On the cusp of college graduation, my girlfriend, Sophie, suddenly broke up with me. She gave me a mansion, a Bentley, and a check for eight million dollars, saying it was thanks for my four years of companionship. I was completely blindsided. I needed to know why. But her voice was cold as ice. "Ethan, for people from my kind of family, love and marriage are two very different things. I'm going back home for an arranged marriage. Do you understand?" 1 My girlfriend was getting engaged, but the groom-to-be wasn't me. When I rushed to the engagement party, I saw her on the stage. Sophie. She was wearing a couture gown and dripping with magnificent jewels, an image of breathtaking, dignified beauty. But the man standing across from her was a different story. He couldn't have been more than five-foot-three, was grotesquely overweight, and his face was a constellation of greasy, angry pimples that looked like they were about to burst. This was the man my girlfriend was going to marry? My mind flashed back to the night before, and it felt like a lifetime ago. I had just gotten home to the mansion from my internship when Sophie pinned me to the bed. She leaned down, her lips on mine, and her voice was a husky whisper. “Tonight… forget I’m human.” And then, she devoured me. But when I woke up, she was gone. Her number was disconnected. Her social media—all of it—deleted. It was as if she had been erased from my world without a trace, leaving me reeling. Then, her lawyer showed up. He arrived at noon. He said Sophie had given him specific instructions to wait until then, so as not to disturb my rest. He handed me a folder. I read the documents, my mind a complete fog. It was a gift deed. It stated that Sophie Claire Sullivan was voluntarily bestowing upon me the mansion, the Bentley, and a savings account with eight million dollars as a thank-you gift for our four-year relationship. So, she had just dumped me out of the blue, and was now treating me like some kind of kept man, throwing money at me to make me go away? The thing is, I didn't need the money. Not even a little. I’d told her as much when we first got together. But she had just smiled with that incredible confidence of hers and said, “No matter how rich you are, Ethan, you’re not richer than me.” I never bothered to argue. I was in love with her. But why would she end things? Just last night, she had been so passionate, so fierce, whispering how much she loved me over and over again. How could it all just be over? I forced myself to calm down. I made a few calls, pulled a few strings, and within an hour, I had the full picture. And that’s how I ended up here, at her engagement party. I could see it on her face—Sophie wasn't happy. Was she being forced into this? “Kiss her! Kiss her!” someone in the crowd yelled. I watched in horror as the fat man reached for Sophie’s hand. She flinched back instinctively, pulling away. His face soured. His thick lips flapped, spraying spittle as he spoke. “Have you already forgotten what you promised me?” Sophie’s face went pale, but she took a hesitant step forward. She was being threatened. I was sure of it. I pushed my way through the crowd, shouting her name. “Sophie! If something’s wrong, just tell me! Don’t do this to yourself!” Every head in the room turned to look at me. When Sophie saw me, a flicker of joy ignited in her cold eyes, but it was extinguished in an instant, replaced by a wall of ice. “Who the hell is this kid?” the fat man sneered, glaring at me. “Calling my fiancée by her first name? Real chummy, aren’t you?” I was about to declare exactly who I was when Sophie cut me off. Her beautiful brows furrowed. “He’s just some pathetic simp. Have security throw him out. Ignore him.” 2 A simp? I could feel the weight of a hundred disdainful stares. Who ever respected a simp? But that wasn't me. Not at all. Sophie and I met at a club fair. I’d just finished a basketball game and was so hungry I could have eaten a horse. I ended up sneaking some snacks from my roommate’s stash. He gave me some crap for it and dared me to call him ‘daddy’ for the rest of the day. It was just stupid dorm room banter, so I did it. Sophie, who happened to be nearby, immediately stepped in to defend me. She lectured my roommate about picking on people who were less fortunate, then she turned to me and lectured me about stealing. She had this fierce, take-charge personality, always playing the role of the righteous protector. After that, I played up the ‘poor, pitiful me’ angle. I started following her around everywhere, and before long, we were together. The whole campus knew me as the guy she’d “taken in.” People would whisper about her and her boy toy, and I worried it would embarrass her. I told her the truth—that my family was actually incredibly wealthy—but she just shrugged it off, not seeming to care. Our four years together weren't some epic, dramatic love story, but they were filled with a sweet, deep affection. We barely ever fought. That’s why this sudden breakup was so impossible for me to accept. I had to know the real reason. I looked at her on the stage and started walking toward her. Before I could say a word, the fat man stepped in front of me. He was so short I had to look down to see him, and he had to crane his neck to look up at me. “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming up here.” He actually jumped, trying to slap me. I stepped back easily, dodging the blow. I frowned, my eyes fixed on Sophie. “You broke up with me for this piece of work?” “What the hell are you talking about?” Sophie rushed forward and, with a sharp swing, slapped me across the face. When he tried to hit me, I moved. When she hit me, I stood perfectly still. She was wearing heels. I was afraid she might lose her balance and fall. She was about to marry another man, and I was still worried about her. God, I was pathetic. I touched my stinging cheek, my heart aching with a grief so sharp it stole my breath. “So you’re the college boyfriend?” The man, Gus, walked over, a contemptuous smirk on his face. “A kept man who dares to act tough in front of me? Do you have any idea who I am? I’m Gus Coleman. The Colemans are the richest family in Port City!” I ignored him, my gaze locked on Sophie. “You just left. Without a word. That’s not fair to me.” “Fair?” Her voice was laced with scorn. “The mansion, the car, the money—I gave you everything. What more could you possibly want? Stop making a scene, Ethan. We’re over.” She frowned. “You know how it is for families like mine. Love and marriage are separate. Thank you for the last four years, but my husband can only be Gus Coleman. Is that clear enough for you?” “I just want to know one thing,” I said, my voice low. “Do you love me?” I knew all about arranged marriages between powerful families. My own parents were a product of one. But they were lucky; they were childhood sweethearts, and their love story was a natural progression. As for me… I was supposed to have an arranged marriage too, but it wasn't a requirement. The Hayes family’s position in New York was so secure, we no longer needed alliances to solidify our power. “Love?” Sophie let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t be naive, Ethan. I’ve known since I was a little girl that I would have to marry for duty. I don’t believe in love. I was with you because you were good-looking, and because you were poor enough to be easily controlled.” She smirked. “There. You have your answer. Now go.” 3 So, what I thought was a deep, sweet love was just a fantasy I’d created in my own head. In Sophie’s eyes, I was nothing more than a handsome, obedient boy toy. It was laughable. I nodded slowly. If that’s how it was, then fine. The pain in my chest was a physical thing, but I knew how to let go. I came here to try and win her back. If that wasn't possible, I would walk away. I gave her a sad smile. “Alright. I wish you happiness, Sophie.” With that, I turned to leave the stage. Sophie’s hand clenched into a fist, but she looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. But Gus stepped in front of me, blocking my path. His laugh was a mocking sneer. “You came all this way. You might as well stay and watch the ceremony. Leaving now would be a personal insult to me, to the Coleman family… to all of Port City!” “That’s a bold statement,” I said with a small, dangerous smile. I’d heard similar lines before. New York is a big city; not everyone knows who I am. It’s inevitable that some idiot would try to puff out his chest in front of me. But after I’d dealt with a few of them, people learned to watch their mouths. Gus didn’t catch the contempt in my voice. He just clapped his hands. Instantly, a crowd of men in black suits emerged from the wings, surrounding the stage. “Listen, kid,” Gus said, his voice low and menacing. “If I’m not happy today, you’re not walking out of this room.” Sophie rushed over, her eyes blazing. “Ethan, get out of here, now! I don’t want to see you again!” “Did I say you could speak?” Gus’s face went cold. “You think I’m an idiot? You think I can’t see you’re trying to protect this kid?” Protecting me? I looked deeply at Sophie and saw a flicker of genuine worry in her eyes. Was it possible… that everything she’d just said was a lie? But she just shook her head, her voice softening as she turned back to Gus. “I just don’t want any connection to my past. Besides, this is our engagement party. What does it look like if my ex-boyfriend is here? How would that make you look?” Her tone was suddenly gentle. “Gus, darling, I’m only thinking of you.” Gus’s expression softened slightly, but he was still puffed up with his own importance. “I’m not worried about how I look. In my little corner of the world, in this city, I am God!” He pointed at me. “Get off the stage and go watch from the audience!” I nodded, gave Sophie a look that was half-smile, half-riddle, and walked down the steps. The moment my feet hit the floor, four men in black suits surrounded me. They escorted me to a table in the far corner and sat me down. They were making sure I couldn’t escape. From the stage, Gus yelled, “Just sit there and enjoy the show, kid. You’re not leaving until I say you can.” I just smiled faintly. “You won’t let me leave now. But when you’re begging me to go later, I might not want to.” “Shut your mouth!” Sophie snapped. I just smiled and said nothing. They wanted to play this game. Fine. They wouldn’t like how it ended. Gus added, “I hear you’re from New York. That’s great. Some very important people from the City will be here later. Real big shots. I’ll introduce you. A little networking for you. Broaden your horizons.” “Why, thank you. I can’t wait,” I said, unable to suppress another laugh. Just then, a group of young men swaggered over. They were all loud, arrogant, and reeked of privilege. Gus’s cronies, no doubt. “Kid, you really should have just stayed home.” “You actually think Sophie can protect you?” “Let me tell you something. Even if you hadn’t shown up today, Gus wasn’t going to let you off the hook. You think he’s going to let the guy who slept with his fiancée for four years just walk away alive?” “I’ve got my phone right here. Want me to call the cops for you?” They laughed, their mockery echoing in the large hall. I just fiddled with my phone, not bothering to engage with them. But one thing was now crystal clear. Sophie was, indeed, trying to protect me.
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