I Traded Three Years of Love for One Perfect Revenge Chapter 01
After my best friend and I both got into Aldercrest University, my boyfriend gave each of us a college survival kit.
I opened mine. Inside was nothing but a campus map.
My best friend’s kit had the newest laptop, the latest iPhone, a gold bracelet, and a diamond pendant necklace.
My boyfriend hurried over and took her kit back. “Wait, I mixed them up.”
I thought he’d given us the wrong ones and was about to switch them.
Instead, I watched him tuck $7,000 in cash into her kit and hand it right back to her.
“This is spending money. Use it however you want.”
Then he turned to me. “You’re not exactly the brightest, and getting into Aldercrest was mostly luck. You should start by learning your way around campus.”
My best friend gave him a bashful little shove. “Look at you. You’re actually being generous for once.”
I stood off to the side clutching my campus map, feeling like the third wheel.
A passerby smiled at them. “You two are such a cute couple.”
My boyfriend lowered his head, blushing, and didn’t correct them.
I opened the Notes app on my phone and stared at the future I’d planned with Cole Mercer.
[Trips. Making bead art together. Making rings together…]
I deleted them one by one until the final item—marriage—was gone too.
I erased him from my plans, then from my life.
From that moment on, my future no longer included him.
***
Before I could even finish deleting the list, the two of them practically dragged me into an upscale seafood restaurant.
Cole took the menu from the server and started ordering.
He ordered Australian rock lobster, king crab, and bluefin tuna sashimi.
Every dish was one of Brielle Dawson’s favorites.
Cole knew perfectly well that I had a severe seafood allergy.
Back in high school, I’d accidentally eaten a shrimp and broken out in hives from head to toe. An ambulance had rushed me to the ER.
Cole had sat beside my hospital bed crying, swearing he’d never let me go near seafood again.
Now he’d filled the entire table with it.
Then he pushed plate after plate of expensive seafood toward Brielle.
Brielle covered her mouth, trying to hide a smile.
“Cole, all this is way too expensive. I feel bad letting you spend so much on me.”
Cole’s expression softened with obvious affection.
“As long as you’re happy, who cares what it costs?”
He glanced at the empty plate in front of me and frowned.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“We’re at a place this nice and you’re still being picky. You’re impossible.”
The sheer nerve of him made my stomach turn.
“I’m allergic to seafood. Did you forget?”
Cole paused for a second, then waved it off.
“Oh, stop being dramatic. A little isn’t going to kill you.”
The only thing on the table that wasn’t seafood was a plate of grilled asparagus.
I picked up my fork and reached for a spear of asparagus, but a hand shot out and stopped me.
“That’s organic asparagus. I ordered it for Brielle.”
“She hasn’t been feeling well lately. She needs to eat more vegetables.”
“Just fill up on bread.”
Then he set the asparagus directly in front of Brielle.
Brielle gave me a taunting look, picked up a spear of asparagus, and ate it slowly.
“Honestly, I’m not even that hungry. You don’t have to give me all of it.”
Cole replied at once. “No. Your stomach’s been sensitive lately. You need more greens.”
I set down my fork without a word.
They laughed and chatted beside me, discussing where they wanted to go shopping after dinner.
The server came over with the check. “Your total comes to $950, sir.”
Cole patted his pockets.
“I’ve hit my card’s daily spending limit.”
“Use our joint account to cover dinner for now.”
That was the account we’d started in high school as a fund for the future we’d planned together.
I’d spent the entire summer working at a fast-food place, on my feet for more than ten hours a day, until my hands were rough and callused.
“I saved that money dollar by dollar from my summer job.”
“I’m not paying.”
Cole slammed his hand down on the table.
“Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”
“It’s not even a thousand bucks. Do you really have to be this stingy?”
“Girls who get this hung up on money are such a turnoff.”
Brielle’s eyes reddened instantly, and the tears came just as fast.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have eaten anything this expensive.”
“It’s all my fault. I’ll pay you back. I just don’t have that much money right now.”
Cole immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tried to comfort her.
“Brielle, don’t cry. This isn’t your fault.”
“She’s the one being petty. Who makes this big a deal over one dinner?”
The other diners started looking over at us.
Even the host at the front was watching.
Cole snatched my phone and paid the check from our joint account.
As I watched the balance hit zero, the last of my feelings for him went with it.
This was the last time I’d ever foot the bill for his shameless behavior.