On our fifth anniversary together, I found myself sitting alone at a table full of cold food, just like the years before. Julian had promised to celebrate my birthday with me, just like he always did. And just like always, he broke that promise. This year, his excuse was his childhood friend, Bella. She wanted to do a photoshoot and needed him and his "boys" to be in it. Without a second thought, he ditched me and ran to her side. At 11 PM, Bella posted a photo on her social media, visible only to me. In the picture, four men in black briefs and bowties were kneeling around a woman draped in sheer fabric. The caption read: "Some people beg for a slice of cake, but I own the whole bakery." I took a screenshot, then sent it to the girlfriends of Julian's three best friends. If you guys think I'm beneath you, I hope you never have to kneel and beg me for anything. 1 Staring at that photo, something inside me quietly shattered. The lighting was warm and golden, making the four half-naked men look like Greek gods worshiping their queen. They gazed at her with adoration and submission. Bella, the queen in question, wore nothing but a translucent black veil, showing off every curve, radiating an arrogant, raw sexuality. The caption was a direct provocation. "Some people beg for a slice of cake, but I own the whole bakery." I looked at the cold dinner I'd prepared, then back at the picture of Julian and his friends acting like trained pets. Suddenly, the anger evaporated. It wasn't worth it. None of it was. I liked Bella's post and commented: "A match made in heaven. Trash belongs with trash." Then, I took a screenshot before the post magically disappeared. I sent it individually to the girlfriends of Julian's three friends: Leo, Chris, and Sam. Ten minutes later, my phone exploded. Leo: "Linda, are you crazy? I was just helping Bella with a photoshoot! Why did you have to tell my girlfriend? You got a big mouth! She's mad at me now, are you happy?" Chris: "You psycho! What did I ever do to you? Why involve my girl? If you're bored, go jump off a bridge!" Sam: "Bitch! Stay out of my business! I hope your whole family gets hit by a car!" I was about to reply when Julian called. "Linda, what the hell is wrong with you?" he shouted. "Because of your little tattling, Leo and the guys are all fighting with their girlfriends. Do you know what you've done? Are you that twisted that you can't stand seeing other people happy?" "Bella is crying because she feels guilty! This is all your fault!" "Get over here right now, explain yourself, and apologize to Bella. Or don't expect me to be nice to you ever again." "Bella is crying?" I asked calmly. "Of course! Why else would I be yelling at you? I've spoiled you too much." "Is she still wearing that mosquito net that doesn't cover anything while she's crying? Are you guys still in your matching underwear comforting her?" Julian's voice faltered. "Linda, stop being unreasonable. I don't know what you're talking about." "Really?" I sent him the screenshot. "Julian, Bella is practically naked. Did you guys get hard during the shoot?" He hung up. 2 He probably didn't expect Bella to post that just to spite me, or for me to go nuclear and send it to everyone. Since he hung up, I texted him: "Why hang up? Aren't you going to yell at me anymore?" He started typing, then stopped. No reply. So, I posted the screenshot and the abusive texts from his friends on my own feed. Caption: "Happy birthday to me, even if I'm celebrating alone." It was past midnight, technically the day after my birthday, but my feed blew up. Friends commented instantly: "WTF! Julian ditched you on your birthday for this? Trash." "Don't be mad, Linda. We'll celebrate with you." "Julian looks like a decent guy, but damn, he plays dirty. Four kings and a queen?" "Is she really wearing that? Is she advertising services?" Ten minutes later, Leo's girlfriend joined the chat. She reposted the screenshot and announced her breakup. "If Leo can wear underwear for her today, he can take it off for her tomorrow. Trash belongs with trash. Go lick your queen's feet, dog." The chaos intensified. But Julian remained silent. I wasn't going to let him hide. I sent the screenshot to his parents. That finally got his head out of his shell. Early the next morning, Julian's mom called. "Linda, dear, can you come over? We saw the photo. There must be a misunderstanding. You two have been together for so long, the wedding is soon... why make it so ugly?" "Mrs. Miller, you saw the picture. I don't think there's a misunderstanding. I've been nothing but good to Julian. I love him, but that doesn't give him the right to hurt me." Out of respect for his parents, I agreed to go. "I'll be there soon." I drove to the Miller estate. Julian's parents were waiting outside, with Julian standing behind them, head hung low. I got out of my car. Just as I shut the door, a black sports car roared out of nowhere, speeding straight for me. "Linda, look out!" Julian sprinted toward me and shoved me out of the way. Thud! I hit the ground hard. I watched as Julian flew into the air. 3 The sports car sped off. Julian was rushed to the hospital. He had saved me but paid the price with two broken legs. Staring at Julian in his hospital bed, casts on both legs, I felt... nothing. Yesterday, seeing him like this because of me would have destroyed me. I would have been crying my eyes out, wishing it was me instead. But today, I was just glad I only had a few scrapes. Julian woke up post-surgery, weak and pale. "Linda... you're okay," he whispered. I ignored the sentiment. "Julian, do you know what yesterday was?" He frowned. "Linda, I'm hurt. I got hurt saving you. If not for me, you'd be the one in this bed. How can you be so cold? Still thinking about your birthday?" His mom chimed in, "Linda, how can you talk to him like that? He saved your life! He's your fiancé!" "Oh, now I'm the fiancé? I thought you guys preferred someone else." I looked back at Julian. "Answer me. What was yesterday?" "It was your birthday! Happy now?" He snapped. "I missed it, big deal. I'll make it up next year." I laughed. "What about last year? And the year before? And the year before that?" "I..." "Last year, Bella wanted to watch the sunset, so you hiked with her all day while I waited at the restaurant until closing." "Two years ago, you promised to come. I rented a yacht. You ditched me to help Bella move and took my car, leaving me stranded at the dock." "Three years ago, Bella came back from abroad. You and your boys booked my hotel for a week-long party, forgot my birthday entirely, and stuck me with the $150k bill." "And this year... you dressed like a stripper to take photos with her. If I did that with a guy, what would you think?" Anger flashed in his eyes. "Linda, stop being so disgusting. Bella's photoshoot was art! It was about capturing her beauty and confidence. You're just jealous because you don't have an artistic bone in your body. Your mind is filthy." "So, my boyfriend ditches my birthday for 'art,' and I should just be okay with it?" "Yes! Your birthday comes every year. Bella's youth doesn't. I was helping a friend achieve her dream. What's wrong with that?" I nodded slowly. "You're right. Absolutely nothing wrong." "Since you love art so much, go chase it. We're done." 4 "Done? You're breaking up over this?" Julian panicked. "Linda, are you insane? Bella is all alone. I was just being a friend. Stop being unreasonable! I'm lying here with broken legs, how long are you going to keep this up?" "I'm not being unreasonable. You say Bella is alone, but my parents are abroad. You promised them you'd take care of me. Did you?" He looked away. "You're just wrong about this." "Fine. If you think I'm wrong, I have nothing else to say." "Recover well. I'll cover your medical bills." I turned to leave. Suddenly, Slap! Julian's dad slapped him across the face. "Dad! Why?" His mom tried to protect him. "Are you crazy? Why hit him?" "He deserves it! He's getting married, yet he's fooling around with another woman! If he hadn't gone to see her, would he be in this hospital bed? It's his own fault!" Mr. Miller turned to me apologetically. "Linda, don't be mad. I'll teach him a lesson. I promise this won't happen again." "No need," I raised a hand. "I can forgive him, on one condition." Julian's eyes lit up. "Anything! Name it!" "Call the police." I stared at him. "Report the driver for attempted murder. Press charges." "No!" He almost jumped out of bed. "Leo didn't mean to hit me! It was an accident! He's my brother. If I sue him, we're done. No way!" "Suit yourself." I walked out. "From today on, tell your 'brothers' not to expect any more handouts from the Lin Group." "Julian, since you value the friend who tried to kill your fiancé more than me, I'll handle it myself." Outside the hospital, I ran into Bella. She smirked. "Heard Julian got hurt. Mind if I visit?" "Go ahead. We broke up. Sleep with him for all I care." I tried to walk past, but she blocked me. "Linda, don't think you're special just because you have money. Julian stays with me because he wants to. He only dates you for your family's business. He told me you're just a glorified ATM to him." "He never talks about you when he's with me. Even when he's drunk or dreaming, he calls my name." Her eyes were venomous. "And Leo and the guys? They do whatever I say. I snap my fingers, and they jump." "So Leo trying to run me over was your idea?" "Hmph, I never said that." She tossed her hair. "You rich girls are so boring. You don't know what men really want. I love watching you high-and-mighty princesses cry. It makes me happy." I nodded. Then I looked behind her. "Did you guys hear that?" Bella turned around. Three women stood there, looking murderous. Leading them was Leo's ex-girlfriend. "So you're Bella? The bakery owner? You think sharing your boyfriend is fun?" Bella gasped. "You set me up!" I smiled. "I was waiting for them. Who were you waiting for?"
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