Chapter 3

That night, I was rushed to the hospital due to excessive alcohol consumption.

In a near-death haze, I seemed to see a boy sitting beside my bed, his hair black and eyes dark, his features well-defined.

When my vision became clear, I saw Adrian sitting beside me.

He was playing with his phone and sitting on a small stool, his presence utterly out of place.

Noticing I was awake, his bored expression took on a hint of amusement. I saw the mischief in his eyes, yet I kept staring into those beautiful, dark pupils.

Adrian leaned over, caressing my forehead intimately as if we were close. "Jessica, whatever you want, I can give it to you. Will you stay with me?" he asked.

His eyes met mine, yet it felt like he wasn't really seeing me.

I stared back unblinkingly, and after a moment, nodded slightly in agreement. "Okay."

I needed the money.

...

In fact, my connection with Adrian began much earlier.

We were high school classmates.

I didn't know why, after all these years, Adrian suddenly took an interest in me.

After all, his first love was Dorothy, the school beauty. She was beautiful, came from a wealthy family, had good grades, and could play piano and ballet, the type of girl that any boy would kill for.

Back then, I was just a nerd struggling to earn scholarships.

Before entering the classroom at the start of the new term, I immediately noticed the seemingly perfect couple in the corridor.

The boy was taking a bottle of mineral water handed to him by the girl. He was tall and distinguished, both in looks and demeanor.

The girl next to him wore a white dress, her long hair cascading down her back, her smile gentle and breathtaking.

One was Adrian, the other Dorothy.

When Dorothy saw me, the smile vanished from her face.

But quickly, she tiptoed up to kiss Adrian on the cheek, capturing all his attention, then turned to me with a smile restored.