Three years ago, my parents died in a car
accident. The Carter family went bankrupt, and
I, barely an adult, became an orphan, kicked out
by greedy relatives. Ethan held me tight in the
pouring rain, promising, “Bella, don’t be afraid.
I’ll protect you.” I clung to him, drawing warmth from his embrace. He was so young then, with
nothing to offer but a sincere heart. He’d
carefully offered it to me. But sincerity is cheap. So, when his mother showed up, slapped a
million–dollar check on the table, and told me to leave him, I didn’t hesitate to agree. The day I left, Ethan called countless times, begging me to stay. “Bella, don’t go. I’ll take care of you,
okay? Please, don’t leave me!” For the first
time, the big–brother figure I knew had a tremor
of desperation in his voice. I gently soothed
him, told him to be a good boy, then blocked
his number.
<
I applied to Carter Corp’s jewelry design subsidiary, rented an apartment nearby, and started digging into the past three years. What I found was surprising. Ethan had spent the first two years climbing the corporate ladder,
transforming from a disregarded newbie to the all–powerful CEO. My childhood friend was now
a tycoon, even ousting his own mother from the company. His meeting with Chloe was straight out of a soap opera. A year ago, before her current fame, Chloe was tricked into attending a high–profile party by her shady agent. The agent planned to sell her off to a wealthy benefactor; the benefactor wanted a young
actress as a plaything. Ethan, witnessing this injustice, played the hero, winning Chloe’s
heart. From then on, the usually aloof CEO was smitten. He paraded Chloe at every high-
society event, showering her with resources and
connections. Though they hadn’t officially
announced their relationship, everyone knew
they were an item. “A CEO and an actress?” I
tsked, reading fan fiction online. “These
<
–
netizens are pretty good writers.” Though fictionalized, the stories were based on real gossip, snippets of their privileged lives. Like Chloe’s backstory: an orphan, a graduate of a second–tier university, who worked her way up from extra to leading lady — a classic rags–to- riches tale. Or Ethan’s devotion: showering her with jewelry, designer dresses, a mansion, introducing her to directors, and securing her roles. And the drama of their love: Ethan’s mother disapproved of Chloe, leading to
clashes between mother and son. Now I
understood why Sugar Mama contacted me the moment I landed. Back then, Ethan merely
disobeyed his mother by wanting to be with a
penniless orphan like me. Now, he was defying
her for his new girlfriend. Sugar Mama probably fantasized about Chloe disappearing.
