His Rejection, Her Billionaire Engagement

ship students, we pinched pennies and dreamed of a future

t friend. The truth was uglier: our entire relation

m mocking me t

r who didn't find t

eaking our intimate photos, destroying my re

icly shamed, I ha

ong-lost heiress to a powerful family. At the gala celebrating my return, my ex crashed the party to beg for m

pte

oe

ed with excitement. Her voice, usually soft, now rang with a giddy happiness that twisted in my gut. This was not a normal han

eyes sparkling. "Kloe, you won't b

emanded money, leaving her insecure. My own foster care background made me understand the struggle

. Holden, my boyfriend of two years, was a scholarship student like me. We shared cheap meals and dreamed about a l

st. It had tiny, intricate charms. It looked expensiv

g the charms with a finger. "Isn't it be

be careful. You know how some guys can be." I meant rich guys

me like a queen." She giggled, a sound that grated on my nerves. "He wants to t

future, once we were more established. Jana had known about my relationship with H

s picture. This is from his private Ins

d-edition piece I had seen online months ago. I had even shown it to Holden, joking about how expensive it was. He had laughed it of

But no, the details were too distinct. My heart hammered against m

helicopter ride over the city last weekend. He said he wants to see the world wit

ays said we would build our fortune slowly, together. We had a shared bank account where we put our work-study ea

building something real, from the ground up." He had painted a pic

, almost reverently. She answered quickly, her tone instantly becom

riend was calling. I leaned back s

e phone. "I miss you too. I'm wit

ears rang. I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred around the edges. It was his

t a wave of nausea. My heart pounded so hard I thought it wo

ust... remembered something. Urgent." I stood up, my legs wobbly. I had to escape. I had

attention already back on the phone. "Holden,

y unlock my phone. I typed out a quick text to Holden: Where are you? Call me NOW. I hit send, then called hi

n often hung out at his fraternity house common room after classes. I start

s. I hesitated, then pushed the door open slightly. I saw Holden immediately. He wa

d it off?" one of his friends ye

d a thing." He gestured vaguely. "Poor Kloe. She was so convinced we were building a future t

red meal, every late-night study session, ev

"And the bet? Did she real

ought we were kindred spirits, navigating the world together." He rolled his eyes. "Honestly, her frugality was

t. They had used me. They had used my backgrou

. "She seems a lot more fun, and defi

r security. It's a different kind of game, but just as predictable." He leaned back, confident. "Kloe was starting to g

sed a future, was calling me clingy, exhausting, and a game. My sacrifices, my ca

ocked. "Never asked for anything, right? You told us that was pa

hile. I needed a new challenge. Jana fits the bill perfectly for now." He chuckled. "Kloe will probab

ny was a bitter taste in my mouth. I had never asked him for anything. I h

whatever he saw. He just shook his head and laughed, turning back to his fr

cheered. They all headed towards the exit, presumably to join hi

fle a sob. Tears streamed down my face, hot and unchecked. My body trembled uncontrollably. The pain was physical, a

truggling' smile, his 'tired' eyes after a fake work-study shift, his 'earnest' promi

ng. She knew we were together. Or at least, she should have. She was with my Holden. She was vulnerable, and her family's financial situation was dire. She was chasing

vertently caused mine. I would step aside. My dignity might be in tatters, but I wou

ill shaking. I opened a new text me

s o

tact me a

do

od

s a searing burn, but also a tiny spark of something new.

uld burn Holden's entire world to the ground. And I wouldn't even

yed me. He just cleared