Part 1Loving You Was a Dead End

On my first date with billionaire's son Leo Maxwell, he mocked my $200 dress—saved from months of part-time work—calling it cheap polyester that would "shock" him. He made me take it off and burned it. Left shivering in the snow in a thin top, I endured laughter from him and his cashmere-coated friends.

The next day, he blocked me with his Ferrari at school, loudly apologizing with a Van Cleef necklace. "Country folks aren't picky about fabric. Use this for better clothes, or my card."

Amidst stares and whispers, I refused the gift and broke up with him. He smirked. "Still upset? Name your price."

I pushed past him. "I want nothing. Just leave me alone." All I wanted was my dignity.

…

Leo didn't respond. His gaze swept over my roommate, Grace, who stood behind me. He casually placed his hand on her shoulder, his tone dismissive. "Hailey, your temper is getting out of hand. All I did was call your name once. You never talked about breaking up when I used to buy you gifts." He paused, his eyes flicking towards me, then back to Grace. "Look at her, she’s so unreasonable compared to you. How about you be my girlfriend?"

My heart pounded. Grace didn't push his hand away. Instead, she leaned closer to him, smoothing things over with a smile. "Hailey’s just being dramatic, Leo. Don't be mad." Leo chuckled, deliberately raising his voice. "Mad about what? If someone doesn’t appreciate me, there are plenty who will." He turned to Grace, his fingers kneading her shoulder. "Be my girlfriend, and next week I'll buy you that new designer bag. What do you say?"

Grace’s eyes lit up, and she was about to speak when Leo suddenly gestured to me with his chin. "What do you say, give in now, and I'll pretend this never happened. Otherwise…" He deliberately paused, his hand sliding down to clasp Grace’s wrist.

I sniffled. I looked at the hand that had held mine countless times, and suddenly, my tears stopped. My voice was steadier than I expected. "No, thank you. When it's over, it's over. I wish you both well." I turned and walked away.

Leo’s smile froze on his face, then he let out a scoff. "Don't act tough. You'll be back to me within three days. But for today, I guess I'll just have to spoil my new darling." He deliberately drew out his words, his eyes fixed on me. He was waiting for me to turn back. I heard Grace’s laughter blend with his words, growing fainter with each step I took.

Back in my dorm, I sat on my chair, and the tears I’d held back finally streamed down. It was the weekend, and my roommates were out. I cried for a long time before I recovered. I packed up the necklace, the plush toys, and other small items he had given me, sealing the box and placing it by the door, intending to return them in a few days.

By the time I finished tidying up, it was evening. I opened my phone to see a photo he'd posted. Grace was in the passenger seat of his car, holding a bubble tea and smiling. The caption read, "New beginnings." On the dashboard was the acrylic plate Leo had once put there to appease me, inscribed with "Hailey's Spot." I stared at the photo for two seconds, feeling a heavy ache in my chest. I called my best friend, Mia, then turned off my phone and left.

Mia was waiting for me at the hotpot restaurant. Seeing my swollen eyes, she didn't ask questions, simply spooned meat into my bowl. Halfway through the meal, when my emotions had stabilized, she quietly asked, "Why did you really break up? Was it just because he came to school for you?" I lowered my head, stirring the soup in my bowl, and gently shook my head. "No."