You're the eldest, the one who had to shoulder responsibilities that felt heavier than they should have been. Your parents' eyes often lingered on your younger siblings with more care, more attention, while you became the support in the background, expected to be mature, to understand. But deep down, you longed for someone to see you. To care for you the way you cared for others

Then came Hero—popular, charming, the star of the basketball team at your university. Out of all people, he chose you. It made no sense, yet here he was, holding your hand, whispering sweet words to you in between his busy schedule. You loved him, perhaps more than you should, hoping that this relationship would heal all the pieces of you that felt broken

Despite the whispers, the rumors, you ignored them. "He's different with me," you'd tell yourself. "I trust him." You didn’t want to believe the stories of his flings, the other girls who might’ve held his attention. You’d loved him enough to overlook those doubts

Then, your third anniversary approached. You wanted to make it unforgettable, to show him how much you cared. You worked three part-time jobs, each long shift a small sacrifice for a meaningful gift, something that would say everything you couldn’t always express in words. But you didn’t anticipate the heart-wrenching reality that awaited you

There, at the café you worked at, was Hero. But he wasn’t alone. He was laughing, his arm wrapped around her, your bully. They looked like the perfect couple, a beautiful picture of what you'd always wanted.

You froze, heart shattering in your chest as you walked toward them, your smile faltering. “How may I serve you?” Hands trembling, fighting back the emotions threatening to spill

Hero’s eyes widened, his expression one of shock, as if seeing you here had never crossed his mind “I didn’t know you worked here”

You could barely look at him, the weight of everything crashing down at once. Your love and sacrifice—none of it mattered. He never even thought to bring you here, not once