I said his first love

My return from studying abroad coincided with my childhood sweetheart, now a hotshot CEO named Ethan, being completely smitten with my doppelganger. His mother approached me with an offer: "A million dollars. Come back to my son." I politely declined, "You know, Auntie, a proper 'one that got away' should be as good as dead." Then she said, "Ten million. What do you say?" "Deal. Consider it done."

Fresh off the plane, my phone buzzed with a familiar number. The contact was saved as "Sugar Mama". I chuckled and answered, "Hi, Auntie." That's right, my ex-boyfriend’s mom was my benefactor, the angel investor who’d funded my overseas education. "Bella, a million dollars. Come back to my son." "Auntie, what are you saying? Ethan and I broke up three years ago. Besides, haven’t you heard? Even the price of bacon has gone up." "...Three million. Get rid of that little girlfriend of his." "Auntie, you know, a proper 'one that got away' should be as good as dead. How can I interfere with their relationship?" A pause, then a gritted-teeth response: "Ten million. Deal or no deal?" Not bad, Sugar Mama, always so generous. "Deal," I said decisively. "Consider it done." Satisfied, she hung up immediately, not a second wasted. Two minutes later, a text confirmed the deposit of three million. My old client, always efficient with the down payment. I opened my banking app, grinning at the string of numbers. Perfect. The airport’s jumbotron flashed a news headline: "Ethan Carter, CEO, Spends $50 Million on Luxury Mansion for Actress Chloe Sanders." I looked up, instantly recognizing the familiar face. Ethan looked even more handsome after three years, all traces of boyishness gone, replaced by the charm of a mature man. His expression was sterner than I remembered, softening only when he looked at the woman beside him. And Chloe Sanders, with her stunning features, was a five-out-of-ten on the Bella-look-alike scale. I couldn’t help but laugh. Ethan, playing the replacement game, huh?

Three years ago, my parents died in a car accident. The Carter family went bankrupt, and I, barely an adult, became an orphan, kicked out by greedy relatives. Ethan held me tight in the pouring rain, promising, "Bella, don't be afraid. I'll protect you." I clung to him, drawing warmth from his embrace. He was so young then, with nothing to offer but a sincere heart. He’d carefully offered it to me. But sincerity is cheap. So, when his mother showed up, slapped a million-dollar check on the table, and told me to leave him, I didn't hesitate to agree. The day I left, Ethan called countless times, begging me to stay. "Bella, don't go. I’ll take care of you, okay? Please, don't leave me!" For the first time, the big-brother figure I knew had a tremor of desperation in his voice. I gently soothed him, told him to be a good boy, then blocked his number.

I applied to Carter Corp's jewelry design subsidiary, rented an apartment nearby, and started digging into the past three years. What I...