Chapter 1His Stand-In Ex-Girlfriend Is Done Playing Nice

When vile rumors ruined me in high school, Julian Sterling was the only one who spoke up for me.

From that moment on, I treated him like my god.

Until the day I overheard him laughing with his friends.

"Why'd you stand up for Elena Vance back then? Because she looks like Victoria Ross?"

Julian scoffed.

"Her? She’s not even fit to be in Victoria’s shadow. I just thought you guys were too damn loud."

"Whether she's sleeping around or not, what the hell does that have to do with me?"

My god crumbled to dust in an instant.

So when Victoria secretly slid a check across the table to me, I smiled.

"It's a deal."

She went abroad, and I willingly became her stand-in, keeping Julian on a leash for her.

I played my part, fully aware that Julian was only looking through me to reminisce about her.

So when Victoria came back and Julian threw a breakup check in my face, I wasn't surprised at all.

"Take the money and never show your face in front of me again."

I chuckled softly and took the check.

"Mr. Sterling, we're even."

Later, the whole city was buzzing with rumors that he had gone crazy trying to find me.

Too late, Julian. My love for you expired a long time ago.

My phone screen lit up the darkness as two notifications popped up in succession.

The first was from Victoria Ross:

[I'm flying back soon. The final payment has cleared. You have three days to break things off. Never appear in front of Julian again!]

Right after came the bank alert:

[Your account ending in 8979 has received a deposit of $1,000,000.00.]

I smiled faintly and tapped out a practiced reply:

[Received. Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness.]

Yet after sending the text, the smile froze on my lips.

Three years of knowingly playing another woman's proxy had finally come to an end with a million-dollar payout.

I should be thrilled, shouldn't I?

I had longed for this day. This money was enough to buy out my past—to buy out the broke, helpless Elena Vance who had let everyone walk all over her.

I was finally leaving Julian Sterling. The man I had loved for so many years.

When the thought surfaced, there was neither overwhelming joy nor crushing grief.

Just a blend of bitterness, loss, and numbness.

In the end, a slow smile crept across my face.

Relief.

Finally, I didn't have to live as someone else's shadow anymore.

Before I could sort through my thoughts, my phone shrieked again—Julian's private ringtone.

I frowned, getting up immediately to answer it.

It was an ingrained habit built over three years of being on call twenty-four seven.

After all, as a substitute girlfriend who had thrown herself at him, I had always been completely submissive, without an ounce of dignity.

"Hey, Julian."

Background noise roared on his end, his tone commanding and leaving no room for argument:

"Get to the Grand Westmont Ballroom within an hour. Put your makeup on, and wear that third white evening gown in the closet."

I glanced at the clock. It was one in the morning.

I couldn't help a bitter chuckle.

In the past, since I was getting paid, I would have dragged myself out of bed even at five in the morning just to keep Julian from getting sick of me.

But remembering Victoria's text, a reckless surge of courage rushed through me.

Since we were breaking up anyway, why make myself suffer?

I heard myself reply with a defiance I had never shown before:

"Sorry, it's too late. I'm exhausted, and I don't want to go."

There was a pause on the other end, as if he couldn't believe I had just turned him down.

Then came Julian's impatient voice, completely stripped of any polite concern:

"Elena, I don't need a girlfriend who throws tantrums."

"Hurry up."

With that, without letting me say another word, he hung up.

I held the phone against my ear, listening to the dial tone.

The tiny spark of rebellion I had just mustered felt laughably pathetic. Who did I think I was?

Julian didn't give a damn about what I wanted or how tired I was.

All he needed was an obedient shadow of Victoria Ross to show up where she belonged, right on cue.

Half an hour later, a rhythmic knock came from the front door.

The assistant's polite voice called out:

"Miss Vance, Mr. Sterling sent me to pick you up."

I answered, my face calm and showing no trace of emotion.

I walked straight to the closet, brushed past the pure white gown, and pulled out a sharp, rebellious black fishtail dress without a second thought.

Why?

Because I looked most like Victoria when I wore white. But when I wore black, I looked most like myself.

Downstairs, the assistant stared at my outfit in shock. He hesitated, then warned:

"Miss Vance, this dress... Mr. Sterling said..."

I pulled open the car door, my voice cold:

"I'm the one wearing it, and I'll deal with the consequences."

"If you make us late, that'll be on you."

The assistant didn't dare say another word and silently started the engine.

Inside the ballroom, glasses clinked under glittering chandeliers. When Julian saw me in the black dress, the corners of his mouth dipped slightly. Yet he didn't call me out, treating it like a spoiled pet acting out.

Beneath his notice.