Julian Vale—the undefeated actuarial prodigy—finally lost. In an international match, he got taken down by an intern who had just come back from overseas.

The story blew up that same day.

Reporters swarmed the training room entrance.

"Ms. Clermont, Mr. Vale once said if anyone beat him even once, he'd marry her. Now that he lost to an intern, what do you think?"

"Ms. Clermont, we heard the intern is his ex from overseas. Did you know?"

My head buzzed. I thought about the five years I spent with Julian.

I gave everything every match—and never beat him.

I used to think he was just respecting the game. Thought I just wasn't good enough.

Not until today—when he threw the match to that intern.

That's when it clicked. The girl he wanted to marry was never me.

I faced the mics and forced a smile.

"That match was rigged."

Flashes popped nonstop.

I faced their prying—almost gloating—stares and kept my voice steady.

"I've studied Julian's logic for five years. I know how tight his risk models are. An intern fresh back, no major comps, breaking through his system at three key stages? That doesn't make sense."

The crowd blew up.

Someone asked what proof I had.

Others turned to the cameras, guessing if Julian threw the match.

I didn't answer. Just a small nod, then I headed for the parking lot.

The second I yanked the car door open, my phone blew up.

The screen lit up: Julian Vale.

I picked up. Didn't even get a word out.

"Clara Clermont, have you lost your mind?" His voice came in hot. "Telling the media the match was rigged? You trying to ruin my career?"

Same edge. Same impatience. The same tone he used for five years—every time I lost and he frowned, said I "wasn't good enough."

Leaning on the car door, I almost laughed. "Ruin your career? Since when are you this insecure?"

"I've got enough trouble losing. You have to make it worse?"

Usually, when he sounded like that, I'd back down.

Not this time.

"That intern—Nadine Grace—had three flaws. You would've caught them in three minutes. So how did you lose?"

He snapped. "Stop being ridiculous. The result's final. I just didn't perform well. You really gonna keep pushing this?"

I laughed. My eyes burned anyway.

"We've been together five years. Twenty-seven matches, big and small. Every time you won, I told myself I just wasn't there yet. But today I get it. It's not that I wasn't good enough—you never planned to let me win."

Silence. A few seconds, then—

"You have to admit, overseas is tougher. It's normal that Nadine beat me. Same as five years ago when I came back and beat you—you'd never lost. If you're not good enough, you accept it."

I squeezed my phone, nails biting into my palm. "So what? She beat you once, not me. You gonna marry her for that?"

"Clara! I've never thought that." He reined it in, voice heavy. "But I made that promise publicly. If I don't follow through, it makes Nadine look bad. Let's stop here. We both need to cool off."

'Stop here.'

It hit like a slap.

The heat in my eyes finally broke. Tears slid down my cheeks.

So this was it. Five years. The wedding I waited for.

From start to finish, I was the only one in it.

I hung up and got in the car.

Everything I'd buried came rushing back, glitching through my head like broken code.

I met Julian seven years ago at the National Actuarial Case Competition.

I'd just turned eighteen—the actuarial world's golden girl, stacking wins back to back.

Eighteen years. I'd never lost.

I was the kid everyone compared their kid to. Perfect. Untouchable.

Then I met him in the finals.

Before that, he was just a name—"the guy who came back from overseas."

Then he sat across from me, running complex algorithms like it was nothing.

That's when I learned what it feels like to get completely outclassed.

He wasn't fast, but every move was exact, like a simulation.

Calm. In control.

I didn't get crushed.

But I lost. Clean.

After the match, he walked over and handed me a bottle of warm water. "Your model's creative, but too aggressive. Like a rushing river. You need more resilience in risk control."

It was the first time anyone had called out a flaw that precisely.

And the first time I felt that kind of curiosity about someone.

Later, I found out he was already known overseas as an actuarial genius.

From then on, I started showing up on purpose.

I used "asking for advice" as an excuse and followed him to every institute and library he visited.

He never turned me away. His explanations were clear, step by step.

Sometimes, he'd point out the spots I couldn't see.

"Clara, actuarial science isn't reckless projection. It's control. Like life—you have to know what to let go."

After that, we just... ended up together. The actuarial world's favorite duo.

People called us the perfect power couple. We even got named joint ambassadors.

In those five years, I gave him almost everything.

Back then, he was gentle. Patient.

When I stayed up late grinding algorithms, he'd show up with hot coffee.

When I lost, he'd ruffle my hair. "Win it back next time."

I thought that softness was just for me.

Later, I realized it wasn't. Just habit. Control.

We had a deal.

"As long as you beat me once, we'll get married."

I stupidly thought it was his way of pushing me. I kept waiting to beat him in a real match—and finally claim the wedding he promised.

But over the next twenty-six matches, I never won.

I told myself I just hadn't worked hard enough.

Now I get it. Start to finish, he only saw me as a junior to train.

A good challenge. Never a life partner.

All those "sweet moments" I clung to? Just a trap he built, piece by piece.

And I walked right in—five years gone, chasing a fantasy.

***

The next day, I went to the actuarial lab like usual.

I pushed the door open—Julian and Nadine were by the window, talking.

He saw me and stepped in front of her. "Clara, I already explained the match. You here to give Nadine a hard time?"

The way he shielded her was blinding.

"You're overthinking it. The lab's for everyone. I'm just grabbing some files."

Julian still didn't look convinced. "You're a great actuary, I'll give you that. But I already made a public promise. If I don't stand by Nadine, what are people gonna say about her? Marriage isn't like actuarial work. It's not just who wins on paper. And with her, it's easy. With you, it always feels like... we're competing."

His words sank in slowly, like a dull blade carving deep.

Easy?

So five years of effort, of being there—that was just "competition" to him?

I looked at him and laughed. "So everything I did to stand next to you turned into a burden? Then why make that promise at all?"

Julian looked away, voice tight with impatience. "The promise was real back then. But things change. The one who beat me wasn't you. You're outstanding—you deserve someone better. Stop fixating on me."

"Someone better..." I echoed. It sounded ridiculous.

Nadine leaned into him, voice soft. "Julian, don't be upset. Ms. Clermont probably just needs time."

"Clara, if you keep this up, we can't even be friends."