The Day My Ex Said He Was a Dragon

Preface：（he day my ex-boyfriend broke up with me, he told me with a straight face that he was actually a little dragon from the depths of the Eastern Sea.

Said he had to dive back to his underwater palace to bear dragon babies for me.

I scoffed at him.

Six months later, I walked through the door with my blind date.

Only to find a massive blue-tailed dragon curled up in the bathroom, eyes brimming with tears.

Crystal-clear teardrops fell with soft plops.

"I worked so hard to give you a baby..."

"And you brought another man home..."）

It had been six months since Ethan and I broke up.

During those six months, I'd turned Seattle upside down and still couldn't find a single trace of him.

From sadness and heartbreak to fury and rage, my emotions had been a rollercoaster.

What made me angry wasn't that he wanted to break up—it was that he never gave me the truth from start to finish.

To fool me, he even made up this ridiculous story about being a dragon-person.

Something about going back to the ocean to give birth to little dragon babies for me. Absolutely absurd.

When Ethan had said those words, his earlobes had turned completely red.

Usually as cold and distant as a snow-capped mountain, when he got shy he was unbearably adorable.

My heart had practically melted, never imagining it was just a clumsy excuse to run away.

"Dragon-person, my ass!" I gripped my wine glass tightly, a cold glint flashing in my eyes. "When I catch him, I swear I'll skin him alive and make dragon soup!"

I, Claire Ashford, had always been a winner in life, admired by thousands. But this time I'd fallen into his trap like a complete fool.

"Boil him! Stew him! Fry him!" I said, enunciating each word as if carrying torrential fury. "I'll make him taste what it's like to be deceived!"

My best friend Felicity patted my back consolingly. "At least you got a reason. Mine was even more ridiculous."

"He said he was a mountain god who had to report to heaven. Can you believe that?"

"Shameless!" I clenched my fist indignantly.

These scumbags, all lies and deception, one con after another.

Felicity and I drank and cursed our exes, getting more worked up with each complaint.

Suddenly my mom called, saying she'd arranged a blind date for me.

Ever since graduation, they'd been pulling this every year.

I usually let it go in one ear and out the other.

When I was with Ethan, she'd finally given me some peace.

Now, knowing I'd given up on finding Ethan, she was back to finding me prospects.

"A blind date? Mom, I don't want to right now..." Before I could finish, a surge of anger rose in my chest. Why should I stay faithful to that runaway dragon?

"Fine! I'll go, okay?" I said through gritted teeth. "Not just once—I'll go on 180 dates in a row!"

Felicity's eyes lit up, slapping the table in approval. "Great idea! I'll go on dates too—360 of them! Let those scumbags go to hell!"

I raised my glass boldly. "To freedom!"

"To a new life!" Felicity chimed in.

We drank and vented until late into the night before the driver took me home.

I stumbled through the fingerprint-locked door and instinctively called out to the dark living room: "Ethan."

The house was empty, only echoes lingering in my ears.

Ethan had been gone for so long—no one would be waiting for me to come home anymore.

No one would have the warm lights on, sitting on the couch waiting for me.

No one would take my things and serve me a hot midnight snack.

The young man's face had been cold, but his eyes looking at me had held such deep, tender love.

But it was just a fleeting dream.

I gave a self-mocking smile, tossed my bag on the floor, and lay down on the couch.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared outside as a sudden downpour began.

The heavy curtain of rain reminded me of the day I'd found Ethan.

He'd been wearing plain white shirt and black pants, soaked through by the rain.

His face wary and confused as he stared at a stray dog that seemed to be blocking his path.

I'd gone over and called the dog away, and he'd given me a grateful glance.

I was about to leave when I heard a "thud" behind me.

The person who'd been standing fine just moments ago had collapsed unconscious.

So on that unlucky rainy night, I rescued first a dog, then a person.

Ethan had no identification, no money. I had no choice but to take temporary care of him.

When he woke up, Ethan remembered nothing except his own name.

I'd planned to take him to the police station and leave.

But catching sight of him lowering his eyes silently, I found myself frozen.

He seemed to sense my gaze, looking up at me with the corners of his lips curving slightly into a smile as warm as spring breeze.

Just that one look, and I—the formidable Claire Ashford of Seattle—was consumed by desire and utterly captivated.

I walked over to him, someone whose smile had faded and seemed wrapped in infinite loneliness.

"So, Ethan."

"Miss Ashford here needs a boyfriend. Want to apply for the position?"