Chapter 1: Spoiled in the Spotlight

The heiress of a political marriage in Chicago’s elite circles kept a handsome boyfriend, showering him with gifts and attention until he started acting like he owned the place.

It felt like something out of a Netflix drama set on the Gold Coast. All that wealth and luxury only made the betrayal sting more. City lights danced across the penthouse windows, reflections flickering on polished marble, but none of it could distract me from the rising sense of disillusion. The faint scent of expensive cologne and fresh-cut flowers lingered in the air, a reminder of parties that used to mean something.

Just as I was preparing to end the engagement, a flood of pop-up comments flashed in front of my eyes:

[Girl just wants a little attention, is that so wrong?]

[Don’t dump her! Flash her a smile and she’ll hand you the keys to her kingdom.]

Their words buzzed at the edge of my mind, like the constant hum of downtown traffic outside.

I turned to look out the window.

The pretty boy was lounging with his arm around Rachel Sullivan’s slender waist, grinning recklessly.

He looked right at home in his designer sneakers—the kind that sell out in seconds on drop day—cocky as ever. Rachel, nestled into his embrace, wore a sweet and docile smile, the kind you see plastered across wedding announcement spreads in Chicago Social.

I smiled faintly and replied to the lawyer’s message: "Keep drafting the breakup agreement."

A weight lifted off my chest, even if just a little.