He Chose His First Love, I Chose Revenge

College was supposed to be the best time of my life—until Ethan, the so-called "Ice King" of campus, decided I was his exception. For two years, he chased me relentlessly before I finally gave in.

The day we officially became a couple, I handed him three keepsakes—my most treasured possessions.

"Ethan," I warned him, "these three things mean everything to me. Lose them, and you lose me forever."

For a while, he kept his promise. We built a life together—marriage, success, happiness. With my support, his company flourished. But then she came back.

Lana. His first love.

The moment she stepped off that plane from overseas, our world crumbled. She tore our marriage certificate to shreds, and Ethan—who had never so much as raised his voice at me—snapped.

"It's just a piece of paper! We can get another one. Stop overreacting and apologize to Lana."

As if that wasn't enough, he accused me of orchestrating her mugging abroad.

"Lori, I told you—we're just friends. How could you send people after her? Apologize. Now."

But the final straw? Seeing my keepsakes—my treasures—adorning Lana like trophies.

That's when I knew. I had to take back what was mine.

The moment those three things vanished, Ethan lost his mind.

"Why are the things I gave you on Lana?" he demanded, as if he hadn't handed them over himself.

I bit back my rage, but then I saw it—my necklace, the one I designed, the one that launched my career, hanging around her neck in an Instagram post.

"What things?" Ethan scoffed when I confronted him. "Lori, don't push it. Just because we're married doesn't mean everything I give away belongs to you."

His words cut deeper than any knife.

He'd forgotten. Forgotten the meaning behind those keepsakes. Forgotten me.

"My necklace," I ground out.

For the first time in months, his voice wavered. "Lori, I—I'll get it back. Just give me a second."

But I hung up before he could finish.

The truth hit me like a freight train. All those "business trips" with Lana, the late nights, the unexplained marks—I'd been lying to myself.

It was over.

I drove to his office, determined to reclaim what was mine. But before I could even knock, I heard them.

"Lana, just give me the necklace back. I'll get you something better."

His voice was soft, tender—a tone he hadn't used with me in years.

"So Lori's still more important?" Lana's voice dripped with fake hurt. "One call from her, and you take back what you gave me?"

A pause. Then, the ultimate betrayal.