Chapter 2

She firmly believed I could never truly leave her.

Ten years ago, I fell victim to a carefully orchestrated trap on campus.

After being drugged, I found myself disoriented and cornered by a group of girls in a secluded spot.

They took photos of me in a humiliating, restrained state.

These pictures spread rapidly across the campus network.

From that point on, I became the target of ridicule for certain students.

It started with verbal attacks,

But gradually, the bolder ones began to physically harass me.

One rainy night, several girls dragged me to an alley at the edge of campus, intending to further humiliate me.

It was Serenity who suddenly appeared and rescued me.

That night, she was like a heroine from a movie, brave and fearless.

Afterward, she used her family's resources to help me deal with those photos and rumors.

From then on, I became her loyal follower.

Later, our relationship evolved into a romantic one.

Because of that experience, I developed a fear of physical contact with others, with her being the sole exception.

This was something she always took pride in.

Until three years ago, when we had our first intimate encounter.

My reaction didn't match her expectations.

Even in the dim light, I still caught a glimpse of doubt and disappointment flashing in her eyes.

After that, I continued to resist others' touch, while she began to get close to other men.

What was once pride turned into contempt.This is the reason she didn't want to marry me.

In her heart, I was probably no longer pure.

I posted a status on social media.

[Anyone want to join me at the Tech Summit? Tomorrow night in Silicon Valley, VIP seats.]

The comment section quickly bustled with activity.

Unfortunately, no one was able to make it.

A close friend sent me a flurry of messages:

[Bro, I'm on a business trip. Won't be back until next Monday.]

[Is this the event you were planning to go to with Serenity?]

While scrolling through the replies, a private message quietly arrived.

I casually opened it.

"Dashiell, as it happens, I'm in Silicon Valley for work. We could go together."

Reading this message, I was taken aback.

A figure emerged from the depths of my memory, slender yet determined.

It was Stella, the older girl from next door during my childhood.

The summit was set to begin at 8 PM.

Considering we could have dinner first, we agreed to meet at 5:30.

Stella was held up by an urgent video conference and sent her assistant to pick me up.

As the car pulled into the restaurant,

Stella was just stepping out of a discreet executive car, followed by two women exuding an air of professionalism.They each held documents in their hands, their expressions focused.

Now at twenty-seven, she had become the founder of a renowned tech company in Silicon Valley.

After retirement, Stella's grandfather chose to return to his mountain village.

Coincidentally, it was right next door to my grandfather's place.

Every holiday, we would meet there.

Back then, I had no playmates in the countryside, so I followed her around all day.

Climbing mountains, crossing ridges, watching fish by the stream.

When we got tired, I would always crouch down so she could climb on my back.

And she would often fall into a deep sleep while riding on my back.

I remember playing house as a child, and I would always solemnly declare:

"Big sister Stella is the nicest to me. When I grow up, I'm going to marry her!"

When I went through a difficult time years ago, she rushed back from overseas specifically to see me.

But during that period, I shut myself off, refusing to see anyone.

Gradually, we lost touch.

Until five years ago, when Serenity's company fell into crisis, facing massive compensation.

As it happened, the creditor was a subsidiary of the Luo Group.

I thought of Stella.

To seek help, I made a special trip back to my hometown.

That's when I got her contact information again.

However, since then, we've had no further communication.

Seeing me, she gave a brief explanation to her colleagues behind her.Then she walked towards me with a smile.

The smile on her face was warm and sincere,