The Public Challenge

I just ended a five-year marathon of a relationship with my girlfriend, who is five years younger than me.

On the very eve of us getting our marriage license, I caught her at the mall.

She was participating in a public couples' challenge with a younger guy from the architecture department.

After the game ended, I gently took her hand with a bitter smile.

"You said you'd love me forever," I whispered.

She didn't even flinch. Instead, she laced her fingers tightly with the younger student's.

"Silas Sterling, look at yourself. You have no money and you're getting old. Tell me, what exactly makes you think you deserve my love forever?"

I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

She thinks I'm old? She thinks I'm broke?

That definitely wasn't what she said when she was the one chasing me.

Fine. Since she wants to play that game, I'll show her exactly who has the money and who's really in charge.

Sienna Wells chased me relentlessly for two years.

For two years, I turned her down with every bit of resolve I had.

"Sienna, I'm five years older than you. We're not a good match," I told her repeatedly.

But she would always grab my sleeve, looking like a kicked puppy.

"Silas, we're perfect together. I like older men because they know how to take care of someone. Five years is just the right gap."

She never gave up. She pursued me from her freshman year all the way to her junior year.

At that time, I was finishing my master's degree. Most of my friends were already talking about engagement and marriage.

Out of the four of us in my dorm, I was the only one still single.

My roommates had watched her chase me for over seven hundred days. Before graduation, they all urged me not to leave any room for regrets.

On the night of our graduation dinner, the air was warm and the moonlight hit the lake just right. As we passed each other, the spark was undeniable.

I realized I couldn't fake my feelings anymore. I actually loved her.

In a moment of impulse, I grabbed her wrist and finally accepted the confession she had been shouting to the world.

For five years, our relationship seemed rock solid.

Even two years ago, when my family went bankrupt, she didn't leave me.

My father had skipped town with the company funds, leaving behind a mountain of debt and a mess for my mother and me to clean up.

I used the house and all my savings to pay off the creditors, but it still wasn't enough.

We moved into a cramped, rented apartment. My life went from luxury to the literal dirt overnight.

My mother spent her days in tears, unable to see a way out.

My own startup was just in its infancy, and it was the hardest period of my life.

I didn't want to drag Sienna down with me, so I forced myself to break up with her.

She refused. She spent every day waiting outside my office building.

When she finally learned the truth, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist.

"Silas, I'm not leaving you. I will love you through everything. For better or worse, we're in this together until we're gray and old."

Her hot tears soaked through my shirt, and my heart ached with a mixture of pain and devotion.

I felt so much pity for her, but it only made me more determined to love her.

From that day on, I swore I would work myself to the bone to give her the best life possible.

But two days before we were supposed to get married, I saw her with another man.

I watched them passionately kissing in the middle of a crowded mall.

I was at the mall with my assistant, scouting locations for my new immersive gaming experience, when I saw a familiar figure.

It looked exactly like my sweet little girlfriend.

I even recognized the dress. It was a piece I had bought for her myself.

But I told myself it couldn't be Sienna.

The figure was standing on a stage in the mall atrium, right in the middle of a heated "Couples' Kissing Challenge."

Sienna was the type of girl who blushed if I even kissed her forehead. She wouldn't be at such a public, provocative event.

Besides, I was her boyfriend, and I wasn't the one on that stage with her.

I rubbed my temples, thinking I was just overworked and seeing things.

Then, my assistant's voice broke the silence.

"Mr. Sterling, that girl on stage... it looks a lot like Miss Wells."

Before the words fully landed, the girl turned around. The face that greeted me was unmistakably hers.

It really was Sienna.

Except she was standing next to a much younger man.

My assistant immediately went silent, sensing the tension.

My brows furrowed as I stormed up onto the stage and grabbed her wrist.

"Sienna, what are you doing? Are you just here watching the show with a friend?"

Sienna looked at me, surprised but not guilty. She actually patted her chest with a confident smile.

"Silas! What are you doing here? Jasper and I are here to win the grand prize!"

She said it so casually. She was here with another man for a kissing contest, and she didn't see the problem.

A wave of cold fury washed over me, threatening to drown my sanity.

I tried to pull her off the stage.

"Stop this nonsense, Sienna. I'm your boyfriend, and you're here to kiss another guy for a show?"

"We're getting married in two days. Do you really think this is okay?"

The air around us went still. The audience below was staring at us like they were watching a reality TV drama.

But Sienna dug her heels in, biting her lip and looking annoyed.

"Silas, don't overthink it. Jasper is just a good friend."

"The contestant list is locked. The organizers said no substitutions, or we're disqualified. I've wanted that limited edition designer plushie for forever."

A deathly silence followed her words.

I stared into her eyes, looking for a trace of the girl I knew.

On her other side, I felt the younger man's burning gaze.

I knew right then that their relationship was anything but "just friends."

As the timer for the next round started, Sienna frantically pushed me toward the stairs.

"Don't be a buzzkill, Silas. It'll be over in minutes. If it bothers you that much, just turn around and don't watch."

"Or I'll make it up to you and kiss you twice as much when we get home, okay?"

She let go of my hand and ran back to the center of the stage.

I stood in the crowd, watching my "sweet" girlfriend get intimate with her "good friend." It felt like a jagged blade was slowly carving up my heart.

The pain was unbearable.

On stage, Sienna boldly wrapped her arms around the guy's neck and giggled.

"Jasper, close your eyes and kiss me," she whispered loud enough for the mic to catch.

Jasper ran his fingers through her hair. He smirked, his eyes finding mine in the crowd with pure provocation.

The next second, their lips met.

I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. My nails dug into my palms until they bled.

The host and the crowd cheered, but my heart was sinking into a dark, frozen abyss.

Unsurprisingly, the two of them won.

Sienna stood on the podium, clutching her precious plushie, leaning her head on the guy's shoulder with a radiant smile.

Suddenly, I remembered who he was.

Jasper Montgomery. A junior in the architecture department who spent his life bragging about being a trust-fund kid.

His family was in real estate, and he was only in school to eventually inherit the business. When he wasn't doing nothing, he was cruising around campus in his supercar.

He was the type of guy that shallow girls fell for instantly.

I had played a basketball game against him back when I was in grad school. That was the first time Sienna met him.

Later, he became the "little brother" she talked about every now and then.

The crowd was still chanting for one more kiss.

Sienna stood on her tip-toes and planted a shy, lingering kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Jasper pulled her in by the shoulder, deepening the kiss as if they were the only two people there.

The staff took a photo of them together. They looked like the perfect young couple.

The mall was buzzing with excitement, but I felt a bone-deep chill.

I had always given her whatever she wanted.

Even during the two hardest years of my life, I did everything to give her the best.

Now that my debts were paid and my business was thriving, I wanted to give her the world.

Was a stupid toy really worth all of this?

I couldn't wrap my head around it.

When it was over, I waited for her by the exit.

Sienna skipped over to me, shoving the plushie in my face.

"Silas, look! Isn't it the cutest thing ever?"

I kept my hands in my pockets and didn't say a word.

She grabbed my arm and shook it, pouting like a child.

"I'm hungry, Silas. Let's go home and cook. I want those garlic butter steak bites you make."

I looked down at her, my voice devoid of emotion.

"Sienna, let's just not get married."

I used to be so sure of her love. Now, I couldn't see anything but a stranger.

My mind was a chaotic mess.

Sienna immediately dropped my arm and snapped.

"Silas Sterling, don't you dare start with me. Are you really going to hold a grudge over something this small?"

I looked at her, stunned. Since when was cheating considered "something small"?

I didn't call her out on Jasper yet. I wanted to see if she had any honesty left.

But she didn't. She just kept piling on the lies.

Our relationship was already a shattered mirror, broken beyond repair.

But five years is a long time. It would be a lie to say I didn't feel the weight of the heartbreak.

The anger was bubbling up, ready to explode.

I forced myself to stay calm because I knew she used to be scared of my temper. I held it in for the sake of what we used to have.

I took her hand one last time and forced a sad smile.

"You said you'd love me forever. But you've already found someone else."

Jasper stepped up right then, sliding his arm around Sienna's waist. His eyes were full of malice.

"Babe, I've been waiting. Are you done talking to this old man?"

He looked at me with total disdain.

"Let's go eat. I booked a table at The Gilded Orchid. It has the best view in the city."

He leaned in, making sure I heard his next words.

"Some people probably can't even afford a glass of water there."

I felt a surge of self-mockery. Has the world changed so much that a thirty-year-old is an "old man" to a twenty-five-year-old?

Sienna's brow furrowed as she looked back and forth between us.

I sighed and let go of her hand.

"It's over, Sienna. I'll go buy the groceries and make you that steak one last time. After that, we're strangers."

I turned to walk away, trying to keep some shred of dignity.

But she called out to stop me.

When I turned back, she was interlacing her fingers with Jasper's.

"Silas, we can break up, but you don't get to dump me. I'm dumping you."

She had a cruel smile on her face as she poked my chest with her designer-manicured finger.

"You have no money, you're old, and you're a bore. Tell me, why should I keep loving you?"

I laughed out loud.

So, the truth finally came out.

I'm old? I'm broke?

That's not what she said when she was begging for my attention.

Now that she thinks she's snagged a bigger fish, I'm just garbage to be thrown away.

The promises of the past were nothing but smoke. Her words were daggers aimed at my heart.

The coldness in my soul spread to my very bones.

She had always been spoiled. Throughout our years together, if I ever disagreed with her, she'd throw a tantrum.

I was always the one who had to be patient and give in.

She knew I felt guilty about our age gap and my past bankruptcy. She used that guilt to stomp on me.

I didn't want to explain myself. She wouldn't understand anyway.

All I knew was that we were finished.

I gave her a pale, hollow smile and walked away without looking back.

When I got home, I sat on the balcony and smoked through the entire night.

Sienna didn't come back.

As the sun began to rise, the warmth hit my skin, but it couldn't reach the ice in my chest.

We really did have happy times once.

I think it was before my family lost everything.

Back then, I humored all her little moods, and she was always tucked under my arm.

We were the couple everyone envied.

Maybe the only reason she stayed after the bankruptcy was because she hadn't found a better replacement yet.

What hurt the most wasn't her change of heart. It was the fact that I had wasted my best years on a woman like her.

I pulled out my phone and checked my feed. There she was on Jasper's social media.

It was a photo of her sleeping.

She was wrapped in a duvet, her shoulders bare, looking peaceful. Jasper's face was half in the frame, his finger poking her dimple.

In the background, on the nightstand, were several colorful boxes of protection.

The caption read: "My little kitten worked so hard last night, she's still passed out."

My lips trembled. I couldn't even find words.

She wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.

The pain in my head was becoming a dull, rhythmic throb.

Any adult could see exactly what happened that night.

I didn't hesitate. I packed every single thing she owned and threw it out the door.

I grabbed a can of air freshener and sprayed every inch of the apartment.

I kept spraying until there wasn't a trace of her scent left. Only then did I collapse onto the bed and pass out from exhaustion.

Two hours later, a loud banging on the door woke me up.

I opened it, bleary-eyed, to find Jasper standing there looking like he owned the place.

"Listen, Silas. Be smart and give up on that marriage license. You're an old, ugly, broke loser. What can you give her? She belongs to me now."

He grabbed my collar, his face twisted in a smug grin.

If I let a homewrecker stand at my door and insult me like this without doing anything, I wouldn't be a man.

Something inside me snapped.

I didn't waste time talking. I swung my fist with everything I had, right into his smug face.

When I was working to pay off my debts, I spent some time as a janitor at a boxing gym. The old trainer there had taught me a few things.

A soft, pampered brat like Jasper was no match for me.

It was a total slaughter.

I didn't stop until he was cowering on the ground, his hand over his bloody mouth.

He scrambled away, shouting empty threats, his eyes full of fear.

I have to admit, it felt damn good.

But the best part was still to come.

A few days after Jasper's visit, Sienna showed up.

She brought a moving company to take away the rest of her things.

The movers were busy going in and out.

Since I had already seen through her fake mask, she didn't bother acting sweet anymore.

She leaned against the doorframe, lighting a slim cigarette and blowing smoke into the air.

"To be honest, Silas, I didn't think you were that old when I was chasing you. But now? You literally smell like an old man. Younger guys are just... more energetic."

"Besides, he can give me things you could never achieve in a lifetime."

I just smiled.

So "energetic" is the word she's using now?

Too bad she didn't know that Jasper was actually closer to my age than she thought.

I shook my head, giving her one last piece of advice.

"Sienna, don't regret picking him."

Her smile froze for a second.

"What's that supposed to mean? You're trying to trash Jasper just so I won't leave? You're pathetic."

I realized she thought my warning was just a desperate attempt to keep her.

She reached into her bag and pulled out two red bookletsDmarriage licenses. She slammed them against my chest.

"Think you're the only one I can marry? Keep dreaming, Silas. Get over it."

I looked at the photos. It was her and Jasper.

She grabbed my shirt, her sharp nails digging into my neck.

"Look at the man next to me. It could be anyone, Silas. Anyone but you."

I clenched my teeth and took the insult in silence.

If she wanted to be cruel, then I didn't owe her any mercy.

I smoothed out the wrinkles in my collar and looked down, a dark smirk tugging at my lips.

We'll see who's laughing when the dust settles.

The next day, I threw myself back into work.

That's the reality of being an adult. Even if you get cuckolded, you don't have time to sit around and cry.

My studio's new game had become a viral hit recently.

We had opened offline experience centers and even did a collab with a major tea brand.

The fans were begging us to turn it into a full franchise.

Because of that, several major gaming companies were trying to court us.

That evening, I was scheduled to meet the General Manager of CR Corp, the biggest player in the industry, at The Gilded Orchid.

I didn't expect to run into the two people I hated most right at the entrance.

Sienna was clinging to Jasper's arm.

I glanced at them briefly and tried to walk past, but they blocked my path like two stray dogs looking for a fight.

Jasper looked me up and down with pure disgust.

"Silas, this place is V-V-I-P only. Look at you. Are you here to apply for a waiter job? If you're here to serve, why the suit? Still think you're a rich boy?"

Sienna chimed in, her eyes cold.

"Silas, I didn't think you'd sink this low. You have a master's degree from a top university, and this is what you're doing?"

I let out a soft laugh.

They really were a perfect matchDboth rotten to the core.

Before I could reply, Jasper pulled out a card and handed it to the hostess with a cocky look.

"Hi, we'd like this specific 'waiter' to serve our table for the night."

What they didn't know was that the staff already knew I was the guest of the CR General Manager.

And that manager was one of the highest-ranking members of the club.

The hostess looked at them with an awkward expression.

"Mr. Montgomery, Miss Wells, I'm afraid..."

Sienna cut her off sharply.

"I don't want to hear excuses. Is it that hard to assign a waiter? Is this how you treat Tier 2 VIPs? I'll have you fired!"

I just stood there, waiting for the moment they'd make fools of themselves.