Chapter 2

Ava frowned. Of course, she had no idea where I was.

Mason answered first.

“Ethan made his own decision. Ava had nothing to do with it.”

“To be honest, I used to admire Ethan. I’ve always been his defeated opponent, but I considered him my greatest rival. In the ring, he was my enemy. Outside the ring, he was my idol.”

“But running away without even fighting today makes it impossible for me to defend him. Naturally, Ava feels the same disgust toward his behavior.”

My disappearance had originally weighed on Ava’s mind. Even though she was thrilled, there had still been a slight crease between her brows.

But Mason’s words immediately turned my disappearance into an act of cowardly retreat. According to him, I had been afraid of losing and had deliberately vanished to avoid the match.

When Ava heard him, the last trace of concern on her face disappeared completely. Only disdain remained.

“If he had been the same person he used to be, no one would have blamed him even if he lost.”

“But he ran away today. All I can think is that he’s a coward. No one will ever admire a coward like that!”

Once, during the finals of the boxing championship, I was in a car accident on my way to the arena.

The car I was riding in was struck in the side by a bus that had run a red light.

But luck was on my side. I was not seriously injured, only suffering from a mild concussion at most.

The shattered glass and twisted frame had sliced my body until I was covered in blood. The organizing committee asked whether I wanted to postpone the match.

I could clearly tell that my injuries were not severe. Defeating the opponent in front of me would be no problem.

After quickly treating my wounds, I walked straight into the ring.

The impact had sent adrenaline surging through my body, making me impervious to pain. My attacks were even more aggressive than when I was in perfect condition.

In the end, I defeated a veteran who had been famous for years and won the first championship belt of my life.

That match drew the attention of the entire internet, and countless people became my fans because of my determination.

My fans gave me a nickname: the Iron-Boned Champion.

Everyone said that even if I lost, they would not be afraid to keep supporting me. With that kind of resilience, they would remain my fans.

But because I had not shown up for this match, combined with Mason’s manipulation, I had gone from an unbreakable champion to a coward who was too afraid to fight just to protect his reputation.

As I listened to my wife’s words, pain spread from my chest through my entire body.

Even if I had not been allergic, what difference would it have made? I still would have been accused of using stimulants and drowned in public outrage all over again.

And now that I had missed the match, the same thing had happened anyway.

Ava was worthy of being the club manager I had personally recruited. She had made a brilliant move. As long as I drank that water, I would never have a chance to clear my name.

I watched my wife condemn me in front of the media for being unable to accept defeat. It felt as though a giant hand had clamped around my heart, leaving me unable to breathe or beat.

The wife I trusted most had pushed me into an abyss with her own hands so that my opponent could win.

Bitterness and despair filled my soul.

The interview ended soon after. Mason held Ava’s hand as they walked down the street.

Ava only blushed and did not pull away.

I remembered that blush. When she had agreed to be with me, she had held my hand, and the same happy flush had spread across her face.

As Mason walked, he suddenly turned to Ava. His eyes were full of tenderness and happiness.

Ava seemed too shy to look up, but the distance between them grew even smaller.

Mason’s voice was filled with affection.

“For all these years, I’ve only achieved what I have today because you’ve always been by my side, helping me.”

“You helped me with everything today, too.”

“You’re the real champion!”

When Ava heard him, she raised her head and looked at him. Love overflowed from her eyes.

So Mason had known about everything from the beginning.

They moved closer and closer, and the pain in my heart grew with every step.

So this had all been planned.

The atmosphere between them grew increasingly intimate, but that intimacy had been bought with my death.

They drew even closer. Ava even closed her eyes shyly, but she still did not push Mason away.

Suddenly, a phone began to ring. It was Ava’s phone.

Only then did she break free from the intimate atmosphere. Her face bright red, she answered the call.

But her body was still in Mason’s arms.

The caller was the club owner, who told her:

“Ava, something seems to have happened to Ethan!”