Chapter 3Dumped By A Cheater, I Inherited A Billion-Dollar Fortune

Tanner and I met during freshman year. Back then, my face was flawless. Tanner had earned quite a reputation for himself, the "self-made" guy who’d lost his father young. His good looks and quiet strength made him a star in our department.

I grew up with everything handed to me, and I was quickly drawn to his unassuming charm. He had dignity, even though he was poor. I chased him relentlessly, showering him with expensive gifts he refused to accept. Even after we got together, he always told me not to waste money.

I wanted to please him, so I stopped buying thousand-dollar dresses and started eating at food trucks instead of fancy restaurants. My friends, especially Brooke, worried about me. She said Tanner was emotionally manipulating me, but I brushed her off.

I thought Tanner really loved me. He would get jealous when other guys looked at me, bring me hot cocoa with marshmallows during my period, and remember everything I liked and disliked. He was the most attentive boyfriend I’d ever had.

Most importantly, when my face began to change, he didn’t leave me.

It was during the second half of sophomore year that the dark patches appeared on the left side of my face. At first, I wasn’t concerned. I bought all kinds of expensive creams, but nothing worked. The patches grew worse, eventually covering a large part of my face. I became reclusive, avoiding people, and slipping into depression.

Tanner stood by me, even accompanying me to the doctor. The next day, he showed up with my test results and told me it was likely a genetic condition with no cure. I was devastated, but Tanner was my light.

"Don’t worry, Riley. No matter what happens, I’ll always be by your side. No one will ever love you more than I do."

He comforted me until I came out of my dark place. He didn’t reject me because of my face; in fact, he became even kinder. He even promised we’d get married after graduation.

Tanner took me to social events with his friends, though I always felt out of place, especially around their flawless, beautiful girlfriends.

"Tanner, what if I try cosmetic surgery?" I asked nervously one day.

He flatly refused, frowning.

"Riley, do you think I only loved you because of your looks? How could you even suggest that? I said I’ll love you no matter what."

"Surgery is fake and gross. I hate those influencer faces."

So, I gave up on the idea of cosmetic surgery and comforted myself with the thought that as long as Tanner didn’t mind my face, I didn’t need to care either.