Main Character Syndrome Chapter 1

Everyone who knows Damian Cross knows he treated me like a princess. I once casually mentioned I wanted a star, and the next day, there was a certificate on my nightstand naming a celestial body "Sloane." Everyone thought he was hopelessly in love with me. I almost believed it myself.

Until one day, I overheard him talking to his friends. "In love with Sloane? Don't make me laugh. She’s just a placeholder. A pastime to keep me entertained until Audrey gets back from Paris. Now that she’s returning, it’s time to cut Sloane loose."

Hearing Damian’s words didn't break my heart. Actually, I let out a sigh of relief. Sleeping with the same man for two months is like eating the same meal every night. I was starving for something new.

I immediately turned around and gifted the ten-thousand-dollar "breakup watch" I’d bought him to a gorgeous, obedient college student who knows exactly how to call me "Ma'am."

* * *

It was eleven at night when I got back to Damian’s penthouse. I kicked off my heels in the foyer and realized, a beat too late, that the living room wasn't empty. Damian was sitting in the dark on the leather sofa. He radiated an aura of "don't mess with me."

His side profile was undeniably perfect. Sharp jawline, brooding eyes. That’s what attracted me in the first place. It’s just a shame... Even filet mignon gets boring if you have it every day.

Thinking about how he planned to dump me made me hum a little tune. I walked past him, unbothered. He finally spoke, his voice low and laced with suppressed anger. "Where were you?"

"Drinks with a friend." I finally noticed the dining table. The plating was exquisite, but the steak was stone cold. The tapered candles had burned down to awkward nubs. Rose petals were scattered across the mahogany, looking wilting and sad.

I raised an eyebrow. "You did this?"

His eyes were dark with possessiveness. "Why didn't you text back? Who were you with for this long?"

I glanced at my phone. I remembered chatting with Leo, the young guy I’d met. My phone had been blowing up with notifications, so I’d checked it. Leo had looked up at me with those big, puppy-dog eyes, his voice dripping with playful jealousy. "You’re so busy, Sloane. I finally get a moment with you, and you’re talking to someone else? If you're busy, it’s okay... I’m just happy to sit next to you."

He was handsome, young, and sweet. How could I not be charmed? So, I silenced my phone. Which meant I missed Damian’s texts telling me to come home early. I’d left him waiting all night.

"Sorry," I said, sounding sincere enough. "Something important came up."

Suddenly, rows of floating text appeared in the air in front of me. It was The Commentary. The toxic peanut gallery of the universe.

[So the heroine’s 'important business' is cheating? Disgusting.] [What kind of romance heroine stays out until midnight? She should be waiting at home!] [She needs to learn her place. She only matters because the hero chose her!] [If a man stays out late, it’s business. If a woman does it, she’s loose. She deserves whatever happens to her.] [The hero cooked for the first time! He burned his hand for her! And she’s out flirting?] [She deserves it when he goes back to his true love, Audrey. She needs to be humbled.]

I rolled my eyes at the invisible text. The double standards were exhausting. "Something important" meant networking. And Leo. Technically, we hadn't done anything but talk. Yet.