ANMELDENI was startled, my heart thudding against my ribs.
He had come to find me.
Of course, I had turned off my phone at noon, cutting off all contact with him. He was likely worried sick, and that was why he was here.
However, the dialogue between his mother and me flashed through my mind like a slow-motion film, and a sudden surge of anger made me scream.
"Go away."
As soon as those words left my mouth, I burst into a flood of tears. Why was I taking my anger ou
"Did you deliberately ignore me when I told you to get in the car?" His voice was kept at a moderate volume, yet it held enough edge to cut through anyone listening.I could practically smell the gunpowder radiating from him. His gaze was so piercingly cold it seemed to say, "If you take one more step, you're dead."He went out with her and forgot to pick me up, and now he wants to control who I hang out with? Did he ever stop to think about my feelings? I truly couldn't stand that kind of selfishness.I quickly walked toward Benjamin’s bike, climbing onto the seat with an air of defiance. Placing my hand on his shoulder, I said calmly, "Let’s go, Benjamin. Take me somewhere to get some fresh air. I’m free right now.""Ava Martin." The anger inside him was like an erupting volcano. He growled my name so loudly it sounded like a clap of thunder. His eyes were shot through with crimson veins from pure rage.He had called my name in
The space fell into a heavy silence, and the smiling mask I had worn just moments ago faded away.Happy. That was merely the exterior I struggled to build. In truth, a deep sadness still weighed on my heart.But what of it? Am I not completely fine right now?I ignored everything, pushed the thoughts aside, and left the bed for the vanity. I brushed my new hair, then decided to sit down and curl it. It would be a waste to leave such a beautiful color straight.I meticulously used the curling iron to create the perfect waves. Each soft curl that fell accentuated the grace of my features.I smiled at my reflection when I was finished, then used a comb to part my hair, revealing a smooth, pale forehead. I tucked one side behind my ear and applied some lipstick, a bit of sunscreen, and a touch of blush.I hardly recognized the girl in the mirror.Once finished, I put on the dress I had prepared. In reality, the dress was not revealing, ye
It was still the same face, but the bright blonde hair seemed to accentuate my naturally pale skin, making it look even fairer. With rosy cheeks and wide, round eyes, it felt as though this hair color had enhanced my appearance tenfold.To be honest, I was terrified before deciding to do it. With platinum hair, there are only two outcomes: it either works perfectly or fails miserably. If it had failed, I was afraid I would look like some tacky country girl. But instead, the hair seemed to elevate my entire aura.Even the stylist stood dazed when he saw my new look. He swallowed hard and spoke."Could I take a photo for feedback? You look like a celebrity.""No, thank you. I'd like to keep my new look a bit of a secret for now."I turned him down quickly. Since it was a famous salon, I didn't want my image floating all over the internet. I could tell he was genuinely disappointed, but I didn't care.Changing my appearance really made life fee
"Alright, thank you so much.""Don't mention it. Get some sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow. I'm really worried about your health.""Yeah, see you at school tomorrow. Goodnight.""Goodnight."I hung up on Olivia. For some reason, her words had infused me with a surge of energy. I no longer felt resentful; instead, I was overflowing with confidence.I lay down on the bed, my heart fluttering slightly as I thought about tomorrow's plan. Olivia was right. I needed to pull myself together right now. I needed to be beautiful and radiant. From this moment on, I wouldn't allow myself to be the weak one at the mercy of others. I meant it.Despite my resolve, a small knot of sadness remained in my heart, along with lingering thoughts about the relationship between him and my aunt and the mysteries yet to be revealed.But whatever. Time would tell. Overthinking wouldn't provide the answers anyway. All my theories were just thoughts without eviden
"Alright, calm down. Calm down. This is messy. Since we don't know the truth yet, we can't just jump to conclusions. All we know for sure is that you saw him with your aunt and he bought her a necklace, right? Why don't you try to look at it differently? Since your father is close to him, it is normal for him to know your aunt. Maybe she has just returned after a long time, and he was simply buying a souvenir.""I want to think that way, Olivia, I really do. But I just can't. He was with her and forgot to pick me up, and then he turned off his phone when I called. He didn't text me until the middle of the night to say he was sorry. Just that one sentence.""Good heavens. Why are you so foolish? Everything needs to be clear. You should have asked him instead of keeping it all inside and guessing, only to make yourself miserable.""I couldn't say it. Just try being me for a second. After witnessing that scene, I go home to find no messages, then he texts in the mi
I cried until I was so exhausted that I fell asleep without even realizing it. I struggled to wake up, my head throbbing as if a hammer were pounding against it. I cradled my head in my hands and fumbled for my phone in the dark.I didn't quite understand why I wanted to find my phone the moment I woke up. I only knew that there was a hole in my heart and I wanted to fill it.It took me a while to find the phone on the nightstand. Even though my heart was aching, I still felt a flicker of nervous anticipation.This damn, broken heart.It was clearly hurting and full of despair, yet it still longed for a response from a certain someone. Just a simple apology would be enough to warm my heart again.I turned on the phone, the dim light casting a glow over my face. Was it only two in the morning? I thought it must be five or six by now.Why did I have to wake up at this lonely, restless hour?Damn it.I laughed at myself and looked
"Honey, I... I just saw... I saw a girl wearing a necklace exactly like mine. Truly, exactly like it. Except the heart-shaped stone on her necklace was navy blue instead of red."My hands trembled as I tried to cling to his arm. I didn't even understand why my body was reacting this way.
After that, I walked away. Truthfully, I had eaten so much cake earlier that I felt nauseous at the thought of another bite. My stomach couldn't hold any more food. I had simply used that as an excuse so he could focus on his business talk while I went to get some fresh air.I wasn't sure
I swallowed hard, looking at him with worry, but he remained as calm as ever. He reached out to drape an arm over my shoulder and whispered."It is okay. I am here.""Oh, congratulations. I never imagined you and the professor would actually become a couple. You two are such a perfe
I sat there, leaning against the stairs as sweat began to pour down my face. I didn't dare move, fearing I might tumble down or, worse, encounter some ghost lurking in the shadows.I had always been faint-hearted.As I sat there in a panic, unsure of what to do, a sudden, thunderous







