After a Year of Secret Romance, My Childhood Friend Persuaded Me to Find Another Man. I Did, and He Regretted ItChapter 3

I left in such a hurry that I didn't even put on socks, walking out into the chilly autumn street in just thin shoes.

Passersby kept turning to look at me, because I was crying, wearing only a thin jacket, with messy hair and a swollen nose.

I didn't dare go home. I stood alone by the bridge in the cold wind for a long time, until my tears were dried by the wind. Then I got a call from work.

My manager said the client needed to check a document from last year.

All my files were locked in the cabinet at Jack's place.

After hanging up, I reluctantly dialed his number again.

The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. I could hear noisy voices in the background.

I tried hard to suppress my emotions, not wanting to sound like a jealous woman.

"Jack, I left some documents at home. Can you give me the passcode?"

Thankfully, he just asked what documents they were. I described them, and he hesitated before saying:

"Why don't you come over? I'll give you the key."

"No need, just give me the code. I'll delete it afterwards, don't worry."

He insisted: "Come get the key. I'll text you the address. Sophia's moving in tonight, I can't guarantee she won't throw your stuff out."

He said it so casually, but those were all things we had bought together.

I remember how nervous and happy we were when we picked out those little items. Now he was treating them like trash.

I gave a bitter laugh and took a taxi to the address he gave.

I entered the private room and immediately saw it was full of friends Jack and I had in common.

They were all toasting Sophia.

She sat in the place of honor, elegant and haughty. Her gaze swept over me with contempt.

"Jack, is this your little childhood friend?"

Only then did I notice Jack sitting beside her, focused on peeling shrimp for her.

The plate next to her was already piled high with peeled shrimp.

The man who couldn't even use chopsticks in front of me was now acting like an attentive waiter for another woman.

I swallowed the bitterness in my heart and reached out my hand to him. Before I could speak, he suddenly stood up and came over to me.

"Sophia, I invited her here today to prove I have nothing to hide. There's nothing between us, we're just family friends. I couldn't refuse out of consideration for our families."

Ignoring my suddenly pale face, he turned to our friends.

"You guys can vouch for me, she's the one who's been chasing after me this whole past year."

I looked at him in shock, then uncertainly at our friends.

They had all witnessed Jack's and my relationship develop.

They saw us go from being inseparable to living together.

We spent every important holiday together. They had all seen our passionate embraces.

No one would meet my eyes. They just muttered: "Yeah, Sophia, don't misunderstand. They're just friends."

"Olivia's the clingy type, that's why she's always hanging around Jack."

I opened my mouth, feeling a stab of pain from my fingertips to my chest.

"Sophia, now do you believe me? There's really nothing between us. I've seen her looking like an ugly tomboy, who would fall for a buddy like that?"

Sophia snorted. "So you're saying she shamelessly threw herself at Jack to live with him? Olivia, you're really pathetic."

I jerked my head up, glaring coldly at her about to retort.

Sophia suddenly threw her phone at Jack.

"Prove it to me. If you don't love her, announce in all your group chats that she's the one who chased you. So no one will misunderstand."

I froze in shock.

Jack and I had gone to the same schools since childhood. We had so many mutual friends.

We were in almost all the same group chats. That was my entire social circle.

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