Biting the Hand That Fed Him

During a charity gala, my boyfriend bids on a pair of matching watches but gives one of them to his true love.

The media excitedly capture the scene and ask, "You bought a million-dollar watch without even batting an eye, Mr. Loewe. You've been single all these years—is it time for you to make an official announcement on your relationship status?"

Everyone off stage applauds him, and I join them. I give him my blessings for his so-called announcement.

To make it up to me, he attends my birthday celebration. Yet he pushes me into the cake to make his true love happy.

Unbeknownst to him, there's a steel rack in the cake to keep it steady. I end up bloodied and on the brink of death.

The first light of dawn broke gently.

By the time we left the charity gala, Xander Loewe was already slightly tipsy. His face was flushed, and he was a little unsteady on his feet.

He tentatively asked me, "Cynthia, it's getting really late. How about we skip your birthday for now? We can celebrate another day. Doesn't make a difference, does it?"

It was already past midnight.

Maybe he was right. There was no point in celebrating my birthday anymore.

But wasn't he the one who said this charity gala was crucial for his career? That he couldn't excuse himself but would absolutely come to see me after the event to make it up to me?

And yet, what did he do?

He spent millions at the auction to buy a pair of matching watches and slipped one onto his first love—Natasha Stellar's—wrist.

I had so many questions on the tip of my tongue, yet I couldn't bring myself to ask them.

For instance, why did he buy matching watches for Natasha?

Or why didn't he clarify things with the media?

He always had excuses, and somehow, in the end, I would always be the one accused of being unreasonable.

At this very moment, Natasha was throwing a tantrum at him.

"What do you take me for? You know I'm struggling right now, and you deliberately give me these. You're trying to humiliate me, aren't you? Is that it? Sure, I majored in philosophy, and it doesn't make money, but my soul is richer than anyone's!"

Xander explained, looking wronged, "That's not it, Natasha. I just wanted you to be happy..."

How touching.

It was a perfect scene straight out of a drama—the cold CEO and the lofty intellectual.

I didn't say anything as I got into the car.

My friends and family were already waiting for me.

Xander might be absent, but I couldn't let everyone down.

As I impassively downed glass after glass of wine, my best friend, Mia Gardner, gingerly asked, "Cynthia, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I forced a smile. "Don't worry about me. Just enjoy yourselves."

It was just a case of a broken heart, that's all.

But unexpectedly, Xander showed up with Natasha following right behind him