Chapter 1: Rejection

CLINTON'S POV

I stood outside Celine’s home, clutching a bouquet of white lilies in my hands. Each bloom felt like a piece of my heart, carefully chosen to convey feelings I had kept hidden for far too long. Today, I was finally going to tell her how I felt. I had spent hours thinking about it, wondering how she'd react, imagining her smile, the way she'd thank me, and maybe—just maybe—she’d see me differently. Maybe she’d see me as more than just someone on the sidelines.

The doorbell rang, and I took a deep breath. After what felt like an eternity, the door opened. Mrs. Matthews greeted me with her usual calm, cool demeanor, her eyes briefly flicking to the bouquet in my hand before settling on my face.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Matthews,” I greeted her with a forced smile, trying to mask the nerves bubbling inside me.

“Clinton,” she said, her tone as indifferent as ever, her gaze lingering on the flowers for a moment. “Celine’s out. She’s with Cloud Smith.”

Cloud Smith. The name hit me like a punch to the gut. A billionaire CEO, a model, and now, apparently, someone Celine was dating. It wasn’t just the name that stung. It was the way Mrs. Matthews spoke about him, as though he was the perfect match for her daughter.

“Cloud Smith?” I repeated, almost as a question, the bouquet feeling suddenly heavier in my hands.

“Yes,” Mrs. Matthews said, a proud smile tugging at her lips. “A wonderful match for Celine. He’s wealthy, successful, and his career is skyrocketing. You can’t go wrong with someone like him.” Her voice oozed satisfaction, and I could see the admiration in her eyes.

I forced myself to smile, but inside, I felt smaller by the second. I had come here hoping to offer something meaningful, something from the heart. But now, everything seemed insignificant. Cloud Smith had the money, the power, the lifestyle—everything I couldn’t offer her. I felt like a fool, a backdrop to her perfect life.

Without saying anything else, I looked down at the bouquet. The flowers, which had once felt so significant, now seemed absurd. They were beautiful, but in this moment, they felt like an insult. What did I have to offer her? Nothing like Cloud Smith. Nothing that would ever make her notice me the way she noticed him.

I tossed the bouquet into the trash can by the door, the petals spilling out, crushed and broken. Mrs. Matthews didn’t even flinch. She glanced at the flowers in the trash and then back at me, unfazed. “Well, since you're already here, come inside. Celine will be a while. I’ll make you some snacks.”

I nodded stiffly, walking past her into the house. The offer of snacks barely registered. My mind was still reeling. All I could think about was Cloud Smith—how he had everything I lacked. It made me feel even more insignificant. I was just a guy with no real money, no extravagant lifestyle to offer her. Standing in the shadow of someone like Cloud Smith, it seemed pointless to even try.

I sat at the kitchen table, absently poking at the snacks Mrs. Matthews had set before me, but I could hardly taste them. My mind kept circling back to Celine and Cloud—what they were doing, where they were. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like an outsider in my own life. Was I always going to be second place?

Time dragged on, until finally, I heard the door open. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her—Celine, walking through the door, her beauty as striking as ever. But what really caught my eye was the bouquet in her hands. It was a lavish arrangement of red roses, clearly from Cloud.

She entered with a smile, her eyes glancing over to me sitting at the table. “Clinton?” she asked, her tone light and amused. “What are you doing here?”

I stood up, trying to steady myself, but it was like the ground had shifted beneath me. I had come here with hope, but now it felt like the weight of reality was pressing down on me.

“I just missed you, Celine. I thought maybe we could grab some coffee together,” I said, my voice faltering, unsure of how to phrase it.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a slight smile. Then, she laughed—a soft chuckle at first, but then louder, almost as if she found my suggestion amusing.

“Coffee?” she repeated, her voice dripping with mockery. “You want to go to a coffee shop?” She shook her head, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Clinton, coffee shops are for people who don’t know any better. I just came from a five-star restaurant with Cloud Smith. The food was incredible. It’s nothing like the cheap stuff you get in a café.”

Her words stung deeper than I anticipated. There was no subtlety, no kindness in the way she spoke. It was a clear reminder of the vast difference between us. Cloud had everything I didn’t—money, success, the lifestyle she craved. And I? I had nothing but a hope that felt increasingly foolish.

She continued, her voice casual but laced with pride as she spoke of the luxury, the sophistication—everything I couldn’t offer. “You should really aim higher, Clinton,” she added, her tone dismissive. “I’m not looking for something so... ordinary.”

I felt a sharp pang in my chest. The words didn’t just sting; they cut deep. Here I was, holding onto a dream that was never meant to be. Celine was in a different world, one of wealth, glamour, and success. A world where men like Cloud Smith were the standard. I was just... ordinary. Just a guy who could never offer her what she needed.

I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the frustration that was rising within me. “Yeah,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper, “I guess I’ll just... figure things out.”

She smiled at me, but it was empty. “I’m sure you will, Clinton. You’re a nice guy, but nice guys don’t get far in my world.”

She turned away to place her bouquet on the counter, dismissing me without another thought. But as I stood there, feeling like a fool, something inside me snapped.

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Celine,” I said, my voice trembling with a mix of frustration and hurt. “If I were rich, like Cloud Smith... would you even look at me the way you look at him?”

She froze for a moment, her back still turned to me. I could hear her breathe in deeply, but she didn’t turn around.

I waited, every second dragging by, as the question hung in the air. Would she? Would she see me if I had what he had? Or was I just a fool, clinging to a dream that would never come true?