My boyfriend of a year suddenly told me I was just a stand-in for his ex-girlfriend. Now that his ex was back, he wanted to break up. Of course, I agreed immediately. Thank God, I could finally stop pretending! 1. Today was my weekly date with Ethan Vance. As usual, I got all dressed up and arrived at the restaurant right on time, only to find, surprisingly, that he was already there. I mean, we’d been together a year, and I was always the one waiting for him. I felt a little uneasy, worried he might chew me out for being late. "Sorry, looks like I'm a bit late. Traffic was just awful," I offered, making up a lame excuse. Ethan, usually cool and impatient with me, actually smiled gently. "No problem, you're right on time. You're not late." Not only that, but he pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift box and handed it to me. "See if you like it." This guy suddenly being so nice to me? Who knew what the catch was. "Uh, I haven't done anything wrong, have I?" I asked cautiously. Ethan paused, then chuckled. "Why so nervous? You're my girlfriend. Isn't it normal for me to give you a gift?" Giving your girlfriend a gift is normal, sure, but he’d never really treated me like a girlfriend, and he certainly had never put any thought into getting me a present before. Ethan was suspicious by nature, always thinking women who got close to him were after his money, including me. So he was constantly testing me. I’d managed to stay strong and not get tempted, earning just enough trust to stick around. "Go on, take it. It's really for you. After all, today's our one-year anniversary." I froze. I couldn't believe he actually remembered our anniversary! I'd completely forgotten! I reacted quickly, glancing at him shyly. "I didn't think you remembered. I thought you didn't really care about celebrating things like this, so I didn't get you anything…" Ethan waved it off. "It's fine, don't worry about it. Let's eat." The meal was incredibly pleasant. Ethan kept serving me food himself, refilling my water, even wiping the corner of my mouth – playing the perfect role of a gentle, loving boyfriend. My mind was racing with suspicion. What was this guy up to? Don't tell me he actually wanted to sleep with me?! The thought sent a jolt of panic through me, and my brain instantly started scrambling for an escape plan. After dinner, I put down my utensils, just about to make an excuse to bolt, when Ethan spoke, his voice gentle yet serious. "Chloe, let's break up." I completely forgot to control my expression, my mouth hanging open as I let out a comical, "Huh?" A flicker of guilt crossed Ethan’s eyes. "Actually, the reason I got together with you in the first place was because you look a lot like my ex-girlfriend." "Later on, it was because you have a great personality – easygoing, no drama. Being with you was comfortable, relaxing. But… she came back recently. I thought about it carefully, and I think I might still be in love with her. So, I'm sorry." 2 I didn't say anything. I blinked hard, managing to squeeze out a couple of tears before looking up at him, all pitiful and heartbroken. A bitter smile touched my lips. "It's okay," I said sadly. "I always knew you didn't really love me. All this time, I just hoped I could stay by your side a little longer, just a little bit longer. That would have been enough." "I was always prepared for you to leave me, but… this still feels pretty sudden." I sniffled, getting into character, my voice starting to choke up. "Since you've made up your mind, I wish you happiness." No anger, no resentment, no making a scene. My reaction clearly surprised Ethan, but it successfully made him feel guilty and sorry for me. He moved closer, wanting to hug me, offer some comfort, but I sidestepped him. "Since you know where your heart lies, please don't get close to me anymore. It wouldn't be fair to… her." Ethan's hand froze mid-air, then slowly dropped to his side. "I'm the one who wronged you. I'll transfer some money to your account, as compensation." Before I could respond, he added quickly, "I know you don't care about money, but it's the only thing I can give you." With my back to him, a delighted smile spread across my face. When I turned back around, my expression quickly shifted back to grief. I dabbed at the already dry tear tracks on my cheeks and managed a choked, difficult "Okay." Then I grabbed my purse and walked away with unsteady steps, looking completely devastated. The driver worked for Ethan, so I had to keep the act up in the car. I held a tissue to my face, sobbing quietly the whole way. Even the driver felt bad for me and kept trying to console me. "Miss Chloe, please don't be too upset. Besides Miss Olivia, you're the only woman who's stayed by Mr. Vance's side this long. It shows you were different in his eyes." I wailed dramatically, "What good does that do?! The second she comes back, he just throws me away like trash!" The driver chuckled awkwardly and fell silent. Back home, finally, I could let my pent-up emotions out. I collapsed onto the bed, checked my bank account – a nice chunk of change had just landed – and started laughing, louder and louder. 3 Once I’d laughed myself out, I went to the bathroom to take off my makeup, revealing a face quite different from the one I presented when made up. Ethan thought I was deeply in love with him, which was why I was so obedient, considerate, understanding, patient, and never caused any drama. But what he didn't know was that he was basically just a client. A year ago, I got an order from his mother. She told me her son, Ethan Vance, had fallen apart after a breakup, spending his days smoking and drinking himself sick, ending up in the hospital several times with bleeding ulcers. His mom's heart ached for him, so she wanted to find someone new to help him heal and move on. But Ethan, back then, only had eyes for his ex. No other woman, no matter how great or beautiful, could catch his attention. I'm a makeup artist. I used to run my own social media account showcasing makeup transformations. That's how Ethan's mom found me. She showed me pictures of Ethan's ex-girlfriend and asked if I could recreate a similar look. It wasn't hard for me. After applying the makeup, I looked about 70-80% like the other girl. Ethan's mom was very satisfied and proposed a deal: use the makeup look to get close to her son. If I could become his girlfriend and pull him out of the past to start a new life, she'd pay me a hefty sum. The amount was dozens of times my current annual income. Only a fool would turn that down. So, I signed the contract immediately and deleted my old social media account to avoid Ethan finding out. With a face resembling the girl he loved, getting close to Ethan wasn't difficult. Besides, this was always just a business transaction. I had zero emotional investment in Ethan, which meant my tolerance level was extremely high. That's why Ethan could never find fault with me or a reason to break up. The contract I signed with his mother was for one year, but it had a clause: if she wanted to renew at the end of the term, I had to agree to another year unconditionally. Honestly, I really didn't want to do it anymore. If I continued, I couldn't guarantee I could keep things from getting physical. If Ethan wanted to keep dating me, he probably wouldn't keep his hands off me forever. But most importantly, the person I actually liked was back. So, I was genuinely relieved that Ethan broke up with me today. And I even got a substantial compensation payment unexpectedly. This was truly a fantastic turn of events. 4 Recently, the group chat for my old class has been buzzing about organizing a reunion. They asked everyone for their availability. I also knew that the person I'd liked for so long, Liam, was flying back home today. I got up early and spent a long time getting ready. Not imitating anyone, just making myself look good, my kind of pretty. With a heart full of excitement, I went to the airport arrivals area. I scanned the crowd eagerly for what felt like ages until finally, I saw him appear. Liam Carter, you're finally back. In that instant, my eyes filled with tears. My lips trembled, but I couldn't manage to call out his name. He seemed to sense my intense gaze, stopped, and turned his head to look my way. I quickly ducked down, letting the bustling crowd hide me. After a moment, I hesitantly stood up again. All I could see was Liam's back, already walking away into the distance. Another crucial reason I'd agreed to the Ethan job was that he bore a striking resemblance to Liam. I missed Liam so much. But he was halfway across the world, and I couldn't even sneak a peek at him. Ethan's face significantly eased my longing for Liam. But their personalities were completely different, so Ethan could never replace my real crush, the one that got away. Maybe, for him, I was the same way. All that effort getting dolled up today, and my crush didn't even see me. I stamped my foot in frustration. How, after all these years, was I still such a coward?! I'd had a crush on Liam since high school. Even though his family wasn't well-off, and he always wore clothes and shoes that were faded from washing, he always stood tall and straight, proud like a young tree. He had dignity but wasn't cold; he was kind and gentle, making people feel comfortable and warm around him. He was brilliant, always top of the class, but remained humble. He had so many wonderful qualities; I couldn't help but be drawn to him. But on graduation day, I mustered the courage to confess, only to stumble upon him rejecting another girl. He said gently, "I'm sorry, but my current situation doesn't really allow for dating. My future and earning money are more important right now." That girl got her heart broken, and so did I, simultaneously. I knew my place. I understood I wouldn't be the exception that mattered more than his future and money. So, that confession never left my lips. But I never stopped paying attention to Liam. I knew he got a full scholarship to a top university, then went straight to grad school abroad. Later, he landed a good job offer. He was supposed to be assigned to London, but because he lacked connections, someone with influence snatched the spot, and he was sent to a tougher, less desirable overseas post. I felt so bad for him, and miserable that I couldn't help him in any way. After that, I gradually lost track of him. Oh well, at least I saw him today. Anyway, we'd see each other again soon at the reunion. 5 On the day of the reunion, I spent too much time deciding what to wear and ended up being a little late. I didn't expect Liam to arrive at the exact same time. There were exactly two empty seats left, right next to each other, meant for us. Sitting beside Liam, my heart pounded like crazy. I was a nervous wreck. This led to a series of blunders: my hand trembled so much I couldn't pick up food properly, I dropped my chopsticks, I knocked over my water glass. The more mistakes I made, the more flustered I got, and the cycle continued… Liam had impeccable manners. Even when I spilled water on his pants, he didn't get angry. He helped me get new chopsticks from the server, wiped the table, poured me fresh water, and even put food I wanted onto my plate. And… he didn't use the serving utensils… I stared blankly at the food in my bowl. Suddenly, I heard Liam's clear voice, "Sorry, I forgot to use the serving spoon. If you mind, I can get you a new bowl." I shook my head quickly, popped a piece of rib into my mouth. "Don't mind, don't mind at all! No need to be so formal." It was basically an indirect kiss! How could I possibly mind? I thought I saw Liam's lips curve into a slight smile. My heart beat even faster. Yep, this feeling was something that no one else, no matter how much they looked like him, could ever give me. I deliberately drank a few extra glasses of wine. Then, using the excuse of needing the restroom, I asked Liam to come with me. He readily agreed. Fueled by liquid courage, I cornered Liam at the end of the hallway. Red-faced but serious, I said, "Liam Carter, I've liked you for a long time. If you don't have a girlfriend or anyone you like right now, would you consider me?" "I actually have a lot of good qualities. I'm loyal, I can cook, I make great soup, I'm good-tempered, I don't throw tantrums. Oh, and I'm actually pretty well-off now, so I definitely won't drag you down financially…" I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, staring at him nervously. If he rejected me this time, Liam and I would probably never cross paths again… "Okay." I thought I'd misheard. I tilted my head. "What?" Liam gently took my hand, his gaze incredibly soft. "I said okay." "I'm sorry, you beat me to it." His words left me completely dazed. All I could manage was a dumb, "What?" "I came here planning to ask you out too," Liam said, leaning down slightly to meet my eyes. "My job is stable now, I have some savings, I know how to cook and make soup too, you wouldn't have to. My relationship history is clean, my social circle is good. Chloe, will you go out with me?" Tears streamed down my face as I nodded vigorously. "Yes! Yes, I will!"
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