New Year's Eve. I was planning to propose to the girlfriend I'd loved for three years.

I was also ready to finally tell her the truth – that I was the son of the wealthiest man in the city.

But when I opened the door to our apartment, I found my usually innocent girlfriend dressed scantily, blindfolded, kneeling by the entrance.

And the person she was waiting for wasn't me.

...

"Master, you're finally here!"

As soon as I opened the door, a voice, dripping with seductive charm, hit my ears.

Chloe, usually so pure and simple, was dressed provocatively, kneeling blindfolded at the doorway.

Seeing this scene, I froze. The roses I held dropped to the floor.

I couldn't even believe that the woman kneeling before me was the girlfriend I cherished.

"Mmm, smells nice. Did you buy me flowers, Master? Why aren't you coming to tame me already?"

Maybe because I hadn't made a sound, Chloe's voice grew impatient.

She started crawling towards me, past the fallen roses, past the engagement ring I’d spent so long picking out for her.

Then, her hands reached up and touched my thighs.

My hands trembled. I wanted to rip the blindfold off her eyes, but just then, the electronic lock on the door behind me beeped as someone entered the code.

The door opened. The person who walked in was Ryan Miller – her childhood friend, the one she always called her 'one that got away'.

I'd heard her and her best friend mention him countless times before Chloe and I even got together.

She even still had a picture of the three of them on her phone.

It wasn't until I heard that Ryan, who was living abroad, had gotten engaged that I finally started pursuing Chloe.

Back then, I naively thought she had completely moved on from Ryan.

Turns out, I'd been the clown all along.

"Looks like I came at a bad time?"

Ryan stood in the doorway. The moment he saw me, surprise flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by a smirk dripping with provocation.

"Leo? What are you doing back?"

Hearing Ryan's voice, Chloe frantically tore off her blindfold.

"What? Did I interrupt something?"

I struggled to keep my voice calm, glancing at Chloe's revealing outfit.

The sight that should have been thrilling now just made me sick to my stomach.

Following my gaze, she seemed to finally realize what she was wearing and hastily pulled on the robe lying nearby.

"Leo Sterling, what are you talking about!"

"This was just a dare! Ryan and I were playing Truth or Dare, and I lost, that's all."

"It was just a game, why are you being so petty?"

Tying the robe sash, Chloe crossed her arms, reverting to her usual innocent demeanor.

As if the wanton woman kneeling on the floor moments ago never existed.

"Yeah, seriously man, lighten up."

"Chloe, if I'd known your boyfriend was such a poor sport, I wouldn't have come. Total buzzkill!"

Ryan tilted his head, shot me a challenging glance, then let his eyes greedily roam up and down Chloe’s body without any attempt to hide it.

"Cut the crap! Shut your damn mouth!"

With a roar, I threw a punch square into Ryan's face, knocking him to the ground.

"Shit! You actually hit me? Do you have any idea who I am? I swear, I'll make sure you can't survive in this city!"

Lying on the floor, Ryan wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, looking stunned.

Hearing his threats, I lifted my foot, ready to give his face a couple more kicks.

But Chloe suddenly pushed me aside.

SLAP!

"Enough! Leo, what are you doing! Are you crazy!"

2

Her hand struck my face hard, but the sharp sting resonated deep in my heart.

"You're just jealous of me and Ryan, I get that, but why did you hit him?"

"I never realized you were so emotionally unstable."

"And you planned to propose to me like this? No money, no family connections, do you think you're worthy?"

She finished, glancing down at the ring on the floor.

"Leo, think about it. If Ryan and I were really having an affair, would you even stand a chance?"

"Now apologize to Ryan. Immediately."

Standing between Ryan and me, arms spread wide like a mother hen protecting her chick, Chloe nervously watched me, afraid I'd lash out again.

"Ha, you want me to apologize?"

Her words made me laugh bitterly. I flicked my tongue against the inside of my stinging cheek.

"Since you say it's just a game, you wouldn't mind an audience, right? Go on, start your game."

Leaning against the entryway wall, I lit a cigarette.

Taking a deep drag helped me calm down completely.

It took me four years to see this woman for who she really was, but better late than never, I guess.

"Hmph, Leo, admit it. You just wanted to see me like I was earlier, didn't you?"

"Fine, I'll wear it for you sometime. But right now, you have to apologize to Ryan! Or we're breaking up!"

Chloe remained defiant, showing no remorse whatsoever.

Even now, she thought threatening to break up would force me to apologize to her precious Ryan.

"Fine!"

Chloe must have thought I was about to apologize to Ryan, because a faint smile touched her lips.

"Then let's break up. But remember this: you got dumped!"

Without another look at her, I stepped over Ryan, who was still lying on the floor.

I hadn't walked far when I heard Chloe’s concerned voice behind me, fussing over Ryan.

Her gentle tone was completely different from the cold, sharp way she usually spoke to me.

"Ryan, are you okay? Does it still hurt...?"

I laughed mockingly to myself. So, she could be caring after all.

Her voice faded as I walked away. I didn't care what they said or did next.

It didn't matter anymore.

Back in my car downstairs, I called home.

"Mom, you don't need to call off the engagement. Just sell my current apartment. I find it... dirty."

I looked up one last time at the home I'd lived in for four years and took a deep breath.

"Henderson, take me back to my bar."

Sitting in the corner of the bar I'd started specifically as a venture to prove I could support Chloe...

I huddled there.

The image of Chloe kneeling on the floor wouldn't leave my mind.

When did she become like this? Or was she always like this?

I kept drowning myself in alcohol.

Back then, I fought countless times with my parents just to get this chance.

If I could hide my identity as a billionaire's son and survive college supporting myself, they'd let me be with her.

Seeing me stick it out, my parents were finally moved.

They were actually preparing to cancel the arranged marriage they’d set up for me, agreeing to let me marry the seemingly ordinary Chloe.

I couldn't hide my grin back then, eager to surprise Chloe.

So I texted her, lying that I had family matters to deal with.

Told her I couldn't spend Christmas with her this year.

But then I bought the flowers and the diamond ring, ready to reveal everything.

Now, it all just felt like a pathetic joke.

3

I don't know how long I drank, or how much.

Eventually, the table was covered in empty bottles.

All I knew was that the bar, quiet when I arrived, was now pulsing with music, kicking off its New Year's Eve party.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over me.

Under the dim lights near the restrooms, I threw up violently.

As I came out, I heard two familiar voices from the makeup counter nearby.

"Don't worry about it. Bet you anything, within three days, Leo will regret it and come crawling back, begging me to take him back."

Chloe's voice was light and confident, completely unaffected by today's events.

"So that pathetic simp Leo really broke up with you over something so small?"

Chloe's best friend sounded incredulous.

"Whatever, good riddance. I heard Ryan's back for good this time."

As if seeking confirmation, her friend offered words of comfort.

"Honestly, I'll kind of miss Leo. Got used to having him wait on me hand and foot like a servant. It's just a shame he's got no background."

"Plus, being with him… there was no feeling of being conquered, you know?"

"He just agreed with everything, went along with whatever I wanted. You won't believe this, one time I was in a bad mood, kicked him awake in the middle of the night, told him to get on a plane and fly to New Orleans to get me beignets. He didn't even get mad! Just got dressed and went!"

Chloe laughed as she spoke, like she was telling a hilarious joke.

"Hey, did you hear? Ryan's fiancée is supposed to be that Shaw heiress. Can you actually compete with her?"

"Maybe you should keep Leo hanging on before things are official with Ryan? You know, just as insurance."

I didn't listen anymore. Shaking my head with a bitter smile, it's true what they say: birds of a feather flock together.

Looks like I really was blinded by so-called love. How did I never realize what kind of women they were?

She used to be so pure in my eyes. I never even told her I owned this bar, the one I started myself.

I didn't want her anywhere near a place like this.

But years of effort and emotion now seemed utterly worthless.

And now she was planning to keep me dangling as a backup? Too bad for them, their little plan wasn't going to work.

Even if I hadn't accidentally overheard this conversation today, I would never let them play me again.

Because the moment I opened that door and saw Chloe, completely shattering her image, all my love for her vanished.

All that remained was the humiliation of that scene.

Now, to me, they weren't even worth comparing to dogs.

I rubbed my temples, slightly aching from the alcohol, and decided to leave.

"Hey! Fancy seeing you here. Just thinking about finding you, and you walk right up?"

Ryan, flanked by two guys who looked like spoiled rich kids, swaggered towards me.

Talk about bad luck.

But I wasn't planning on getting tangled up with them.

A pair of scumbags weren't worth my time.

I frowned, acting like I didn't see the three approaching, and walked straight past them.

But one of Ryan's buddies, a guy with bleached yellow hair, grabbed my collar and shoved me against the wall.

"Are you deaf? Ryan's talking to you! Did he say you could leave?"

4

Across the room, the duty manager and security guards saw what was happening and started rushing over, but I waved them off with a subtle hand gesture.

I wanted to see what else they thought they could do to a supposedly 'ordinary' guy like me.

"Buddy, weren't you pretty tough earlier? What happened, scared now?"

Ryan held a cigarette between his fingers, tapping my forehead with it.

"You know, after you left, your girlfriend, wearing that outfit... damn, she was so hot! Hahahaha~"

"You're asking to die."

I clenched my jaw, staring daggers at him, fighting the urge to kill him right there.

Just then, Chloe and her friend walked out.

Seeing me, Chloe had an 'I knew it' expression on her face and exchanged a glance with her friend.

"Leo, since you followed me all the way here, I'll give you one more chance. Just apologize to me and Ryan, and I'll pretend none of this happened! I forgive you!"

Chloe smiled confidently, linking her arm through Ryan's, deliberately pressing her body against him.

Ryan looked down at his arm, licked his lips, then looked at me provocatively and laughed.

"Since Chloe wants to give you a chance, I won't make it too hard. But just saying sorry isn't enough."

Ryan pointed to the floor.

"Get on your knees, bow your head, and call me 'sir'. Then we'll call it even!"

I scoffed.

"Make me kneel? You couldn't handle it!"

Seeing I wasn't about to kneel, Ryan signaled his two buddies to move, trying to force me down.

"I'm gonna break your damn leg today! Let's see if you kneel then!"

When his buddies struggled to pin me, Ryan grabbed a fire extinguisher from a nearby cabinet, his eyes fixed on my knees.

"Hah, you want to touch me? Hope you don't regret it."

I was about to signal my own people when a clear, cold female voice cut through the tension.

"Ryan Miller, your grandfather knows you act this arrogantly?"

"Seraphina?"

Under the bar's flashing, dim lights, Ryan recognized the speaker and spoke her name in surprise.

"You don't get to call me Seraphina."

The woman called Seraphina coldly dismissed Ryan's familiarity, walked over to my side, and glanced at the goons still holding me.

"Aren't you going to let go?"

The two goons immediately released my shoulders and scrambled behind Ryan. Clearly, they recognized her too.

"Ryan, who is she?"

Perhaps seeing Ryan's familiar tone with another woman, Chloe tightened her grip on his arm as if staking her claim.

Ryan completely ignored Chloe's question, instead shaking her hand off, wanting to distance himself from her.

"Seraphina, what are you doing in a place like this? Your Uncle Shaw wouldn't be happy if he knew."

"And don't misunderstand, she's just an old high school classmate."

Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes. She tried to step forward and demand answers but was pulled aside by her friend.

"Our relationship is none of your business, you don't need to explain anything to me. And where I go is none of your concern either! You can't control me."

"And let me say this one last time: call me Seraphina Shaw. You don't get to call me Seraphina."

"Stop trying to use your grandfather's connection to constantly show up at my house. I have nothing to do with you!"

Seraphina's expression grew even colder, completely disregarding Ryan's pride as she linked her arm through mine.

"Let's go."

"You're not going anywhere!"

Ryan gritted his teeth, blocking Seraphina who was trying to lead me away.

"You dare stop me?"

It was clear Seraphina was genuinely angry now.

"I wouldn't dare stop you. You can go. But he can't."

Ryan pointed at me, his eyes burning with murderous intent.

"I don't care what your relationship is. Even if God himself showed up today, he's not leaving."

"You..."

Seraphina pointed at Ryan, trembling slightly with anger.

"Are you sure?"

I snapped my fingers. A dozen burly bodyguards in identical suits immediately surrounded us.

"Throw them all out. And I mean throw!"