During the summer vacation, I go overseas with my boyfriend, Cornell Glover, to attend his favorite music festival that is called the Tuchella Music Festival.

When we are lining up to go into the venue under the sweltering heat of 86F, I go to the vendors nearby to buy him some iced bottled water.

But by the time I get back, Cornell is gone. To make things worse, my digital ticket shows that it has already been checked in.

Anxious, I call him and ask, "Have you gone in? Why does my ticket show that I've checked in?"

Cornell replies, "Oh. I ran into Ellie Valdez, the intern from our department, just now. She was crying at the entrance because she couldn't get a ticket, so I gave yours to her."

"Are you crazy? I was the one who got us those VIP front-row seats!" I exclaim.

"Come on. It's not like you're interested in rock music. You'd just be scrolling on your phone after you get in. Ellie is a diehard fan. Don't you think you should let someone who appreciates the music have this instead?" Cornell says nonchalantly.

I am so shocked that I don't know what to say.

After a few seconds, I say in disbelief, "So you left me out here, all alone, for an intern's sake?"

Cornell sounds dismissive as he says, "You can hear the music from outside anyway. Just find somewhere to sit and wait until the music festival ends. Don't be so selfish."

I listen to the long, monotonous beep after he hangs up on me for a moment before calling my lead singer brother right away.

"Hello, Max? My ticket got—"

"Marie? I'm just about to go onstage, and the line backstage is terrible. I'll bring you out for supper after the show, alright?"

I could hear the sounds of guitars being tuned and staff shouting in the background of the call. However, the call was cut off abruptly before I'd even managed to finish my sentence.

I just stood there frozen in place, a little stunned as I clutched my phone. I was still holding two bottles of chilled mineral water I'd just bought. The water droplets slid down the plastic bottle and dripped onto my shoes.

The weather was a scorching 86 degrees today, and the blazing sun was melting the asphalt.

"Miss? Don't block the queue for the gate if you don't have a valid ticket. Go over there to the plaza and wait there instead," a security guard said, approaching me and waving impatiently.

I had no choice but to bring the water with me as I moved to the open space they called a plaza with no shade whatsoever. Sweat dripped down my forehead right into my eyes, and the sudden sharp pain made me narrow my eyes instinctually.

I tapped into the messaging app on my phone, wanting to ask my boyfriend, Cornell Glover, how long he was planning to make me wait.

However, a notification popped up on my phone just then, informing me that he'd just posted a new story on his Instagram. The photo was a view of the stage from the VIP front row, and on the right side of the image was a slender wrist making a hard metal fan gesture.

That hand was prominently displaying the limited-edition bracelet I'd bought for Cornell for 5,000 dollars.

The caption read, "The best part about attending a rock and roll music festival is attending it with true fans who know what it truly means."

I shook with fury and called him at once. The phone rang for a very long time before he finally picked up.

"What's the matter with you? Are you done making a fuss about things?" Cornell said impatiently. I heard a deafening bass booming in the background.

"What do you mean by your Instagram story? Did you just give my ticket to someone else? Even the bracelet I bought for you?" I asked through gritted teeth.

Cornell cackled. "How could you be so materialistic, Marie Swanson? Ellie wasn't wearing any accessories today, and I thought that the bracelet matched her outfit. What's wrong with lending it to her?

"You're nothing but an amateur who doesn't even know basic metal etiquette. Do you even know anything about rock culture?"

I inhaled deeply to try to stop my voice from shaking.

"I might not know much about rock, but I know what basic etiquette is! That ticket belongs to me! Who gave you permission to do what you wanted with it without asking me first?

"Do you even know how hot it is outside here? And you're telling me to stay here in the sun and wait for you for hours?"

Cornell's voice turned firm and self-righteous.

"I already told you that Ellie Valdez is just an intern, and she earns only 2,500 dollars a month! She can't even afford to buy official merch! And you're the one carrying around handbags worth tens of thousands of dollars everywhere! What's the big deal about giving her your ticket?

"You're always acting so prude and high-and-mighty at the office. And now, you're even going to war with me over something as menial as a ticket? You're just jealous that Ellie knows more about music than you!"

I couldn't believe my ears. How could he act so generously toward other people with my money like this?

Just then, a sweet, coquettish female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Corey? Is Marie angry at you? Maybe I should just leave. I really want to listen to Max and the Swans, but I don't want to get in between you and Marie."

She sounded extremely aggrieved, and Cornell immediately comforted her.

"Don't bother about her. She's just being dramatic. You'll stay right here. I'm not letting anybody kick you out."

Then, Cornell yelled into the phone and said, "I'm warning you, Marie Swanson, don't you ever dare go crazy and cause trouble by embarrassing me. Ellie purposely travelled all the way here for this.

"If you dare to come in and make a fuss, then, we're through!"

I gripped the water bottles in my hand so hard that my knuckles turned white.

"Fine. I'm not going in. But you will take your things and come out right now."

Cornell sneered. "Come out? Max and the Swans are playing now, and you're telling me to leave? Are you out of your mind?

"I'm not coming out now, even if you dropped to your knees and begged!"

I felt a heavy feeling in my chest, and it was getting hard for me to breathe.

"If you don't come out now, Cornell Glover, then I am never contacting you ever again."

There were two seconds of silence on the phone. Then, Cornell's mocking laughter rang out.

"Wow, Marie, you've got some guts. Don't you dare threaten me with a breakup. If you leave me now, I will never get back together with you, even if you beg!

"Ellie, let's go up ahead. There's no need for us to pay any heed to this crazy bitch anymore."

Before I could get another word in, he hung up on me, and I could only hear the sound of the busy tone afterward.

I stood under the sweltering sun, watching the crowd around me, and suddenly found everything absolutely absurd.

We'd been dating for three years, and I always thought that his only shortcoming was that he had a short fuse. However, I never thought that he would belittle me in front of other people like this.

The security guard came over to me again and knocked on the fence with his baton.

"Hey, you! Stop causing trouble here!"

I took a few steps backward. Then, my vision suddenly turned black. The world began spinning, and I heard people shouting around me.

When I opened my eyes again, I smelled a strong disinfectant smell. As it turned out, a paramedic in a Red Cross vest was taking my blood pressure.

"You're up now?" she said. "You've had a mild heatstroke. Some kind passersby brought you to the medical tent."

She then put away the blood pressure monitor, and I sat up on the canvas bed, feeling a churning sensation in my stomach.

"Thank you. How long have I been out?" I asked weakly.

The paramedic checked her watch. "About an hour. You should call your friends or family to take you back. It's too hot outside."

I felt for my phone in my pocket and saw that I didn't have any missed calls. There was just a text message from Cornell sent ten minutes ago.

"Go and buy a tote bag for Ellie at the official merchandise store since you're waiting outside with nothing to do anyway. She didn't manage to get it just now."

I stared at his text message and laughed in anger.

I had just fainted from a mild heatstroke outside the music festival venue, and he didn't even bother asking me where I'd been. Instead, he ordered me to buy merchandise for his "good friend".

I called him instead.

He picked up after a long time.

"Did you get the tote? Don't get the wrong color. Ellie wants the black one."

I said coldly, "I just got heatstroke, Cornell Glover. I'm at the medical tent now."

There was a slight pause on the line. Then, his impatient voice sounded.

"Really now, Marie? Playing the damsel in distress now? Who do you think you are? How the hell can anyone even get heatstroke in 84-degree weather?

"You're just trying to cause trouble for Ellie because you don't like seeing her happy, aren't you? Trying to make your presence more felt?"

I closed my eyes and suppressed the urge to just fling my phone to the ground.

"I'm not playing at anything. I'm dizzy and nauseated. I can't even stand properly."

Cornell just clicked his tongue.

"Yeah, yeah. Stop it with the pathetic act. Ellie twisted her ankle after someone trampled on her. I was about to go and bring her an ice pack. But since you're at the medical tent already, you might as well bring one with you to the ticketing entrance."

For a moment, I wondered if I'd actually heard him correctly.

"You're telling me, someone who's suffering from heatstroke, to bring you and your sidechick an ice pack?"

Cornell exploded. "What the hell? Don't go around spouting nonsense like that! Who do you think you're calling a side chick? Ellie is a pure, innocent soul! We're just good friends!

"Why the hell are you thinking such filthy things about us? You're the one with the dirty thoughts. Don't you dare think that everyone else is as filthy as you are!"

Ellie's upset voice could then be heard on the other end of the line.

"Don't yell at Marie anymore, Corey. It's all my fault. I should never have twisted my ankle. I'll just limp out painfully like this. I don't want to cause Marie any trouble…"

Cornell immediately began comforting her.

"Who told you to walk? Can't you see how swollen your ankle is? The one who should be doing the walking is Marie, since she's so heartless!"

I had had enough of listening to the filthy couple arguing and just hung up on them. Then, to distract myself, I began scrolling mindlessly on Instagram.

I soon came across Ellie's most recent post from just ten minutes ago. The first photo was one of Cornell kneeling on the ground while gently massaging her swollen ankle, and the second one was a screenshot of my digital ticket.

The caption read, "So lucky to be a spoiled princess today. I got front-row seats and a special someone to search high and low for an ice pack for me when I twisted my ankle.

"So what if some people get so jealous they start barking like a bitch? He still chose me after all. Love, peace, and rock and roll forever."

In the comments under her post, people marveled at her close relationship with Cornell. Some of them also condemned the "some people" she'd been referring to in her caption.

I stared at the screen for a long time, feeling the nauseating feeling in my gut intensify.

Just then, I got a call from my best friend, Sylvie Barrett.

"Marie? Did you see that bitch's Instagram post?" Her voice was loud and piercing. "Is Cornell with that fucking bitch right now?"

My voice was hoarse. "Yeah. He gave my ticket to her and is now happily massaging her foot inside the venue."

Sylvie began cursing him out loud. "Fucking hell! I'm coming over right now to snap his manhood in two! Where are you? Don't go anywhere alone!"

I told her everything about how I got heatstroke from standing out in the sun. Sylvie was so mad that she was on the verge of tears by the end of it.

"Cornell's such a monster! How did I never notice before that he was such a fucking piece of trash after all!

"Just wait there, Marie. I'm coming to get you now. I swear, I'm going to tear that disgusting couple to shreds if that's the last thing I'm ever going to do!"

It would take Sylvie at least two hours to get here—in the middle of the desert—from the city. So, I declined her offer and forced myself to get up.

My legs were trembling, and my stomach was churning with acid.

It was also starting to get dark outside the medical tent.

A deafening roar of cheers erupted from the stage in the distance. My brother's band, Max and the Swans, was the last artist to perform at the festival, and they had just finished their last song.

The crowd soon surged toward the exits like a tidal wave.

I dragged my weak body over to the VIP exit. Every step was slow and excruciating. I'd only just stood at the exit for a while before seeing Cornell carrying Ellie out on his back.

She was holding a black tote bag in her hands, which was part of the official merchandise. It seemed as though Cornell had gotten it for her after all.

She was lying sprawled out on his back and smiling very happily. They were very close and intimate with each other.

"This bag is so nice, Corey. Thanks for buying it for me," she said coquettishly.

"There's no need to be shy with me," he replied affectionately.

I inhaled deeply and got in their way, stopping them.

The smile on Cornell's face fell as soon as he saw me. Instead, he began to frown.

"Marie Swanson! What do you think you're doing, blocking us like this! Are you trying to embarrass us? Can't you see that Ellie is hurt? Even a dog would know to get out of the way!"

I ignored his insults and just reached my hand out.

"The money for my VIP ticket. Don't you think it's time to pay up?" I asked coldly.

Ellie immediately stuck her head out from behind him and looked at me timidly.

"I'm sorry, Marie. I'll transfer the money to you at once. But I'm just an intern, and I only make 2,500 dollars a month. You're the one carrying a luxury bag. Surely you wouldn't want to take more money from me, would you?"

It sounded like she was apologizing, but she was actually subtly accusing me of being heartless and abusing my power.

I stared at her innocent face.

"I paid for these bags with the money I earned myself through countless overtime hours at the office. I did not just get it for free.

"The VIP ticket costs 2,000 collars. So, cash or bank transfer? I don't take IOUs."

Cornell immediately set Ellie down and blocked her from me.

"That's enough, Marie Swanson! How could you be so obsessed with money! What does 2,000 dollars even mean to you? Will driving an innocent woman to her wits' end make you happy?"

I stared at Cornell, the person whom I'd loved for three years, and suddenly realized that I didn't know anything about him at all. He was just like a stranger to me.

"She watched the performance. Why should I be the one paying for it? Did you think I was her Mommy or her Daddy?"

Cornell's face turned purple with anger.

"I'll pay you back on her behalf, then! Happy now? Ellie's foot is twisted, and she can't walk anymore, so I'm going to hail a cab to send her back! I don't have the time to be arguing with you here now!"

I sneered.

"You? Send her back? Then, what about me? My car keys are still inside your bag. Were you planning to make me fly back home or something?"

I was the one who drove us here today, and my car keys were zipped up in his backpack the entire time.

Cornell stiffened as if he'd only just recalled that.

He felt for the keys in his bag irritably and tossed them in my face.

"Drive home yourself, then! What's the big deal about this?"

I was still weak from the heatstroke, and I didn't manage to catch the keys. The car keys did a perfect arch in the air before landing in a patch of tall, messy grass.

"I just got heatstroke. I can't drive," I said calmly while looking at him.

However, Cornell just sneered disbelievingly at me.

"Sure, go ahead and continue with your act. Weren't you perfectly fine when you were demanding money from her just now?

"Let's go, Ellie. Ignore that crazy bitch."

He then flagged down a cab and carefully helped Ellie into the back seat. Ellie then stuck her head out of the back window and winked at me.

"If you really can't drive, Marie, I don't mind lending you my bus pass."