Chapter 1

After college admissions results were posted, Julian Vance made an Instagram post.

It was a screenshot of his acceptance letter, with the same score as mine.

The caption read: "I won the race, and I won you."

Our class group chat exploded.

"Is this that exclusive top-two-students kind-of-romance?"

"That's the most heartfelt confession I've ever seen."

Julian didn't say anything, just started a cascade of Venmo payments to everyone. But then Flora Paige, the scholarship student, suddenly tried to send the money back.

"Thank you, but my grandpa taught me that poor kids have to make their own way."

Seeing this, Julian, who rarely spoke in the chat, finally typed a message.

"How about this: Willow and I are planning a trip abroad. You can look after our puppy while we're gone. Consider it a job."

I thought it was just another case of a rich boy's overflowing sympathy.

But it wasn't until the party that I realized how calculated it all was.

"Damn, Julian, that Venmo storm was genius. You knew Flora wouldn't accept it otherwise, so you sent $999 to everyone."

"What do you know? It's called looking out for the less fortunate. Remember when that customer was harassing Flora? Julian beat the guy up so bad he ended up in the hospital."

My hand froze on the doorknob. My breathing hitched.

So, the reason he missed my 18th birthday party, a once-in-a-lifetime event, wasn't because he was in a car accident.

He was fighting for another girl.

Julian's cool features hardened. He tossed a few stacks of cash onto the table.

"Shut up. If Willow finds out, she'll throw one of her princess fits."

Someone mumbled, "Flora's better anyway. Gentle, pretty, and pure."

I let out a bitter laugh and turned around, immediately accepting the street-racing invitation from the school's biggest bad boy.

Fine then.

Julian, I'll let you have your pity party.

...

"Whoa, the beautiful Willow Sterling has finally arrived!"

The guys nudged Julian, who finally cracked a smile when he saw me.

"Sweetheart, you're on your period. No cold drinks."

He handed me the warm milk tea he'd been holding close to his chest. Seeing the long list of special instructions on the cup, a lump formed in my throat.

Eighteen years. It was long enough for him to memorize everything about me.

But he forgot the one thing I truly wanted: a love that wasn't shared with anyone else.

I took a deep breath, about to say we were over, but a series of gasps interrupted me.

"Oh my god, is that Flora? I thought she'd show up in her faded old school uniform again."

"Damn, I never realized she was so beautiful. She could almost compete with Willow."

The boys in our class were staring, their eyes wide. But my best friend, Chloe, suddenly looked pale.

"Willow, how could he give her that dress too..."

I squeezed her hand, shaking my head slightly. "It's fine. It doesn't matter."

It wasn't the first time Julian had given my things to Flora.

But he didn't know that the dress was part of a matching set. It was a gift from his mother for my 18th birthday.

She had even said she wanted to see us wear them on our engagement day.

I guess she never imagined that the future she envisioned for us would be handed over to someone else by Julian himself.

"Willow, you wear your clothes once and then toss them anyway. Just think of it as charity."

Julian didn't even glance at Flora. He was busy peeling grapes for me.

But just the smell of those grapes, flown in from France, made my stomach churn.

Charity. He was always so charitable.

Without my permission, he gave away my clothes, my shoes, my bags, and even brand-new, unopened lingerie.

Every time, he'd say he could just buy me more. Every time, he'd tell me not to be so stingy.