From Mob Princess to Mugshot Photographer novel Chapter 78

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**Chapter 2**

Cedric and I shared a bond that had blossomed during our university years. For five years, we navigated the halls of academia side by side, our friendship a seamless tapestry woven without a single thread of conflict. It was a relationship that felt like a gentle breeze—untroubled and harmonious.

But two years after we tossed our caps in celebration of graduation, life presented Cedric with an opportunity that shimmered like gold. It was a chance that could redefine his future, a prestigious position abroad that would demand three long years of separation. The thought of him leaving sent a pang through my heart. He was determined to take me with him, exploring every avenue to ensure I could join him on this exciting new journey.

Just as we stood on the precipice of a bright future, fate intervened cruelly. My father’s investment crumbled, sending our family spiraling toward financial ruin. In that moment, I realized the weight of my responsibility. If I had been honest with Cedric about my situation, I knew he would have chosen to stay behind, sacrificing his dreams for mine. But I couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning my parents in their time of need, not when they were facing such turmoil.

With a heavy heart, I made the decision to break things off with him. I reluctantly agreed to my father’s wishes to enter into a marriage alliance with the Nash family, who were the only ones still willing to extend a lifeline to us amidst our crisis.

Cedric was taken aback, disbelief etched across his face. He bombarded me with questions, pleading for an explanation for our breakup. How could I possibly articulate the reasons that churned within me? All I could manage was a stoic facade, pushing back the tears that threatened to spill over. I told him I had fallen out of love, a lie that felt like shards of glass in my throat.

He wouldn’t accept it, his heartache palpable as he begged me to reconsider, to find a way back to him. In a desperate attempt to extinguish his hopes, I hastily accepted Ewan Nash’s proposal, the ring glinting on my finger like a cruel reminder of my choice. When Cedric saw it, his spirit seemed to deflate, and he finally relented, the fight leaving his eyes.

That day, he took me to his villa, and for a fleeting moment, I dared to believe that perhaps fate had shifted in my favor, offering me a second chance at love. But I was blissfully unaware of the torment that lay ahead. The girl he introduced me to was Fiona Miller—a college student, still in the throes of her studies, a decade younger than me.

In her presence, I felt like a ghost, haunting the remnants of a love I once had. Cedric’s attention was fully consumed by her; he hung on her every word as if they were precious jewels. I was reminded of the way he had once cherished me, the tenderness that had once been ours.