After the Breakup: The Heir's Regret

My boyfriend is a prominent figure in Beijing's elite circles.

We've been in a relationship for seven years, yet he remains distant. In public and private, no one knows I exist as his girlfriend.

Despite knowing how much I yearn deeply for marriage, he openly gave a custom-made ring to his idealized first love.

When a video of them passionately kissing surfaced, I realized he could be so deeply and fervently in love with someone else.

Later, he cornered me, his voice trembling, "Can we not break up?

The child needs a father. Let's get married."

I calmly pushed him away.

"It's too late. I don't want either you or the child."

Just ten minutes before the video of Julian and Emilee's kiss went viral, I had requested a leave of absence.

The director looked at me helplessly, "Your career is on the rise, and the hospital intends to promote you to chief physician. Taking leave now..."

"If you insist on this, I'm afraid the opportunity will have to go to someone else."

I touched my abdomen and smiled, "Director, I'm pregnant."

After seven years with Julian, no one anticipated this child more than I did.

I once overheard him talking to a friend.

His voice had never been so gentle, "A child?

They're quite adorable. Having one wouldn't be bad."

For years, Julian was known for his impeccable reputation and moral integrity.

I sweetly thought it was time to marry and have children.

That night, I cautiously hugged his waist and softly asked, "We've been together for seven years. Can we start planning our wedding?"

He was silent for a long time, his eyes deep enough to hold the moonlight, before he lowered his head to silence my incessant chatter with a kiss.

That night, he was unusually persistent, not letting me go until dawn.

The next morning, he left for a business trip abroad.

This child was a gift from that night.

As I left the director's office with a smile, my phone buzzed with a message from my mom.

A short video clip.

In an underground parking lot, the headlights of a Maybach-a symbol of luxury-were on full blast.

Two entwined figures were elongated by the lights, tangled in an intimate embrace.

The woman wore a form-fitting black mermaid gown, a white mink coat precariously hanging from her elbow, her slender waist encircled by the man's arm clad in a deep blue suit.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss.

Julian's job often required him to travel, and that deep blue suit was one I had personally ironed to perfection.

My mom's messages kept popping up: "Isn't that Julian? How can you not keep your man in check?"

"Your brother is about to get married and buy a house. Don't mess things up right before the finish line!"

I didn't reply, just shakily opened the video again.

The woman's face appeared clearly on the screen.

That exquisite, beautiful face clung to Julian, bearing a seven-part resemblance to mine, yet far more captivating and intense.

I stared for a long time until the phone screen went dark, reflecting a pale, bloodless face.

Suddenly, I realized-I was probably just a stand-in.

My relationship with Julian was an accident.

Seven years ago, I was just a fresh graduate, a novice.

On my way to an internship, I accidentally saved Zoie, Julian's mother.

She was profusely grateful, but when she saw my face, she paused, then cryptically mentioned that I had a connection with her son.

To thank me for saving her, she invited me to dinner.

That evening, Julian arrived late.

Upon meeting me, he hugged my waist with reddened eyes, his hot palm gripping my wrist, his voice trembling, "I really like you. Please don't leave. Stay with me."

I hastily pulled away, looking at Zoie in surprise, only to see her smiling with pursed lips.

"Yvonne, Julian has a good impression of you."

The next morning, Julian stood outside my apartment with a bouquet of lilies.

I remember clearly, he wore a dark brown coat and gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes sharp and deep beneath the lenses.

But when he saw me, they softened, and he smiled.

"Yvonne, I really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

I was tempted.

In front of me was a perfect opportunity to escape my original family, one that was hard to refuse.

I was born into a family that traditionally favors boys over girls, with a younger brother who was a constant drain.

My mom threatened to kick me out if I didn't hand over my salary for her to manage.

I had no better option.

So, even though his affection came so abruptly, I agreed.

We lived like polite strangers for half a year. He was a gentleman, never overstepping boundaries.

Until that day, I softened and went home for my mom's birthday. After a drink, I felt dizzy and feverish.

My mom cheerfully brought an older man to my room.

"This is my daughter, Yvonne, an honors graduate from a prestigious university, working as a doctor in a prestigious tertiary hospital in the city."

"Having a smart son in the future is worth the twenty thousand."

It was Julian who appeared out of nowhere, wrapping me in his suit jacket with concern, resolving everything for me.

How could I not fall for him?

Unfortunately, it wasn't until this moment that I understood.

The so-called supposed love at first sight was a lie.

Saving me from danger was merely because he couldn't bear to see someone with the face of his beloved being bullied.

That was all.

Nostalgic memories overwhelmed me, and before I knew it, I had instinctively returned home.

Julian was sitting on the sofa, massaging his temples with a weary expression.

On his shirt was a faint lipstick mark, suggestive and out of place.

When he saw me enter, his gaze shifted, and he opened his mouth to speak, "Where have you been? Why are you back so late?"

"I've been hungry all day. Why didn't you cook? Did something happen?"

His gentle question had an edge of criticism.

I stared at the lipstick mark on his collar with a blank face. "Work at the hospital was hectic today. If you're hungry, you can cook for yourself or order takeout."

Julian paused for a moment, then stood up and embraced me.

His actions were intimate, yet his tone remained as distant as ever.

"Did you see the news?

I just had too much to drink last night. There's nothing between us."

"Don't overthink it, okay?"

I usually bought into this, and my heart softened considerably.

Yet, I failed to realize he was referring to the intimate "us," not the distant "her and me."

He led me to sit down, resting his chin on my shoulder, his voice soft and lingering.

"Jia Jia, I know you've wanted to get married for a long time.

But marriage is a major life event, and I don't want any imperfections.

So, please wait a little longer for me. I won't let you down."

I turned my head, gazing into his amber eyes.

They reflected my pale face and puzzled eyes.

For a moment, I couldn't discern who he was truly looking at through those eyes.

But after seven years of relationship, I couldn't believe it was all insincere.

I still wanted to trust him one more time.

Just this once, the last time.

Unfortunately, he broke his promise once again.

Perhaps it was because I had been browsing too much recently, and the algorithm picked up on my interest in Emilee.

Or maybe the gossip about Emilee and Julian was too sensational, too popular.

Either way, I saw a fan-recorded video of her.

It was an airport video from three days ago.

"Emilee, is it true about you and Mr. Reynolds?"

Emilee smiled politely, "We're just friends for now. As for what you're guessing, I can't comment on that."

After speaking, she casually tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

On her slender, fair hand was a strikingly beautiful ring.

Fans screamed, and someone loudly asked, "Did Mr. Reynolds give you that ring? Are you two getting married soon?"

"This ring is a couple's design from LuminaLux Rings. I saw Mr. Reynolds wearing the men's version in the news yesterday!"

Emilee's eyes twinkled, her cheeks flushed, and her gaze evasive, with a hint of girlish shyness. "Don't jump to conclusions, we're really just friends, just friends."

A fan teased, "The kind of friends who kiss on the car?"

The video abruptly ended.

The phone screen went dark, reflecting my dazed eyes.

Those couple rings were the wedding rings I had meticulously chosen after much deliberation.

At the time, I even played a little trick, leaving the webpage open on Julian's study computer, pretending to forget to close it.

He merely glanced at it and closed it indifferently.

A few days ago, I noticed the men's version of that ring on Julian's hand.

I even happily thought Julian had noticed the couple rings- the women's version was meant to be a surprise for me during the proposal.

But now, the couple rings, sold as a pair, were worn by Julian and Emilee.

Fans and media affectionately referred to Emilee as the future Mrs. Reynolds, Mr. Reynolds' girlfriend.

With this newfound identity, she announced three movies and a TV series in just two days.

In Julian's financial interview, a curious reporter, holding the previous video, playfully asked Julian, "What is your relationship with Miss Emilee? Are you two getting married soon?"

Julian didn't answer, merely smiling faintly and skillfully changing the topic.

He neither confirmed nor denied it.

With the Reynolds Family's resources and influence, dispelling these baseless rumors would be a simple matter.

But Julian didn't; he allowed the rumors to grow unchecked, using the identity of the future Mrs. Reynolds to bolster Emilee's career.

Meanwhile, no one knew of my existence, neither in public nor in private.

This differential treatment made me, the legitimate girlfriend, seem like a joke.

He knew very well how much I longed for marriage, for a home of my own, to slowly heal the wounds of my original family.

I gave a wry smile and sent that news article to Julian on Whatsapp.

Our chat history was a long string of messages.

Julian rarely replied; it was mostly me talking to myself.

He was probably tired of it long ago.

After some thought, I sent him one last message: "Julian, let's break up."

I moved out of Julian's house and used my savings to rent a small apartment.

Julian hasn't called me once, yet his scandals with Emilee frequently make the headlines.

After living here for nearly two weeks, my mom unexpectedly called me.

"Have you lost your mind? Julian just got caught up in some gossip, and you think you have the right to throw a tantrum?

You need to return to the Reynolds Family right away!"

I gripped my phone tightly, my knuckles turning white.

Ever since I got together with Julian, I rarely kept in touch with my family.

I hadn't mentioned the breakup to anyone, so how did she know?

"Did Julian call you?" I asked calmly. "Is that it?"

My mom's expression froze, but she quickly regained her composure and said, "So what if he did?

Julian is such a good man. You're lucky he even noticed you. What are you throwing a fit about?"

"Don't be shameless. Appreciate what's given to you. You should know when to stop!"

To everyone, it seemed like someone as ordinary as me being able to latch onto Julian was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Even Julian himself thought so.

That's why he didn't think I was worth a simple phone call, which wouldn't have taken much of his time.

Instead, he used my mom to give me a warning.

But I'm the youngest associate chief physician, a senior medical position, I've saved many lives, and my office walls are lined with commendations.

I'm not lacking.

Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I spoke with sarcasm, "I'm serious about the breakup."

Taking advantage of my mom's momentary shock, I hung up the phone.

Perhaps her message was swift, as it wasn't long before Julian called for the first time.

His familiar tone greeted me, "Alright, Yvonne, you've been upset long enough. Isn't it time to calm down?"

"Come back, and let's not talk about breaking up anymore. Let's get married, okay?"

I was puzzled.

After dating for so long, I found myself understanding him less and less.

He didn't love me, so why was he thinking of using marriage to tie me down?

Besides, the main person was already back.

Was a mere substitute like me worth all this trouble?

I lowered my eyes and spoke softly, "I can come back, but Julian-"

"Either clear up all the rumors with Emilee and tell everyone she's the third party, or we break up and never see each other again."

"You can only choose one between Emilee and me."

Julian, being a successful businessman, knew best how to maximize his benefits.

So he quietly used his connections to delete many rumors, but he didn't clarify anything, leaving his stance ambiguous.

The fans of the couple were even more excited: "This is true love!

He's avoiding suspicion to protect her career."

"This is such a beautiful love story!"

With this maneuver, Emilee's fan base didn't increase but decreased.

The next day at noon, when I went downstairs to buy groceries, Julian blocked me at the entrance of the community.

He sat in the driver's seat, the window half-open, revealing his lazy eyes and a cigarette between his fingers.

"Let's talk."

He opened the car door and stood in front of me, looking unusually tired. "Leaving without a word, Yvonne, you're something else."

The smell of tobacco from him rushed into my nose.

I stepped back half a step, frowning, "I sent you a Whatsapp message saying we broke up."

He chuckled, "Break up?"

"Yes."

Before he could say more, the passenger door was gently opened, revealing a pair of fair legs.

Then came a woman's soft and sweet voice, "Julian, have you explained things to Yvonne?

I don't want her to misunderstand you because of me. I'd feel so bad."

Emilee calmly walked up to me, leaning affectionately on Julian's shoulder, and greeted me.

"Hello, Yvonne, I'm Emilee."

She smiled and said, "Julian and I are old friends. He just helped me because my career in the country was rocky. Don't overthink it."

"We've known each other for so long. If we wanted to be together, we would have been by now."

Julian truly loved her, so much so that he brought her along even when negotiating with me.

Looking at her face, half proud and half provocative, the second half of the sentence instinctively floated in my mind-

What does it have to do with you?

When my gaze turned cold, she was already curiously sizing me up, laughing heartily, "Julian, Yvonne and I are really connected. Look at us, like we were cut from the same mold."

Julian looked at her helplessly, his tone indulgent, "You, you, don't talk so recklessly."

Emilee pouted.

I couldn't help but laugh, mocking, "Miss Reed, please get it straight.

Before Julian and I broke up, you were the third party."

"Is it necessary to be so arrogant about being the other woman?"

Emilee's eyes filled with anger at being exposed, but when she lowered her head, tears welled up, ready to fall.

Her pitiful appearance made Julian frown.

"Yvonne, you've misunderstood our relationship. Don't be unreasonable."

Emilee nodded in agreement, "Yes, Yvonne, Julian and I are just friends."

She leaned close to my ear, looking as if she was trying to make peace, but whispered, "Yvonne, the one not loved is the third party.

Being my substitute for so many years, it must have been hard for you, right?"

I decisively and rationally slapped her.

"You came here asking for a slap, didn't you?"

Before I could finish my sentence, my right cheek started to burn with pain.

Julian glared at me, his hand still trembling slightly from the force he used.

Emilee was shielded behind him, tears rolling down her face as she pitifully covered her cheek, "Julian, it hurts...

Am I going to be disfigured?"

Julian immediately turned back to her, comforting her with a gentle voice, unable to hide his guilt and heartache.

"Yvonne, you've gone too far."

Without turning his head, he coldly said, "Apologize to Emilee."

Suddenly, I found it all quite meaningless.

After seven years together, he hit me for the first time, without hesitation, for Emilee.

That kind of protection and affection had never been shown to me.

I always thought he was a cold person, inherently calm and composed.

But now, I finally understood that when he truly loved someone, he was willing to fight for the woman he loves.

Ignoring Emilee's triumphant gaze, I clenched my hand in my pocket.

I calmly said, "Julian, get lost."