1. Betrayal

Around 8 p.m., Felix was sitting on one of the benches in the university park, not far from his dormitory.

In his hand, Felix held the gold ring he had just bought. The ring that Felix had fought so hard for over the past few months.

He does several part-time jobs in the midst of his busy studies, lives frugally every day, and does many other unpleasant things, all of which Felix considers worth it if it is for someone very special to him.

"Anne will be happy," Felix muttered, imagining his girlfriend's happy face.

Anne could be said to be the source of Felix's enthusiasm to continue living his university life. Even though it was hard at times, for some reason it would suddenly lighten up if Felix thought of Anne.

"Is there something holding her back that she hasn't come yet?" Felix muttered.

Felix looked at the clock on his cell phone; it was already past 8 p.m., which meant Anne was more than half an hour late from their original date.

Despite feeling a little worried, Felix tried to be patient and continued to wait.

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, and Anne still hadn't arrived. Feeling worried, Felix finally tried calling Anne several times, but she didn't pick up.

"What happened? Did she forget we had a date?"

Felix again tried to be patient, and he decided to wait a little longer. Felix was worried that when he left, Anne would come, and he would end up disappointing her.

While he was waiting, drops of water began to fall from the sky, which had been cloudy since the afternoon. This made Felix unsure whether he should stay there or go back to his dorm room.

Felix, who thought Anne would come soon, decided to wait, leaving him to feel the cold rainwater and night air.

Another hour passed and the rain began to subside, but Anne had not yet arrived, leaving Felix feeling disappointed in his own hopes.

"Did Anne fall asleep? She must be very tired; I hope she's okay," Felix muttered.

Not thinking about his own drenched state, all that occupied Felix's mind was Anne. His concern for her was no joke, even if what he was worried about didn't necessarily exist.

Felix eventually walked away from the university park, deciding to return to the dormitory because he could no longer bear the cold that covered his entire body.

Just as Felix was leaving the university park, a black sports car pulled up in the parking lot.

Felix didn't pay much attention to it at first. Until a man and a woman got out of there, making Felix unconsciously stop his steps right then and there.

Felix recognized both of them, especially the woman, as none other than his girlfriend Anne. As for the man, Felix recognized him as Reynard, a second-generation rich family who was quite popular in his university.

Felix's presence seemed to go unnoticed by both of them, as evidenced by how they looked so intimate as they got out of the car.

"Honey, do you really have to see him?" said Reynard, as his hand wrapped around Anne's shoulder.

"Sure, I only went to see him to break up anyway. You're not jealous or anything, are you?" asked Anne, looking deeply at Reynard.

"Jealous of a loser like him? Good joke," said Reynard, laughing.

Reynard knew from the start that Anne had a boyfriend, but he didn't care, especially since Felix, Anne's boyfriend, was known as the poor loser on campus, so he wasn't worried.

"Right, he's just a loser. That's why I ended up in your arms."

"Good choice then; now go and make that loser feel the tremendous heartbreak of having to break up with his beloved girlfriend," Reynard was still laughing.

Not far from the two, Felix was still standing where he was. Felix did not move an inch from there, looking confused as to how to react.

Felix heard the whole conversation, especially how Anne called him a loser without hesitation behind his back.

"Was your sweet and kind demeanor in front of me all this time just an act?" Felix murmured, clutching the ring in his hand tightly.

Felix, who couldn't stand it, finally decided to leave. Unfortunately, before he could take a step, Anne's gaze suddenly turned towards him.

This made Felix and Anne's eyes meet. Anne looked surprised, not expecting Felix to be not far from where she was.

Unlike Anne, Felix, with a flat face, averted his gaze. It was as if the two of them had never known each other, even though Felix's chest felt very painful when he did that.

Felix felt that his condition was now at its worst; not only did he have to be cold because of the wet clothes and night air, he even had to endure the pain that was now appearing in his heart.

Felix tried to move as fast as he could to get away from there; what was on his mind now was how he could quickly get to the dormitory and forget about it all.

"Felix, wait!" Anne chased after Felix, managing to stop him by grabbing his wrist.

"What?" asked Felix, his eyes staring blankly at Anne.

"Did you find out everything?" asked Anne.

Felix paused, then said, "Found out what? Is it my girlfriend who cheated on me behind my back or my girlfriend who thinks I'm a loser? Tell me which one."

Anne looked shocked, because that remark proved that Felix was really there when she was making out with Reynard.

"Anne, do whatever you want. Break up; is that what you want? Then let's do it," Felix said with a deep sigh.

Anne was silent; she was surprised to see that Felix's naive figure could actually say such words.

"Never mind, I have to go back to the dormitory to rest because I have a part-time job to do before class in the morning," Felix said, while releasing Anne's hand from his wrist.

"Hahaha, look. Even after finding out his girlfriend cheated on him, this loser is still thinking about his part-time job. Not to mention, what's with the soaking wet clothes? With this, you expect to continue dating Anne, one of the most beautiful women on campus? Stop dreaming," Reynard said suddenly.

Felix's eyes suddenly turned to glare at Reynard, the man who had completely ruined his happiness by taking Anne away from him.

Reynard noticed Felix's gaze on him and immediately raised his eyebrows, after which he said, "What do you mean looking at me like that, loser?"

Felix remained silent, trying to suppress the anger within him that could explode at any moment.

Knowing Felix was ignoring his words, Reynard took offense. This made him angry because Felix was a nobody in his eyes.

"Have you forgotten who I am, loser?" Reynard said as he swung his fist at Felix's face.

Buagghhh!

Felix, who was unprepared, took the brunt of the blow to his cheek. Felix's vision spun around and only stopped when his face hit the ground.

"Honey, don't overdo it. His life is already miserable; how can you make it look even more miserable like this?" Anne said as Felix lay on the ground.

"Losers like him need to be made to feel like this once in a while; after all, why don't you be strict with him and let him babble on like that?" said Reynard.

"Never mind; just leave him alone. Let's get out of here; after all, my business with him is over. I've broken up with him as he said," said Anne with a cynical smile.

"Haha, you're right. Instead of spending time here in vain, let's have some fun," said Reynard as he put his arm around Anne's shoulders and headed towards his car.

Halfway to the car, Reynard roughly patted the head of Felix, who was still lying on the ground, as he said, "Your university life will be hell from now on, loser."

Felix could only clench his hands tightly, not understanding why Reynard had hit him when he was the one who should have been angry.

After the two left, Felix immediately tried to get back up from his position. Felix briefly looked at the ring in his hand before throwing it away because it no longer meant anything, just like Anne in his life.

Felix ended up just walking down the side of the street with unsteady steps, his mind in turmoil because of everything that had just happened.

In the middle of it all, a luxury sedan suddenly stopped not far from him.

A woman in her mid-20s got out of it; the glasses and black blazer the woman was wearing felt familiar to Felix, making him observe the woman further.

"Clarita?" Felix, who began to recognize the woman's figure.

"Mr. Felix, long time no see." Clarita bowed in respect, making Felix uncomfortable.

"What brings you to see me? Is it to persuade me again, like last time? Forget all that; tell grandfather that his grandson can still live even without his wealth and position," said Felix with a flat expression. Clarita's arrival at a time like this was not what he expected.

"Mr. Felix, please listen to me just this once. Your grandfather fell ill and is now in critical condition. I have come to bring you to visit him. As for your availability to be his heir, we can discuss that later," Clarita said.

Felix's expression soured instantly, after which he said, "Take me to see him, right now!"