Chapter 4

When it came to group projects, everyone in class would pair up, leaving me completely stranded. No one wanted me near their team.

And during that time, Matteo was the only one who stayed by my side.

In the beginning, I hadn't just sat back and taken it. But every time I tried to post evidence to clear my name, the posts were deleted almost instantly.

Only now did I realize that Matteo himself was a moderator for the student forum. Manipulating campus opinion was child's play for him.

The guys who used to have crushes on me changed their attitude after this incident. Fueled by the rumor mill, they went even further and began attacking me on the campus forum.

Some claimed I dropped deliberate hints to string them along. Others accused me of juggling multiple guys, fabricated rumors that anyone could sleep with me for cash, and even claimed I got the grad school spot by selling my body.

It wasn't until a few days later, when a post titled "Stop Slandering and Attacking My Girlfriend" was pinned to the top of the forum, that the storm finally began to blow over.

Matteo was the one who posted it. He claimed the luxury car was his, the apartment was his doing, and it was all because I was his girlfriend—not some sugar baby.

He told me he only did it to help me out of a tough spot and because he truly loved me.

Matteo asked me to give him a chance, and under that intense emotional pressure, I truly fell in love with him.

I thought he had saved me. I had no idea every ounce of that agony was engineered by his own hands.

The bullying I endured and the genuine affection I gave him were all just a game to him.

"Just like that, I not only got a girlfriend, but I also completely wiped out any feelings my childhood friend's crush had for my girlfriend. Simple, right?

"The rest was smooth sailing. Her crush was devastated during that time, which gave my childhood friend her perfect opening. They're doing great now. They're actually planning their honeymoon as we speak," Matteo bragged in his post.

The tide in the comments section had shifted. The unanimous condemnation dissolved, replaced by a growing note of admiration.

"Am I the only one who thinks he's incredibly smart? He knew exactly what a woman needed."

"No wonder he locked her down. I could never come up with tactics like that. Sure, it's dirty, but it got the job done."

"But are you really that selfless? Does it honestly not bother you to see your childhood friend with someone else?"

Matteo seemed to be in high spirits. He replied to the comment, "As long as she's happy, it doesn't matter who she's with. In a few days, it'll be my one-year anniversary with my girlfriend. She hasn't suspected a thing this entire time, but I guess it's finally time to wrap this up."

Outside the window, rain had started to fall, filling the room with a steady, low patter.

Beside me, Matteo was still fast asleep. His hand instinctively reached out to hold mine.

It was a habit of his. He was incredibly affectionate, always wanting to be glued to my side whenever we were together.

But now, I couldn't even tell which parts of him were real and which were a performance.

I stared at the message my advisor, Ellie Roberts, had sent me about an overseas exchange program.

Unlocking my own phone, I scrolled back to the text Ellie had sent a few days ago.

"Leah, the department has one spot open for a one-year exchange program at Yurestia. The deadline is fast approaching, so think it over and give me an answer ASAP. This project carries a lot of weight and will be huge for your future career."