I Loved the Wrong Man for Four Years, Until My Real Fiancé Returned

My name is Yanna. I spent four years chasing my brother's college classmate, Jason Wilder, and I finally won him over right before graduation. Hugging, holding hands, moving in together—it all happened so naturally. Tonight, at a get-together with friends, I was ready to have my first kiss with him. But then my brother called to tell me that Simon Sawyer was back, and I needed to come home and get engaged. My mind went blank. I couldn't process what I'd just heard. Didn't he already have someone he liked? Why would he come back after four years to get engaged to me? Did he break up with her and decide to make me his backup plan? A wave of desolation washed over me, and the frustration I'd buried for years slowly curdled into resentment. What if I just brought Jason home and called off the engagement myself? But if I did that, my mom would definitely kick me out. Then maybe I could freeze Simon out until he called it off himself? That way, I'd still have the moral high ground. After all, he was the one who'd been flirting with another girl first. But how exactly would I get him to break it off? My head was a mess. I looked up and saw Jason nearby, chatting with friends. I steadied myself and started walking over to join the conversation. That's when I heard it—someone saying I was just his backup. It turned out that tonight's guest of honor, Chloe Sullivan, was his ex. They'd dated for three years before breaking up, and she'd always been the one he really loved. I was nothing more than the practical choice. My already frayed nerves snapped into full-blown irritation. I numbly walked back into the private room. Chloe was at the center of the group, surrounded by everyone. People were whispering, gossiping about everything that had happened between her and Jason. Apparently, Chloe had lost her eyesight in a car accident during a trip years ago because she'd shielded Jason from the impact. "If it weren't for that accident, Jason and Chloe would probably have kids by now." "Right? Life's cruel like that. Jason's lucky he even met someone like Chloe." A brief silence settled over the room, making things awkward. No one noticed that I was already standing inside. Chloe spoke up to smooth things over, telling everyone to drop it. It was the first time we'd met, and she didn't want to cause problems between me and Jason. My palms went cold. Memories of all those times he'd rejected my confessions flashed through my mind. No wonder it took four years of chasing before he finally said yes. I was just a stand-in all along. I sniffled, walked out of the room, and headed for the curb to call a cab. Standing on the roadside in the cold wind, I got a message from my thesis advisor. "Your thesis passed. Any interest in working here in Ashford City?" "I'm planning to go back to my hometown for work. Thank you, Professor." "Not going to build a future with your boyfriend?" I smiled bitterly. No more building. I was done trying. I was just a stand-in. What right did I have to build anything with him? Looking back on all those years of chasing Jason, it seemed like every step—every confession, getting together, moving in—had always been my idea. But with Chloe, he was the one who took the lead. He noticed every little detail and took care of everything. Suddenly, none of it felt worth it anymore. I pulled out my phone and made a call. "Hey, bro. I'll come home for the engagement with Simon after I pick up my diploma."