Chapter 3

"Gabby loves grand gestures. Today, I'm going to prepare a special gift and officially ask her to be with me." It was Blake. He stood at the center of a group of wealthy heirs, carrying himself with a noble air. His eyes shone with a determination and excitement that Elena had never once seen when he was with her. "Congratulations, Mr. Kingston! What about your poor girlfriend? Shouldn't you get her something too?" Blake arched a perfectly shaped brow. "I already did. She taught me how to download that bargain site poor people use—Wish.com. I bought her plenty of fake star certificates there. That's more than enough to entertain her for now." His friends' expressions were full of mockery as one of them said, "Yeah, cheap junk like that suits her perfectly!" "Mr. Kingston, you're a true romantic. You're willing to slum it with a low-class woman just because Gabby asked you to. Respect! "If it were me, I couldn't stomach it." "Speaking of which, she must have some kind of talent for you to tolerate her for two years, right?" Elena froze, waiting in silence for Blake's answer. After a brief pause, he parted his lips and spoke. "She's not bad. Soft, flexible, and easy to push down." Laughter erupted around him, and Elena's face drained of all color. She stumbled after the attendant, following them into her private suite. By the time she calmed herself, the auction had already been going on for a while. A diamond necklace was currently on display. Without much thought, Elena raised her paddle to bid. Moments later, Blake's bid flashed across the screen as well. She pressed her lips together and continued bidding. Blake showed no signs of backing down, raising the price higher and higher with each bid. Only then did she notice that the necklace was shaped like a star. Gabriella loved stars. That was why he was so determined to win it. Elena suddenly lost all interest in it, but she kept bidding anyway. She wanted to see just how far Blake would go for Gabriella. The starting price was ten million, but Blake drove it up to an astonishing 100 million. Just then, the main chandelier lights flared to full brightness as Blake had activated the Skylight Pledge. The Skylight Pledge meant that no matter how high the final price went, he would continue bidding until he won. So, this was how far he'd go when he loved someone for real. He'd be willing to spend without limits and without the slightest hesitation. Elena then thought about those fake star certificates. All of them combined was probably worth less than 100 bucks, and she let out a cold, mocking laugh. She turned her attention elsewhere, picked out a necklace she truly liked, and won the bid for it instead. Since Blake didn't love her, she would love herself. She had assumed he wouldn't be coming home tonight. But then, Gabriella's latest post suggested otherwise. It seemed like something had changed. Her caption read: "No diamond necklace, no matter how expensive, can compare to the song you sang just for me." In the video, Gabriella wore the star-shaped necklace Blake had given her, casually draped around her neck. Her gaze was filled with affection as she watched a man play the guitar and sing. But that man wasn't Blake. She had a new lover. Not long after, Blake stumbled through the door, completely drunk. He mumbled, "I love you… I love you so much…" He pulled Elena into a tight embrace, burying his face against her neck as he continued in a hot and heavy breath, "I can't live without you. Please… don't leave me…" In all their years together, he had never spoken with such deep emotion. Elena froze for a moment, that was until she heard the tremor in his voice. "I gave you my heart, everything, and yet… The moment another man waved his hand, you still left." She closed her eyes, letting out a bitter laugh. So, that deep emotion wasn't meant for her. It was for Gabriella. She should have known. Elena pushed him away coldly. "You're drunk." Blake blinked in confusion. When he finally registered that it was Elena in front of him, he let out a lazy smile. "Elle… Working late was exhausting. I feel awful. Can you stay with me tonight?" He pinned her beneath him in the next second. His eyes were devoid of love, merely filled with a desperate need to release his frustration. A dull ache spread through Elena's chest. So, this was it. The man she had once loved so deeply had never respected her at all. Summoning all her strength, she shoved him off. Since he was already too drunk to react, he collapsed and fell asleep instantly. She stared at his face—handsome even in his drunken state—but the tenderness she once felt was gone. If she could redo everything, she would have never agreed to be with Blake. She would have never given him her heart. Time couldn't be reversed, but she could cut her losses while she still had the chance. From this moment on, she would take her heart back.