Chapter 3Everyone Thought He Was the Perfect Boyfriend. Then He Hard-Launched His Ex.

Caleb left.

After getting splashed with coffee, he only froze for two seconds. Then, he calmly wiped his face and dropped two words:

"I'm out."

But after taking two steps, he looked back at me.

"Chloe, I was really good to you this past year, wasn't I? Let's just part on good terms. We don't even have to say hi if we bump into each other."

He didn't give me time to react. He just walked out.

I sat in silence for a few seconds. Then, I stood up, grabbed a steaming hot cup of coffee from the guy at the next table, muttered a quick "Sorry," and chased after him.

I dumped it right over Caleb's head.

It was hot, but not boiling enough to burn him. It did, however, make him look incredibly pathetic.

But Caleb just stopped in his tracks. He kept his back perfectly straight and didn't even turn around to look at me.

I stared at his coffee-soaked clothes. "Caleb. Now we're parted on good terms."

With that, I turned around, carrying the empty cup.

I returned the cup to the couple inside and ordered them two fresh coffees to make up for it.

The girl didn't blame me at all. Instead, she gave me a thumbs-up. "Girl, that was badass."

I forced a smile, but didn't say anything.

Honestly, I've always been a really dull person. Introverted, sensitive, quiet, and boring.

I happened to have a pretty face, so I had my fair share of guys pursuing me, but they were always the type casting a wide net.

I’d reject a guy one second, and the next second he’d be whispering sweet nothings to someone else.

Because of that, I never thought I'd be loved with such burning intensity.

But then, a year ago, Caleb showed up.

His loud, unapologetic affection, his dramatic pursuit, his meticulous care—it was so easy for me to fall into his gentle trap.

In the year we were together, I never did a single thing to betray him.

I was finally learning how to love someone, how to treat him right.

But the second I finally figured it out, he turned around and became his ex's safe harbor.

I walked out of the coffee shop and headed toward campus.

I told myself it was over, but I still felt like a zombie.

So much so that the moment I reached the campus gates, I crashed right into someone.

As I stumbled, a pair of hands grabbed my waist to steady me, then let go instantly like I was burning hot.

I hit the ground. Hard.

The person immediately crouched down to help me. "Chloe, are you... okay?"

The voice sounded vaguely familiar. I let him help me up and looked at him.

It was a senior. Ethan.

He was in the same major as Caleb.

"I'm fine."

I was going to thank him for helping me up, but considering how hard I just hit the pavement, I swallowed the words.

He frowned. "Caleb's Instagram post?"

I laughed bitterly. "He made it official. With his ex from three years ago."

Since he brought it up, I couldn't help but vent a little.

"And the funny thing? As his current girlfriend, I only got the breakup text one minute before he posted it. Hilarious, right?"

Ethan didn't say a word. He just turned and walked away.

I stood there, stunned, silently cursing myself for oversharing.

Right. We were barely acquaintances. Why was I dumping my pathetic drama on him?

He was probably just annoyed.

I looked away and hurried back to my dorm.

My silence only deepened on the walk back. Whenever I passed someone I knew, I’d deliberately look away and speed up.

I was terrified they’d ask:

"Chloe, when did you and Caleb break up? I just saw you guys grabbing lunch a few days ago. Why does he have a new girlfriend?"

I wouldn't know how to answer.

Being publicly dumped for the whole world to see was humiliating.

I practically sprinted back to my dorm, changed my clothes, crawled into bed, and wrapped myself in my blanket.

I wanted to cry, but mostly, I just wanted to scream.

I wanted to drag Caleb back here and beat the crap out of him. I kind of regretted not throwing a third cup of coffee.

A little while later, my phone rang. It was my roommate, Becca.

"Chlo, where are you?"

I pulled down the blanket, my voice weak. "Dorm. Why?"

"Caleb got beat up!"

I sat bolt upright.

The suffocating knot in my chest instantly loosened.

It took me a second to find my voice. "Who did he piss off?"

Becca sounded like she was right at the scene. It was noisy in the background, and it took a few seconds for her reply to come through.

"It was Ethan."

"Omg, I'm dying. He looked SO hot doing it!"