Chapter 2
When I was twelve, I was brought back from a small southern town to the Xu family. I felt awkward, insecure and timid.
Back then, just because Oliver Smith shielded me from bullying once, I fell hopelessly in love with him.
I chased him to the point that everyone knew.
But he detested me to the extreme.
Later, I finally felt it was pointless, I gave up on him.
I noticed Ethan Williams, who had been quietly protecting me all along.
That night, it was raining heavily. He held on umbrella over me the whole time.
He said. “Sophia, I don’t ask that you notice me. Lonly hope that from now on, you can feel free to follow your heart.”
How ridiculous.
I cleared my heart to welcome Ethan’s arrival.
As I gradually got lost in his gentleness.
As I began to fantasize about a sweet future with him.
I never imagined it would give him an opportunity to torture my heart.
Slosh by slosh.
Flash and blood everywhere.
My nose soured and my eyes filled with uncontrollable pain,
A tear fell, which I quickly wiped away.
The voices inside continued, all giving him ideas: “To take revenge o
ona a woman, naturally you
y you should let her fall into the
abyss from the height of happiness. Wouldn’t that be more interesting?
“Yes, so Mr. Williams, you should go back. Go back to shop for wedding dresses with har. Help her send out the invitations. Act completely normal. Then on the wedding day, leave her alone in humiliation. I bet Sophia will go insane.”
Disgusting laughter all around.
I suppressed my nausea, waiting for Ethan’s response.
How I wished to hear him say, don’t joka around, I love Sophia..
Or, doing this is too much for a girl.
But after a long silence.
I heard Ethan agree in a calm voica, “Hmm, not a bad idea. Let’s do that then.”
Boundless rage nearly suffocated me.
I forced out a bleak smile, but the tears still fall uncontrollably.
Ethan, you want to play games?
Then I’ll play along. I also want to see what expression you’ll have on our wedding day when you find out Ive run away.
I erased my tracks to Los Angeles and returned to the home Ethan and Ishared.
I took out all the gifts he had given me over the years and cut them up one by one.
Strange.
Even though my mind was blank, why were there still so many tears flowing?
I once hoord someone say.
A breakup is like getting rheumatism. During the day when it’s sunny, you’re fine.
But at night when it’s damp, the pain is excruciating.
Perhaps this is just my withdrawal symptom.
I got up and laid out the custom wedding dress on the floor.
Expressionlessly, Islashed it with scissors, making a torn gash.
I needed to remind myself,
Relationships are the same. Once a crack appears, no matter how you try to mend it, it can never return to how it was in
the beginning.
After tidying everything up, I put those things in the study. Ethan rarely went in there.
16
Chapter 2
Lying in bed, unable to sleep, I was scrolling through short videos when 1-
know.
The username was “Me Who Loves Ethan“.
On a whim. I clicked on it.
It documented a girl’s one–sided love for a boy.
The latest post had a Los Angeles location tag.
commended post from someone I might
The caption read: “The man I’ve liked for ten years is getting married next month. I want to muster the courage to confess. Please cheer me on.”
In the photo she posted, I saw a familiar hand.
Still w
Still wearing a wedding ring on the ring finger.
