I Refused To Be His Second Best Chapter 05

I Refused To Be His Second Best Chapter 05

A week later, the school posted the exchange student list.

Faye and I had both applied for the two public-funded spots.

One name was Ronan.

The other was Faye.

Mine wasn’t there.

I stood in front of the bulletin board and read it three times.

Ronan deserved his spot.

His grades were better than mine.

But Faye? I’d seen her scores.

I was ahead of her in every category.

It shouldn’t have been her.

I stared at her name until Ronan’s voice came from beside me.

“You were ranked first after the first round.”

He stood next to me, eyes on the board too.

He was our classmate, and we got along well.

His mother was a professor on the review committee.

I turned to him. “The second round was blind, wasn’t it?”

He paused, lowering his voice. “The dean pushed for Faye in the second round.”

“A few teachers changed their votes.”

The wind rustled the trees behind me.

Ronan didn’t say anything else.

I remembered-Stellan’s uncle was our dean.

I waited for Stellan outside his teaching building.

He smiled when he saw me-

but that flicker of warmth died the moment I confronted him.

“Did you get your uncle to give my spot to Faye just because she wants to go to the same school as

Ronan?”

Everyone knew Faye liked Ronan.

He didn’t answer. Then:

“It’s just one spot. If you don’t get it, go next time-I’ll cover the costs.”

Next time. Always next time.

He said it like it was nothing.

He knew how hard I’d worked for this.

All those sleepless nights. All that effort.

And he gave it away with one word.

He had no right.

I broke.

“Stellan, I can wait for a shrimp.”

“I can wait for another promotion. I can even wait for your mother to like me.”

“But for two years, why is it always me waiting?”

“You know what my family is like. My parents scrape by to pay my tuition.”

“You know they work day and night for this.”

“I can wait for anything-but you don’t get to make me wait for my future.”

“No one does.”

His voice turned sharp. “You think the spot belonged to you?”

“There were other applicants.”

“Or did you get with me just to take shortcuts?”

Tears ran down my face.

“If I lost fairly, I’d accept it.”

“But can you honestly say you didn’t talk to your uncle?”

He said nothing.

The cold wind passed between us.

I looked at him-and realized I didn’t know him at all.

“Stellan, you never learned to respect me.”

I wiped my tears and walked away.

I didn’t look back.

Because I knew his heart would always tilt toward Faye.

And I didn’t have to wait anymore.

My phone buzzed as I walked across campus.

My father’s name lit up the screen.

“Did you get it? The spot?”

His voice was careful. Gentle.

Afraid to hurt me.

I remembered telling him when I got into college-

I’d make it so they’d never have to work those hard jobs again.

The words stuck in my throat. I couldn’t say no.

“I got it,” I said. “Of course I got it.”

His laughter burst through the phone.

“I knew my girl could do it.”

I bit my lip and let the tears fall in silence.

I was his perfect Luna. His flawless secretary. His silent mate. Not anymore.