Chapter 1
Ever since I found out my boyfriend of seven years was finally going to propose, I had been counting down every single day, living inside that anticipation.
The day was supposed to be today. Instead, Kevin Hayes told me last minute that something came up and asked me to wait for him at the rooftop where the proposal was supposed to happen.
May: It’s fine. I'll wait for you.
After sending the message, I went alone to the venue.
The rooftop was beautifully and carefully decorated.
On the big screen, the words "Marry Me" glowed bright, and beside it stood a display board covered with photos of us. Seeing it, my eyes turned red almost instantly.
Most of the pictures were taken before Kevin became famous. People said the board was full, but in reality there were only a dozen or so photos.
Time dragged on. I waited alone on that rooftop for one hour, then two, then three.
A growing unease crept into me. I called Kevin. After a few rings, the call went straight to voicemail.
I froze for a second. Was he still working? Or did something happen?
Feeling anxious, I quickly called the one number he contacted even more often than mine.
After a brief hesitation, Kevin's assistant finally answered. "Kevin said… you don’t need to wait anymore."
"What did you say?" My voice shook so badly I almost didn't recognize it.
There was a pause on the other end, then the assistant spoke again, hurried and uneasy, before hanging up. "May… just check the trending topics."
A bad feeling hit me instantly. My fingers trembled as I opened social media.
#KevinAndStellaGoPublic
#KevinAndStellaCaughtKissingInParkingGarage
#ChildhoodSweetheartsKevinAndStellaShowOffTheirRomance
As one trending headline after another exploded online, a chill spread through my entire body.
The man who was supposed to propose to me today was now kissing another woman on trending news.
The night wind on the rooftop cut through me like blades, but I barely felt it.
I stared at their photo on the display board for a long moment before deciding to give him a chance to explain. Seven years was too much to walk away from without an answer.
So I went to Kevin’s place. When the door opened, the person standing there was Stella Reed.
"It’s been a while, May."
Before I could react, Kevin walked over quickly and pulled her behind him.
"May." He looked at me with obvious hesitation.
"Stella just went through a breakup, and she found out she's pregnant. She didn't want people talking, so she came to me for help."
I stared at Kevin like I had never seen him before.
"So you kissed her on the trending news… and now you're playing father to her kid?" My voice cracked as tears filled my eyes.
Seeing me cry, Kevin softened his tone. "Be good. Stella is a public figure. She needs to give the child a name. I know I messed up today. Just wait a little longer. Once this blows over, I’ll propose to you properly in front of everyone."
I slapped his hand away before he could touch me, forcing myself to look straight at him.
"So she needs you, and what about me?"
I had already lost count of how many times I had stepped back in this relationship because of Stella.
I cried, I argued, I made scenes. But in the end, I always compromised because he kept promising he'd marry me.
Kevin knew exactly how much I had been waiting for today. And still, he chose her and left me behind.
Kevin's expression slowly turned cold.
"You’re not the same as Stella. Stop being unreasonable."
