Chapter 2The Prize Box Betrayal

Ryan curled his lips beside her, his eyes full of challenge.

"Exactly, Evan. Vanessa sponsored me since I was little. Between us, there's no difference between men and women. Don't overthink it.

"Even if we slept together, it was only because Vanessa is kindhearted. She was teaching me how to be a man. It has absolutely nothing to do with your filthy guesses. We're innocent. Pure, even."

The fury shot straight to my skull.

Innocent.

What a beautiful word.

Ryan Mercer had been the poor student sponsored by the Sloane family. Since childhood, he had followed Vanessa around.

In the past, they often behaved ambiguously too.

But whenever I brought it up, Vanessa would get irritated.

"Can you stop imagining things? Look at him. How old is Ryan?

"In my eyes, he's just a child. If you keep being suspicious like this, we're breaking up."

Because of that sentence, I never dared question her again.

I had secretly loved Vanessa for seven years before I finally won her over. I truly liked her.

Whenever I saw them being close, I comforted myself by thinking I must have misunderstood.

After all, there really was a ten-year age gap between them.

Only today did I learn that age did not matter at all.

Those two had been sleeping together for a long time.

"Don't be mad, Evan.

"I've grown up beside Vanessa. Every experience I've had with being a man came from her.

"We've been used to it for years. We didn't think there was anything strange about it."

As he spoke, he deliberately paused, took off his watch, and pressed it into my hand with a considerate expression.

"This watch was a birthday gift from Vanessa. I'll give it to you as an apology. Don't be angry with her."

"Why would you give that to him?"

Vanessa snatched the watch back and looked at me with unconcealed disgust.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I spent $30 million at auction to get this for you. Why should he have it? Does he deserve it?"

My mind exploded.

Thirty million?

My memory flashed back to a month ago.

That night, I had been drinking with clients and passed out drunk.

When I woke up, Vanessa was crying beside me. There was a streak of bright red on the sheets.

During all our years together, she had always shyly said she wanted to wait until our wedding night. I respected her and had never crossed that line.

At that moment, I had been struck by panic and guilt.

She cried and accused me of ruining her, then raised the bridal gift to $30 million on the spot.

Filled with guilt, I gave her every cent without a second thought, just begging her not to be angry.

Only now did I understand.

It had all been fake.

She took the bridal gift I gave her and used it to buy Ryan a birthday present.

And that bloodstained sheet...

I looked up and stared hard at Vanessa, nearly swallowed by rage.

She and Ryan had been involved for ages. How could she possibly have had a first time left?

Everything had been a setup to scam me.

Ryan glanced at me smugly. Then he suddenly buried his face in Vanessa's shoulder, his voice choking.

"I'm sorry, Vanessa. I've made things difficult for you again.

"I didn't think Evan would mind my existence so much. If I'm making you two unhappy, then from now on... from now on, I'll stay far away from you."

He lifted his wet eyes and looked at Vanessa like some fragile, wounded thing.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I won't let you leave."

Vanessa instantly hugged him tighter. When she turned back to me, her gaze was as cold as ice.

"Evan, look what you've driven Ryan to!

"I order you to apologize to him right now. Immediately.

"Otherwise, we're breaking up."