When First Love Returns

After I went abroad, I heard that every lover Bradley found resembled me.

When people mentioned me, his friends would say, As long as Bradley's first love Elliott is willing to return home, no other woman stands a chance.

Until Bradley found a newly debuted starlet who didn't resemble me in the slightest.

Yet she was the first girlfriend he ever publicly acknowledged.

That year, I hurried back home.

Everyone waited to watch me regret my choices and beg Bradley desperately.

Even Bradley hinted at me indirectly, "Elliott, your timing for coming back isn't great."

But they didn't know I wasn't here to fight for Bradley.

I came back to get married.

Walking out of the airport, I spotted Bradley in the crowd immediately.

He wore a coat, his features more mature than when I'd left years ago.

But the expression on his face was far too complex.

"They said you were coming back. I thought it was fake news."

I stopped with my suitcase, responding coolly, "Just back to handle some things."

Bradley took the suitcase from my hands.

"Your father asked me to pick you up. Don't misunderstand."

I nodded and followed him to the underground parking garage.

On the way, I checked my phone. The group chat that had been silent for ages had exploded.

Did Bradley really go pick up Elliott? Is it true? Elliott's back?

What about Bradley's current girlfriend, that starlet named Wilkinson? Did he dump her?

Do you even need to ask? And why do you think Elliott suddenly came back? Obviously to steal him back!

Wilkinson's nothing. At most she's just Bradley's novelty. Now that Elliott's back, I'll eat my words if that starlet gets so much as a glance from him.

I've met Wilkinson. Don't underestimate her. Anyone who can lock down Bradley is ruthless.

Bradley noticed my constantly vibrating phone too.

He glanced at the messages and said to me, "Elliott, your timing really isn't great. I already have a girlfriend."

My hand froze on the passenger door handle.

I opened the back door instead.

Only two words left my mouth: "Congratulations."

Bradley slammed his door particularly hard.

That's when I realizedafter all these years, he'd learned to smoke.

The Bradley of the past had been so disciplined. No smoking, no drinking, no wild nights.

But in the years I'd been abroad, I'd heard about at least a dozen of his flings.

Bradley's phone rang. A sweet, cloying female voice came through.

"Bradley, I'm exhausted on set. Can you come pick me up?"

"Send me the address."

"Love you."

Bradley hung up and smiled at me. "You don't mind if I make a detour to pick up my girlfriend, do you?"

"Of course not."

I should never have gotten in his car.

Bradley parked near the film set.

In the bustling crowd, I spotted Wilkinson immediately.

She was too striking.

Even bundled up completely, people could recognize her at a glance.

Fans were taking photos along the way. Wilkinson pulled down her mask slightly, smiling brilliantly. "Thank you. My boyfriend's a civiliancould you guys please not photograph him?"

The fans jeered, "We heard your boyfriend is Bradley. Is it true?"

Wilkinson didn't deny it, just put her index finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

After she got in the car, she took off her sunglasses and kissed Bradley's cheek.

"Bradley, have you been waiting long?"

Her eyes shifted to me. "And you are?"

I smiled politely. "Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Elliott, a friend of Bradley's."

Wilkinson's smile deepened. "Elliott, I hear people mention you all the time."

Bradley naturally fastened her seatbelt for her.

"Sit tight, I'm about to drive."

Wilkinson said coquettishly, "Look at me, always forgetting. You have to do it for me every time."

I turned my gaze to the window, not watching their affection.

The car hadn't been driving long when Wilkinson initiated conversation.

"Elliott, in all these years abroad, did you ever have a boyfriend?"

I answered frankly, "I did."

"See, I knew it. Elliott, you're as beautiful as a celebrity. You've never lacked admirers, right?

"Like Bradleyhe was the one who pursued me. His friends all say I'm different to Bradley, that I'm someone he especially favors.

"I just don't understanddo they mean Bradley has some first love? I heard you and Bradley grew up together. You must know who his first love is. Tell me?"

She looked at me, her eyes more scrutinizing than curious.

Bradley frowned. "I don't have any first love. They're just joking around."

Wilkinson pouted and unhappily started playing with her phone.

The rest of the ride was silent.

When Bradley dropped me off at home, he didn't even get out of the car.

He rolled down his window and said casually, "My girlfriend's upset. I need to placate her. I won't go in. Say hi to your parents for me."

I was about to leave when Wilkinson suddenly called out to me.

"Elliott, let's add each other on social media."

She added, "You add me, so you don't end up not accepting my request."

My friends threw a small welcome-back party for me.

No one expected Bradley to bring Wilkinson.

Wilkinson had carefully prepared gifts for everyone, especially me.

"I heard Bradley treats Elliott like family. When Bradley and I get married, Elliott, remember to be my bridesmaid."

Several friends changed expressions, saying to Bradley, "Bradley, aren't you going to handle this?"

Bradley laughed. "You want me to go home and fight with her?"

Wilkinson covered her mouth shyly.

She suggested playing Truth or Dare.

The bottle landed right on me.

Everyone eagerly tried to ask, but Wilkinson stopped them.

"Everyone step aside! Let Bradley ask first."

Bradley took a drink and looked at me. "Did you get a boyfriend abroad?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Quite a few people gasped.

Bradley had a friend named Jack who teased me, "Elliott's joking. If she's lying, she drinks as penalty. I'll drink for Elliott."

Next round, when Bradley spun the bottle, it landed on me again.

He asked, "What's your boyfriend's name?"

I answered, "Not convenient to say."

Wilkinson laughed loudly. "Elliott, good thing you're not an actress. Your acting is pretty terrible. Men are too dense to notice, but we're both womenI can tell when you're lying right away~"

Bradley's past lovers never dared speak like this.

But the one sitting beside him now was Wilkinson, the only girlfriend he'd ever acknowledged.

Bradley's silence indicated approval.

I swept my hair back and smiled. "The kind of affected pretension Miss Wilkinson does, I truly can't manage."

Wilkinson's smile froze on her face.

I prided myself on having a good temper, but a sharp tongue.

This was something Bradley apparently hadn't gotten around to telling Wilkinson.

Still, her psychological resilience was strong. She quickly smiled again and poured me a drink.

"Fair's fair. If you can't answer, you have to drink. Please."

"Fine."

I downed the drink readily.

The bottle in Bradley's hands seemed magicalnext round, it landed on me again.

He asked almost without thinking, "Why did you come back this time?"

I gave up answering that question.

Bradley saw through my intention and pressed his hand on the bottle. "What are you back for?"

His fingertips were white from gripping so hard.

I answered reluctantly, "To get married."

Actually, saying it didn't matter muchI'd have to invite friends to the wedding eventually anyway.

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Haven't seen you in years, didn't expect Elliott's methods of fooling people to get more childish."

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

"Elliott, you're getting worse at lying."

I looked at Wilkinson. "So sorry, I can't be your bridesmaid, because my wedding is early next month."

She asked curiously, "Is it that boyfriend you dated abroad? Elliott, just tell us. We're not going to look down on him, are we?"

I didn't need to explain to her, just said coolly, "He's excellent, but I can't reveal his identity."

Bradley suddenly pulled Wilkinson up.

"Wilkinson, your acting is much better than Elliott's. I can't watch this charade anymore. Let's go."

Jack grabbed him, whispering in his ear, "Don't, Bradley. If you miss this chance, when will you get another"

Bradley shook off his hand. "When did I ever wait for her? These years I've played with plenty of women. Every single one was better than Elliott."

Jack's unspoken words were forcefully cut off.

I met Bradley's gaze. His eyes were trembling.

I stood there, feeling like all the blood in my body had turned ice cold.

"Bradley, aren't you disgusted with yourself?"

He licked the corner of his mouth with a mocking smile. "Don't need you to worry about it."

After the party ended, Jack couldn't help asking me, "Elliott, is this marriage thing real or fake?"

I nodded calmly. "It's real."

He sighed. "There's no need to lie to me, is there? Others might not know, but don't I? You and Bradley just can't get past that old obstacle. Actually, Bradley, he"

I interrupted him. "Jack, that's not an obstacle. It's a person.

"I really am getting married this time. I'm not lying to you or acting out of spite."

Jack seemed to receive a tremendous blow.

"Elliott! Look at what Bradley's become these years. How can you..."

"Don't I know what he's been like these years? How carefree he's been in his world of flowers."

"These years, Bradley has looked at one woman after another who resembles you. The thing he's said most is 'like her, but not her.'"

I said weakly, "Jack, but you saw it too. He still hates me."

...

Bradley's car suddenly stopped halfway.

He issued an eviction order to Wilkinson beside him. "Get out."

Wilkinson's expression stiffened. She forced a smile. "What, you say you don't believe it, but hearing she's getting married, you're humiliated and angry?"

Bradley's eyes grew deeper. "Wilkinson, know your place. Blacklisting you is just one sentence from me."

Between her career and talking back, Wilkinson chose the former.

She thought she was different to Bradley.

No woman had sat in Bradley's passenger seat. No woman had been acknowledged by him as his girlfriend.

Other women were dumped just for mentioning Elliott.

Wilkinson didn't think Elliott was the first love everyone talked about.

She thought Bradley felt more hatred.

He'd loved, but love had turned to hate.

Everyone wanted to be Mrs. Bradley.

Since she, Wilkinson, had reached the threshold, she had to do everything possible to cross it.

Wilkinson posted on Instagrama photo she'd secretly taken of me.

The private room lighting was dim. She'd only captured my back.

Caption: Heard your first love came back, so I became the smear of mosquito blood on the wall.

One minute later, she deleted it.

Wilkinson was the top celebrity Bradley had promoted. Her every move could trend.

This time, my name appeared in the trending topics.

Her fans were indignant: What first love? She's just someone who dumped Bradley back then and now can't stand seeing our Wilkinson doing well, so she came back to steal him.

Isn't this just a homewrecker?

She's not just a homewrecker, she's a murderer. She killed a mutual friend of hers and Bradley's.

Not many people know about what happened back then. All I can say is Elliott has very powerful connections and background. You can guess the rest~

Was Wilkinson threatened? If you were threatened, post a period in your next Instagram.

Wilkinson's next Instagram post was indeed a period, which she then deleted.

She stirred up waves again.

When she came to my door to apologize, she still pretended to be innocent, wiping away tears.

"I'm sorry, Elliott. I just accidentally posted script dialogue. I didn't know netizens would get so worked up and actually cyberbully you. I'm sorry."

She cried pathetically.

I said coldly, "You want to make me suffer but don't want to offend the George family behind me. Wilkinson, there's no such convenient arrangement in the world."

"Elliott, I know what they said is trueyou and Bradley had a relationship, so you're targeting me. I understand, but please leave Bradley alone."

I was about to speak when Wilkinson suddenly pitched forward, her head hitting the table directly.

Bradley walked in just in time to see this scene.

He rushed forward and scooped up the unconscious Wilkinson. Blood gushed out, staining half his shoulder red.

"Elliott, I already took down all the trending topics for you. Don't push too far."

I said angrily, "Do you think it was someone else who directed her fans to cyberbully me"

Bradley mocked me. "But Elliott, which part did they get wrong? That you left me without a word, or that you got someone killed?"

The words stuck in my throat.

He didn't look back, carrying Wilkinson as he rushed to the hospital.