I said his first love
My return from studying abroad coincided with my childhood sweetheart, now a hotshot CEO
named Ethan, being completely smitten with my doppelganger. His mother approached me with an offer: “A million dollars. Come back to my son.” I politely declined, “You know, Auntie, a proper ‘one that got away‘ should be as good as dead.” Then she said, “Ten million. What do
you say?” “Deal. Consider it done.”
Fresh off the plane, my phone buzzed with a familiar number. The contact was saved as
“Sugar Mama“. I chuckled and answered, “Hi, Auntie.” That’s right, my ex–boyfriend’s mom was my benefactor, the angel investor who’d funded my overseas education. “Bella, a million dollars. Come back to my son.” “Auntie, what are you saying? Ethan and I broke up three years ago. Besides, haven’t you heard? Even the price of bacon has gone up.” “…Three million. Get rid of that little girlfriend of his.”
<
“Auntie, you know, a proper ‘one that got away‘
should be as good as dead. How can I interfere
with their relationship?” A pause, then a
gritted–teeth response: “Ten million. Deal or no
deal?” Not bad, Sugar Mama, always so
generous. “Deal,” I said decisively. “Consider it
done.” Satisfied, she hung up immediately, not
a second wasted. Two minutes later, a text
confirmed the deposit of three million. My old
client, always efficient with the down payment. I opened my banking app, grinning at the string of numbers. Perfect. The airport’s jumbotron flashed a news headline: “Ethan Carter, CEO, Spends $50 Million on Luxury Mansion for Actress Chloe Sanders.” I looked up, instantly recognizing the familiar face. Ethan looked even more handsome after three years, all traces of boyishness gone, replaced by the charm of a mature man. His expression was sterner than I remembered, softening only when he looked at the woman beside him. And Chloe Sanders, with her stunning features, was a five–out–of–ten on the Bella–look–alike scale. I couldn’t help but
<
2:36
laugh. Ethan, playing the replacement game,
huh?
88
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
2:37
<
2000
88
—
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.
