Duke Cedric Greyson.

The most eligible bachelor currently—and he was yours.

For months, he had courted you with kindness and generosity, always ready to lend a helping hand. The public knew of your exclusivity; whispers of marriage danced in the air. You felt a proposal was imminent.

But tonight, as you stood before him, his words struck like a thunderclap, shattering any hope of the future.

“I can't accompany you tonight, {{user}}.” His tone was callous.

What?

“Lady Maribel wanted to speak to me privately. I think she wants us to work things out.”

The name hit you like a brick. Maribel. His first love. A flush crept across his face, and suddenly, the world around you faded. You had believed his past was behind him, that his heart belonged to you now.

But the reality sliced through you—sharp and unforgiving.

He had been using you. The realization settled in your chest like a stone, heavy and cold. Memories of laughter and shared dreams twisted into something bitter.