Iris froze as her eyes locked with Ethan's.
For a second, everything else faded—the café noise, the flashing phones, even the man on one knee.
Ethan didn't say a word.
He didn't have to.
The look in his eyes said it all—betrayal, confusion, heartbreak.
But Iris wasn't focused on that.
Her mind was racing for another reason.
What if James finds out?
If the man kneeling in front of her—James—discovered her past with Ethan, it could ruin everything.
"Iris," James said, breaking the moment.
She blinked, forcing her eyes off Ethan and back toward James.
He was still smiling—confident, proud, completely unaware.
"I know we've only been dating for a few months," he said, his voice clear and loud enough for the entire café to hear, "but I want you to be my fiancée."
Fiancée?
Gasps rippled through the crowd like a wave.
People stared, phones already up, recording every second. Whispers spread like wildfire.
James wasn't just any guy—he was James Langford, one of the most popular students in college. Son of a billionaire. Known for his flashy cars, expensive clothes, and a long list of ex-girlfriends.
And now, he was publicly proposing?
To Iris?
Everyone was shocked. Some were jealous. Others stunned.
But in the middle of all that excitement stood one person—motionless, silent.
Ethan.
His fingers twitched slightly at his sides.
His lips moved, barely a whisper.
"…Fiancée?"
The word hit him like a punch to the chest.
He blinked hard, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.
They've been dating for months?She just broke up with me… today.
His mind reeled.
Was this real?Was she… cheating on me the whole time?
Ethan gasped at the betrayal.
Was she cheating on me?
Ethan couldn't believe it.
While he was struggling to meet her needs—buying expensive things to live up to the standards she wanted—she had been seeing someone else.
Ethan's body trembled with rage, his eyes reddening as he held back the tears threatening to fall. Instead of spending on such a vile woman, he could have sent that money to his mother—that would've been far more meaningful.
"Yes…" Iris smiled, responding to James's proposal. "Yes, I'll be your fiancée."
The crowd erupted with cheers. James slipped the ring onto Iris's finger, and the two hugged and shared a kiss.
"Oh my God?" Ethan's mouth fell open at the sight.
He gripped his hair and uttered loudly, "I'm such a fool!"
Some members of the crowd glanced at him like he was a madman.
The couple was still kissing, and the sight pissed Ethan off. He yelled:
"Iris! How could you do this to me?!"
The outburst caught everyone's attention.
The couple broke apart, and James turned toward Ethan, frowning. He tried to figure out who was causing the scene—then realized it was a waiter.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" James asked, rising to his feet. But Ethan didn't reply. His scrutinizing gaze was fixed on Iris, who was looking away, avoiding eye contact.
"So this is why you were so eager to break up with me, huh, Iris? You were seeing someone else even while you were with me."
The crowd was stunned by the accusation and began to chatter.
"What? The two of them were dating?""Impossible. Just look at how he's dressed. Why would Iris date a loser like him?""He's probably just doing this for drama.""But it might be true," a woman in the crowd said."Come to think of it, I did hear Iris was seeing someone," another added.
With that, the speculation grew.
Panic flared in Iris's chest. If everyone found out she had dated someone like Ethan up until today, her reputation would be ruined. People would mock her for dating a poor loser. She could even lose her relationship with James.
Iris, a freshman in university, had originally chosen Ethan because he was nice and handsome. That was enough for her—at first. But as time passed, she watched her friends flaunt designer bags, limited-edition clothing, even new cars gifted by their boyfriends.
Seeing that, Iris began to crave more—things Ethan could never afford, even if he sold all his organs.
So, she turned her attention to someone who could provide those things: James, the man of her materialistic dreams. Of course she wouldn't turn him down—not for a nightmare like Ethan.
She thought she'd done the smart thing by keeping her relationship with Ethan a secret. Since no one knew, she could just play dumb.
"What are you talking about?" James asked, confused. The waiter seemed to be implying that he and Iris had a history.
Was that true? He was about to turn to Iris for an answer when she beat him to it.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Iris asked, feigning confusion as she looked at Ethan like he was a stranger she'd just met.
Ethan let out a short laugh, stunned by her act.
"Did you hit your head? We spoke just a few minutes ago on the phone."
"Sorry, I have no memory of you. You must have the wrong person," Iris said coldly.
Ethan's frustration mounted.
She was pretending not to know him.
"I told you he's just doing this for attention," someone muttered.
"Pathetic. He's just jealous his one-sided crush found someone."
Ethan clicked his tongue in irritation.
He wanted to prove she was lying—so he pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
Her phone rang.
The crowd gasped.
Ethan grinned. Now she couldn't deny it.
But then Iris raised her phone and showed the screen to James and the crowd.
The caller ID was blank.
She had deleted his number.
Ethan's brows furrowed.
She had erased him that quickly?
"How… how did you get my number?" Iris said, her tone accusing, her glare suspicious.
Ethan scoffed."What? What do you mean, how did I get your number? You were my girlfriend until a few minutes ago!"
Iris stepped back, moving behind James slightly. "Have you been stalking me?!"
"What?!" Ethan exclaimed, stunned.
"You're a stalker?" James accused, stepping forward, protective.
"I remember him now, James," Iris said dramatically. "He asked me out the other day, and I rejected him."
Ethan shook his head.
That was a lie.
But she kept going.
"I must have hurt him too much by rejecting him," she sniffled. "It seems he hasn't recovered."