go back. Don’t make a scene here, don't disturb the other students’ graduation! As for us, we’ll talk about it privately later!”

I stood there, humiliated, my voice trembling as I asked, “Chloe, are you sure you won't regret doing this to me?” But Chloe didn't respond. She simply turned and walked away with Dylan, leaving me standing there alone.

From that moment on, I became the university’s laughingstock. My former friends, once close, now avoided me like the plague. My heart felt utterly hollow. I bought a one-way ticket to join my parents, who had been living abroad for years. Before boarding the flight, I slipped the ring off my finger, the one she’d given me, and mailed it back to her.

My memories faded, and I focused back on Sophie and the curious faces around the table. “If this is all you brought me here to talk about, then I'll be taking my leave now.”

But Sophie immediately moved to block my exit, her voice frantic. “Caleb, wait! Chloe’s on her way, just let her speak to you herself!”

My brow furrowed. “I don't think there's anything left to say between us. Besides, I'm married.”