Part 3Funding My Ex Boyfriends Hot Rival

"Blair, what is this?"

He pointed at the cheap plastic bags in the foyer, his voice trembling with suppressed rage.

Oh. I forgot to change the door code.

He saw my tears and his expression softened into a look of weary annoyance. He rubbed his temples. "It’s five in the morning. I just finished a ten-hour stream. I’m exhausted. Stop with the theatrics."

He started to walk past me, carrying the limited-edition designer duffel I’d given him for his birthday.

I stood up and blocked his path.

The comments surged: [Look at her, trying the 'breakup' move to get his attention. We all know she’s terrified he’ll actually leave.] [He’s not falling for it. She could crawl on her knees and he’d still choose Daisy. Their love is pure.]

I cleared my throat, wiping my face. "Your things are packed. The bags are by the door. You can check them if you want."

"Give me the car keys," I added. "And I’m changing the codes. As for the money I’ve spent on you... consider it a donation to the needy. I spend more on my dog’s grooming anyway. I think we’re done here. Blocked and deleted."

Preston’s greatest weakness was his "high self-esteem"—or what I now recognized as fragile ego. My words hit him like a physical barrier. He looked at me with pure disbelief.

"Blair, you’re really going to blow this out of proportion?" he sneered. "Have you thought about the consequences?"

"I think I was pretty clear on the phone," I said, my voice finally finding its cold edge. "We’re over."

He laughed, a bitter, mocking sound. "Do you realize that because you wouldn't apologize, Daisy cried all night? I had to drive to her dorm after my stream just to sit with her. You have no idea what you’ve done, do you? But that’s you. Always the same."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a hiss. "To you, fifty supercars is just the price of a Chanel bag. You have a closet full of them, so it means nothing. But Daisy... she skipped three days of meals just to support me. Do you know how many shifts she had to work at the tea shop to save that money? And you just had to mock her. You had to drop fifty cars right after she sent her rose."

"You’re a spoiled little princess who knows nothing of the real world," he spat. "That’s why I’m angry."

I was stunned. The streaming studio was an hour away from Daisy’s dorm. He finished at 2 AM and drove all that way to "comfort" her? And he still claimed they were "just friends"?

I didn't even know which account was Daisy’s. I didn't know their "digital rose" was some sacred ritual. I only stepped in because he was losing the "Live Battle" and I didn't want him to look bad.

I wanted to scream all of this at him. But looking at his self-righteous face, I just felt... tired.

Preston saw I wasn't responding and, in a fit of pique, grabbed the plastic bags and headed for the elevator.

Before the doors closed, he threw one last line at me: "Blair, remember this. You’re the one who pushed me to her."