Me: "Liliana, what do you think I should do now?"

 I stood there, staring blankly out the window. For years, Perry had been my entire world. Everything I did revolved around him. Now that he was gone, I felt like I had lost all purpose. I didn't even know why I woke up in the morning anymore.

 Liliana: "Irène, he's just trash. Thank God you realized it before it was too late. Imagine finding out after the wedding."

 Sitting next to me, Liliana wrapped her arms around me to comfort me. I could see the worry in her eyes, but my heart... it hurt even more.

 I had cried every tear I had these past few days, but the heartbreak refused to disappear.

 Liliana: "Irène, you'll forget him eventually. And you'll find a man a million times better than him."

 I was really lucky to have her by my side at that moment. Without her, I wasn't sure I would've survived this far.

 Liliana: "Get up, get dressed and put on some makeup. We're going shopping today. It'll do you good. You'll see-after this, Perry will be nothing but a bad memory."

 She literally dragged me out of bed, forced me to change clothes and put on makeup. Then we headed to the nearest mall.

 I knew this mall belonged to the company Perry worked for. Just thinking about it made me want to leave, but Liliana pulled me straight inside without hesitation. I knew she was only trying to help me move forward, so I stayed even though I really didn't want to.

 We walked around, picking things out, and soon Liliana's hands were full of shopping bags. As for me, I hadn't bought anything-I just wasn't in the mood.

 Suddenly, I spotted a couple not far away. It was Perry and Courtney. My heart twisted painfully and I immediately turned around, panicked. I just wanted to disappear.

 Liliana: "Irène, why are you pulling me? I'm not done shopping."

 Me: "Liliana, let's go somewhere else. I don't want to stay here."

 I turned my back toward Perry and Courtney who were approaching, desperate not to be seen by them. Liliana frowned, puzzled by my sudden change-but she didn't have time to say anything before they reached us.

 Courtney: "Irène, what a coincidence. I didn't think you'd get over the breakup so quickly. Only a few days, and you're already in the mood to go shopping."

 Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt, especially hearing her mock me like that. But I refused to show even a trace of sadness or weakness. They weren't worth it.

 After seeing them together, Liliana finally understood why I wanted to leave. She immediately stepped in front of me to shield me.

 Liliana: "Well, look who it is... The mistress. The boyfriend thief. Figures."

 Courtney's face darkened instantly under Liliana's contemptuous stare.

 Courtney: "Liliana, watch your mouth! Perry and I truly love each other. If it weren't for Irène, we would've been together long ago!"

 Liliana rolled her eyes in disgust.

 Liliana: "Every mistress says the same thing since the dawn of time. 'We truly love each other'... Please. You're just a slut who dared seduce her cousin's fiancé. It's disgusting."

 Courtney glared furiously at her.

 Courtney: "Who are you calling a slut, Liliana? You'd better take that back. Who's the slut here?"

 Liliana: "You, obviously. You're a shameless slut."

 Liliana shot her a defiant look.

 I quickly grabbed Liliana's arm as their argument began attracting stares from people around us.

 Perry: "There's no need to argue with her. Let's go."

 Courtney: "Perry! They insulted me! Do you even care?!"

 Perry: "Irène, your friend..."

 He looked at me with an annoyed expression, as if Courtney were the victim.

 A sharp pain stabbed my chest when he said my name. I turned toward him with indifference, holding back the tears.

 Perry: "Your friend, Liliana? Shouldn't she apologize for those abusive insults?"

 His voice was cold. Distant.

 The man who once loved me, protected me, reassured me... was now defending another woman against me.

 So to him, I mattered less than a mistress.

 Me: "Liliana didn't say anything wrong. You're the one who cheated on me. You betrayed me for seven years. And now you want my friend to apologize to... that? How dare you, Perry? How dare you ask for an apology?"

 In that moment, I didn't care who was watching. I answered loudly and stepped closer to him. I had tolerated his betrayal, but asking for apologies? Did I look that easy to intimidate?

 People around us began whispering quickly, almost all of them accusing Perry of cheating. I had always been so gentle... I had never raised my voice at him. But today was different. Today, I was furious. And Perry never expected me to call him out so openly, so loudly.

 Courtney: "Irène, why are you doing this? Perry and I love each other! If you hadn't been in the way, we'd be married by now! How dare you play the victim? You're the one who forced Perry to stay with you!"

 Me: "I forced him to stay? Ha... A scumbag like him- even if he begged me now, I wouldn't take him back. He disgusts me."

 A sarcastic smile curled at my lips as I stared coldly at the pathetic couple. I could never tolerate betrayal. No matter how much I once loved Perry... everything ended the moment I saw them in bed together.

 Me: "I would never forgive a man who cheated on me!"

 Courtney: "You're saying that because no one wants you. Look at yourself-what man would even be interested in someone like you?"

 Her arrogant, disdainful tone almost made me laugh.

 Liliana: "Oh, there will be men who want Irène, trust me. But you? Aside from Perry... no one. A guy would have to be blind to fall for a slut like you."

 Liliana snapped back instantly. She couldn't stand Courtney's arrogance toward me.

 Courtney: "Oh yeah? You're sure? Then show me! Show me what kind of man would want her!"

 Courtney knew how much I had loved Perry. Back then, when we were close, I used to talk about him all the time. I thought she cared about me. I trusted her entirely, told her everything.

 Thinking back now... I had been so stupid. She wasn't listening because she cared-she was gathering information to seduce him.

 What an idiot I had been...

 Me: "You want to know what kind of man would be interested in me? Fine. I'll show you."

 Without thinking twice, I marched straight toward Nathan, who was standing a bit farther away. I had no idea why he was there, but it didn't matter. I was fueled by anger, pain, and wounded pride. I grabbed his arm and looked up at him with a smile.

Me: "Darling, what are you doing here? Did you come to pick me up?"

 When he saw me, his usually handsome face immediately darkened. He was visibly furious. I knew I was putting him in an embarrassing position in front of his employees, but I didn't have time to think about that. Perry and Courtney were right there, and I refused to be humiliated in front of them. So I used Nathan to save face.

 Nathan: "You? What are you doing here?"

 His voice was low, but I could clearly feel the anger in his tone.

 Me: "Please... just do me this one favor. After all, I gave you my virginity, the least you could do is play along."

 I had no idea how Nathan would react. Would he reject me? Go along with it? I had no clue. His dark eyes were furious, unreadable. I couldn't guess what he was thinking, but instinctively, I could feel the dangerous aura radiating from him.

 Just when I thought he would push me away, he suddenly wrapped an arm around my waist and looked into my eyes with a soft smile.

 Nathan: "Are you okay, baby? I hope I didn't hurt you too much last night..."

 His voice was so gentle. I couldn't help melting under his gaze, especially when a man as stunning as him looked at me so tenderly.

 Me: "I... yes, I'm fine. Much better now..."

 I replied with a shy smile, unable to hold his gaze.

 Nathan: "I'll be gentler next time. I won't hurt you again. I promise."

 He reached out, swept a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and looked at me lovingly.

 Without meaning to, his words made me panic, and I suddenly started blushing. And then... what did he just say? "Next time"? There would be no next time! I had given him my virginity and he had the nerve to handle me roughly all night, and now he was talking about a next time? Pfft... I secretly cursed Nathan in my heart, but I had to pretend to be happy in front of Perry and Courtney.

 Perry's expression changed instantly: his eyes darkened with anger as he stared at me. Courtney looked completely shocked as she stared at us pressed against each other.

 Courtney: "What... he's your man?"

 One look was enough to see that Nathan surpassed Perry in every way. Looks, presence, prestige... Even without knowing his identity, Courtney must have sensed it too.

 Me: "Of course he's my man. Do you regret choosing Perry now?"

 I looked at Courtney with a mocking smile.

 Perry: "Mr. Spence..." Perry straightened up and walked toward Nathan, suddenly looking very respectful.

 Nathan: "Perry, can you explain why there's so much noise here? What's going on?" Nathan asked coldly after giving him a brief look.

 Perry glanced at me, clearly embarrassed by Nathan's question. He didn't know how to answer. I was in Nathan's arms, and I wondered how Perry felt at that moment. But I felt absolutely triumphant.

 Perry: "It... it's nothing, just a personal issue. But... what brings you here today?" he asked quickly, trying to change the subject.

 Nathan: "I came to accompany this beautiful lady while she chooses whatever she wants. Since you're here, maybe you could give her some advice? What do you think, baby?" he asked, staring straight into my eyes.

 Me: "Uh... no, it's fine. Liliana is here, and I know the center very well."

 Courtney: "Perry, you know this man? Is he really Irene's boyfriend?"

 Courtney had always been arrogant. She must have been upset after seeing Perry tremble in front of Nathan. Nathan wasn't just more handsome-he clearly had a higher status than Perry. Seeing me with a man better than Perry must have deeply frustrated her.

 Perry: "Courtney! Shut up!"

 Courtney: "Why should I shut up? I'm telling the truth! I'm sure Irene still loves you. She's just hurt because you left her, so she found some guy just to pretend!"

 Perry: "Courtney, that's enough!" he shouted, finally stopping her.

 Perry knew very well that Nathan wasn't the kind of man anyone could use to pretend or manipulate-there was no way this was a game.

 Courtney: "You... you yelled at me? Perry, you don't love me anymore?" Her expression turned vicious in an instant. Tears filled her eyes as if she had been wronged.

 I snickered at Courtney's pitiful act. She always had to pretend to be the victim. Maybe that was how she seduced Perry-men liked delicate, gentle women. But I was the complete opposite.

 Nathan: "Perry, you should seriously reconsider your taste in women." Nathan let go of my waist and stepped closer to Perry. His tone was mocking as he looked at Courtney. I didn't expect the usually reserved Nathan to spice up my little game. When he spoke, I could clearly see the embarrassment on Perry's face. Watching him look so defeated made me feel triumphant.

 Perry: "Mr. Spence, I have something to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

 Perry was a reserved man. Courtney's behavior must have embarrassed him, so he quickly dragged her away.

 Liliana: "See? Even a random guy off the street would be ten times better than Perry!" Liliana said, adding fuel to the fire.

 I could no longer pretend, and I struggled to maintain my smile once they left. I hesitated for a moment, then walked toward Nathan and said:

 Me: "Thank you... for what just happened."

 Nathan glanced at Liliana standing next to him. Then he turned to me and spoke coldly.

Nathan: "Take your friend home first. I need to talk to you."

 Me: "I don't think we have anything to talk about. If that's all, I'll go."

 I didn't understand why just meeting Nathan's dark gaze could unsettle me so much. I grabbed Liliana by the arm to leave. I had drunk way too much that night. I had let myself go, and so had Nathan. But now I was sober, and I no longer had the courage to talk to him.

 Liliana: "Well... I'll leave you two. I just remembered I still have some errands to run. Irene, I'm going now," she said.

 I had no idea what she was up to. She let go of my arm and slipped away immediately, leaving me alone. Just as I was about to leave, Nathan grabbed my wrist. He pulled me toward a corner near the stairs and pinned me against the wall. We were so close I could almost feel his scent, his masculine aura. I had been completely drunk that night. Aside from the fact that we slept together, I remembered nothing. And now my heart was racing wildly.

 Me: "Na... Nathan, what are you doing?"

 His gaze on me completely destabilized me. I wanted to run away, but my legs felt paralyzed.

 Nathan: "What's your relationship with Perry?" he finally asked, his eyes full of questions.

 Just hearing that name made my chest tighten. The breakup had been a nightmare. Even if I was still broken, I had become very good at hiding my pain.

 Me: "Nothing. He's a stranger."

 Before, Perry had been the most important person in my life, the man I wanted to spend my life with. Now, at best, we were two strangers.

 Nathan: "Do you really think I'm going to buy that, Irene?"

 His eyes hardened, and there was a hint of anger in his voice.

 I froze. How did he know my name? I didn't remember ever saying it in front of him!

 Me: "How do you know my name?" I looked up at him, my voice weak.

 Nathan: "It's not hard for me to investigate someone. And the woman next to Perry just called you."

 He frowned, and the depth of his voice made me feel almost stupid.

 Me: "I... I'm leaving. Running into you today was just a coincidence. And... thank you for what you did earlier."

 I turned to walk away after saying that. But once again, he trapped me against the wall. He placed his arms on either side of me, closing the distance. At that moment, I could clearly feel my heart pounding uncontrollably. His handsome face was so close to mine. Anyone would react in front of a man that stunning. I wasn't used to being so close to men. During the seven years I had been with Perry, I had gotten used to keeping my distance from others, so being face-to-face with the man I had given my virginity to last night made me incredibly uneasy.

 Nathan: "You're leaving just like that?"

 He leaned in slowly, his deep, seductive voice sending shivers down my spine. His words stirred something in me, and my heartbeat went wild.

 Me: "What do you want?"

 I held my breath as he approached me.

 Nathan: "Come on... are you trying to play hard to get with me now?"

 Suddenly, his eyes darkened as if questioning me. At first, I was still a little flustered, but when I heard what he said, anger rose inside me. What did he mean by that? Was he implying that I was playing hard to get?

 Me: "I don't know what you're talking about. Sorry, I have to go."

 I pushed his arms away roughly, wanting to leave. He must have been insane. Since when had I ever played hard to get with him? I had no idea what he was talking about! At first, I thought he wouldn't let me go so easily. But surprisingly, he didn't try to stop me again.

 I had never felt so shaken while walking alone through the streets. The scene at the shopping mall replayed in my mind. I didn't know how to forget Perry or how to end my heartbreak.

 When I returned to Liliana's place, she bombarded me with questions about Nathan.

 Liliana: "Come on, tell me. What's your deal with that guy? Is he the man... the man you slept with that night?"

 Liliana was a very smart person. Honestly, she would have figured it out even if I hadn't said anything.

 Under her endless questions, I eventually admitted that the man I had slept with was Nathan.

 Liliana: "Irene, seriously, Nathan is not bad at all. If he became your boyfriend, he'd be a thousand times better than Perry."

 Liliana obviously wanted me to get over my breakup, so she started putting "dangerous ideas" in my head.

 I weakly shook my head and sighed. She had it all wrong. Other than that one night, there was nothing between me and Nathan-and there never would be. We came from two different worlds.

 What kind of man was Nathan Spence? With a flick of his wrist, he could shake the entire Milshire. He owned properties and businesses all over the country. He kept a low profile, but everyone knew he was a billionaire.

 Me: "There's no way anything could happen between Nathan and me. Stop imagining things."

 With that, I went back to the room to rest.

 Liliana: "You know he's Perry's boss, right? Didn't you see how respectful he suddenly was when he saw Nathan? If he found out you were actually his boss's girlfriend, it would hurt him even more."

 Her words annoyed me. Yes, I had wanted revenge. Yes, I had been furious when I saw Perry with Courtney. But it had just been a moment of anger. Nathan and I... we were nothing. Just two strangers.

 I didn't even know why he had been in that bar that night. Maybe he had his own problems-even billionaires do. But that had nothing to do with me.

 What mattered was healing from the breakup and finding a job to support myself. I had left my previous job because it was too far from Perry's place. I wanted something closer to his office once we were married. In the end, not only was the wedding canceled, but I also lost my job. Who could be more unlucky than me? Losing everything for a man...

 Two days passed. Thanks to Liliana's support, I slowly pulled myself together. I realized it wasn't worth suffering over an unfaithful man who betrayed me. I returned to a normal life. I thought I was finally ready to start anew.