My Two Sweethearts Loved Wrong—Once I Left, They Begged Me Back

Nolan let out a scoff, but he still obediently shut his mouth and handed the phone to Owen.

Owen’s cool voice came through the line. “Happy birthday. We prepared a gift for you. We’ll give it to you at the birthday party tomorrow... If there’s nothing else, we’re hanging up. The fireworks show Mira wants to see is about to start.”

His tone was all business. Only when he mentioned Mira did it soften with a trace of indulgent affection.

I hung up numbly.

I couldn’t understand it. I had only gone abroad to study for a while, so how had the affection that once belonged to me been given to someone else so quickly?

I had tried to win it back, but the outcome was always the same. I couldn’t even earn a single glance from them.

All I could do was leave in humiliation.

I wiped away my tears, knowing I was in for another sleepless night.

Every year, Damon held a birthday party for me.

He called it a celebration, but I knew exactly what it really was. It was just a way to polish his image and push me out to network for him.

At those parties, I had drunk so much so many times that my stomach bled.

All for Damon’s projects.

But no matter what, I couldn’t afford not to show up.

A sound came from the entrance, and I looked over to see Mira walking in, wearing an elaborate princess gown, flanked by Owen and Nolan.

Blushing, she hid behind Nolan as if she were uncomfortable with all the attention.

I glanced at her coolly and found it ridiculous.

If she was really uncomfortable, would she have dressed so ostentatiously and made such a grand entrance the second she walked in?

When Mira saw me, she ran over and grabbed my hand tightly. Pouting, she said with a wounded look, “Liana, I’m sorry... I know this birthday party was specially held for you by Father, but...”

Her eyes turned toward the two tall men beside her, half bashful, half accusing. “They said it’s my birthday too and insisted I come. They said I’m one of the stars tonight too...”

She clung to my arm, her words full of apology and helplessness, as if she were afraid I would mind.

But I could see it clearly—the smug satisfaction she couldn’t hide in her eyes.

I let out a cold laugh. I had no interest in playing along. I pulled my hand free and said nothing.

That simple motion, however, seemed unbearably offensive in Owen and Nolan’s eyes.

Nolan immediately pulled the aggrieved-looking Mira behind him.

Owen frowned at me, disappointment plain on his face. “Liana Shaw, how did you become this selfish after just a few years abroad?”

I looked coldly at the two brothers glaring at me with open hostility and felt exhausted to the bone.

At my own birthday party, in front of everyone, they were scolding me just because I hadn’t responded to Mira.

This kind of thing had happened countless times over the past year.

I had argued. I had cried. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t win back even one glance from Owen or Nolan.

Now I was tired. I didn’t want to keep tangling with them, so I turned to leave.

But Owen caught my arm.

I looked at him wearily.

His movement paused for a moment when he saw the expression on my face.

“Where do you think you’re going? Apologize to Mira!” Nolan snapped first, his temper flaring as always.

I tugged at my arm, but couldn’t break free.

I understood then.

Even Owen, with all his quiet calculation, meant the same thing.

The gazes gathering on me from all around were a mix of sympathy and ridicule.

Everyone knew it by now: the girl once cherished like treasure by Owen and Nolan had long since lost all of their favor.

They were all waiting to see how I would react.

I curled my lips into a mocking smile. “Why should I apologize?”

“Mira was an orphan growing up. It was only after Mr. Shaw adopted her that she got to celebrate birthdays properly,” Owen said, sounding maddeningly reasonable. “She’s never attended a birthday party this grand before. And you—you’ve had parties like this your whole life. It’s just this one time, sharing it with Mira. Do you really need to make that kind of face?”