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Chapter 5

Penulis: Tiramisu
I never expected Lucas to actually show up on the day of the competition. But what I expected even less was running into Charles.

Each contestant had a short segment before their formal performance—a chance to charm the audience and earn a few extra votes.

When it was my turn, I stepped onto the stage and casually glanced at the crowd.

And just like that, Charles' face appeared in my line of sight. He looked worn out, like he hadn't slept in days.

"Contestant number 33, from Cresia, will be performing Moonlight Lake. Please welcome Natalie Quinn!"

The moment the emcee's voice rang out, Charles jerked his head up.

His eyes twitched, and a rush of emotion hit him—guilt, shock, and the joy of finding me. It was so intense that it left him breathless.

He took deep breaths as I sat at the piano in a flowing white dress, graceful like a swan. He watched as my pale fingers danced across the black-and-white keys.

But everything was different now. He had lost the woman who once loved h
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  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 8

    Stella was never the type to suffer in silence—especially not when Charles turned against her for my sake.With a flash of fury, she downed her glass of red wine in one gulp and hurled it toward him.She hadn't expected the glass to shatter against the pianist's hand—the pianist the organizers had poured a fortune into inviting for the evening's grand finale.With that one reckless move, Stella humiliated the entire hosting committee.The original composition meant to close the evening now lay untouchable. No one dared step forward to play it.The room was filled with high-profile guests from the global entertainment industry, not to mention the numerous media.If Stella's impulsiveness tainted our country's image on the international stage… I couldn't just stand by.A hush fell over the room when I sat down at the piano. I was barely in my 20s. If I messed up, people would just chalk it up to youthful nerves. With that thought in mind, I scanned the sheet music once and beg

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 7

    With an ashen face and clenched fists, Charles' eyes blazed with fury and jealousy. He drove his fist into the wall with a loud crack before a bitter, self-mocking smile tugged at his lips.He was unraveling.The woman he cared about most—Natalie—was cozying up to another man, right in front of him.How the hell was he supposed to stand by and watch that?Without a word, Charles stormed into the room and threw a punch at Lucas.Lucas didn't back down. In an instant, the two of them grappled like wild animals.Panicked, I grabbed my phone and called security.Charles fought like a man possessed—relentlessly and brutally. Each punch landed with the weight of everything he'd been holding in.Seeing that Lucas got dragged into this because of me, guilt twisted in my chest. I shut my eyes for a moment, then stepped between them, raising an arm to shield Lucas.Charles' fist was in mid-air. His bloodshot eyes locked on me."Do you care about him that much? What about me, Natalie? Y

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 6

    It didn't take long for Stella to jump on Twitter and defend Charles."Charles isn't a man like that! I'm not naming names, but someone's clearly desperate for fame. Always causing drama, clinging to Charles again and again. Honestly, what's your problem?"But this time, people weren't so quick to buy it. Some sharp-eyed netizens started breaking down the videos and photos, and soon, a wave of support came rushing in—this time, for me."The woman in the video is clearly resisting. Can we stop acting like every guy is innocent?""Exactly! Since when did we start victim-blaming? Stella's clearly siding with Charles. She'd better keep her eyes open before she ends up getting cheated.""I don't think Stella's that clueless. And let's be real—we don't even know who was seducing whom. I work with the woman in the video. "She and Charles have been together for seven, maybe eight years. Everyone's seen it.""Stella's crossed a line this time. She's the one who got involved with someone

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 5

    I never expected Lucas to actually show up on the day of the competition. But what I expected even less was running into Charles.Each contestant had a short segment before their formal performance—a chance to charm the audience and earn a few extra votes.When it was my turn, I stepped onto the stage and casually glanced at the crowd.And just like that, Charles' face appeared in my line of sight. He looked worn out, like he hadn't slept in days. "Contestant number 33, from Cresia, will be performing Moonlight Lake. Please welcome Natalie Quinn!"The moment the emcee's voice rang out, Charles jerked his head up.His eyes twitched, and a rush of emotion hit him—guilt, shock, and the joy of finding me. It was so intense that it left him breathless.He took deep breaths as I sat at the piano in a flowing white dress, graceful like a swan. He watched as my pale fingers danced across the black-and-white keys.But everything was different now. He had lost the woman who once loved h

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 4

    As soon as I turned my phone on after landing, dozens of missed calls and messages flooded the screen.I set my bag down beside my suitcase handle and was just about to block Charles when, out of nowhere, a man in a black face mask snatched my bag and ran away.By the time I realized what had happened, he was already halfway across the terminal. I grabbed my suitcase and sprinted after him.Heart pounding, I caught up and grabbed the guy by the sleeve of his black jacket."Stop! Thief! Give me back my bag!"He turned around, and I froze. That face. It was so familiar."Natalie Quinn? It's been a while."I awkwardly dropped my hand and stammered, "I-It really has…"Why him? Of all people. Seriously, God—stop playing games with me.First, I lost my wallet, and now I'd gone and mistaken Lucas Carter for a thief.I quickly explained everything and then reported the theft to airport security.Lucas refused to leave my side and insisted on staying with me through the whole proce

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 3

    When the ambulance arrived, I didn't go with them.I just stood there and watched it drive away, then wandered home alone with my legs barely holding me up. Once inside, I checked the next available flight.For the next few days, I threw myself into work, playing through the performances I couldn't cancel. It was back-to-back with no breaks at all.When the final show ended, I went home, weighed down with a heaviness I couldn't shake. When I opened the door, the lights in the dark living room flicked on.Charles walked toward me, holding a massive bouquet of red roses.Red roses, heart-shaped candles, and a candlelit dinner. Everything was set up to look romantic.He smiled as he handed me the flowers. "Happy eighth anniversary, darling."I haven't been around much lately… Stella's been going through something, and I had to help her before I could come back."I was going to book that fancy couples' restaurant, but since it's hard for either of us to show our faces in publ

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 2

    I bit down hard on my lip, forcing myself not to make a sound, no matter how much it hurt.Stella knew Charles long before I did. Which meant... he'd never truly let her go.The way Charles and I first met almost felt like something out of a story. It was the day of the piano competition finals, and my rival had locked me in a tiny, pitch-black room.I had claustrophobia, and with the pressure of the performance, I was on the verge of breaking down.Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, the door swung open—and there Charles was, backlit by light like some kind of savior.I ended up winning that day. And after that, I started going after him like crazy. When I found out he was struggling with depression, I made it my mission to make him smile.Charles always felt bad that I'd go out of my way to act goofy or dress silly, but I didn't mind at all.When we were together, he'd feed me all sorts of delicious food.Whenever I asked him why, he'd say, "Seeing you enjoy your

  • Love Shatters Like Lies   Chapter 1

    "The last time you lost a game of Truth or Dare, you tricked Natalie for seven years."Now you've lost again—what is it this time? Are you finally going to marry your first love, Stella?"I stood just outside the door, trying to keep my voice steady as I spoke with my mentor over the phone.But the tears wouldn't stop falling.The person on the other end sounded surprised. After all, I'd turned him down firmly just yesterday.But when I found out that I'd been played like a fool, I realized that Charles Foster's love for me had never been real. It was all just a beautifully packaged lie.I came home to pack, only to find the breakfast I'd made for him untouched on the table.Charles was never a fan of the kind of breakfast I liked. He always said it was too heavy and greasy. Every time I enjoyed mine, he'd glance over with this subtle look of disapproval. It always took a lot of coaxing—me playfully teasing or begging—just to get him to take a reluctant bite.But earlier that

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