Chapter 3

During our hardest years, Perry ran the company by day and worked as a designated driver at night to support me.

I couldn't bear to watch him get barely two or three hours of sleep a day, so I put my dream aside, swallowed my pride, and helped him find clients.

By the time the company went public, I was past the best age to compete as an esports player.

I opened WhatsApp and found my chat with Shane Young.

I typed, "Does K&K still need a team manager?"

Shane founded K&K.

He was the first player in the country to win a world championship.

Now he was a legend in esports.

He was also my former teammate.

I felt uneasy after I sent the message.

Three years ago, Shane invited me to join K&K.

I gave him a bitter smile. "I'm too old to compete now. I guess a world championship just isn't in the cards for me."

He answered with quiet conviction, "You could be our team manager. You might not win a world championship yourself, but your team could."

For a moment, the passion I'd buried flared to life. Then it faded just as quickly.

Perry objected because there were too many men in esports.

His eyes reddened as he said, "Honey, it's not that I don't trust you. I don't trust those men."

I gave in and put my dream back in the drawer.

Shane replied almost at once, "You can come back anytime."

My eyes stung.

Just before eight that evening, Perry sent me a WhatsApp message.

"I'm going to Mr. Turner's."

I stared at the words, unsure how to feel.

Five years ago, Perry bought a rare pink diamond at Sotheby's.

It cost twenty-six million dollars.

The purchase made the trending list. When reporters asked what he planned to do with the diamond, Perry looked into the camera, his eyes full of love.

"I'm going to make a pink diamond crown for my princess."

I looked at the dust cover beside my computer. A crown sat beneath it.

But it still held no diamond.

Perry said he wanted to cut and set the pink diamond himself. That would make it more meaningful.

No matter how busy he was, he spent two hours every day learning diamond cutting from George Turner.

Yet my finger hovered over a "You can do it" sticker, and I couldn't bring myself to send it.

A little after ten, I was about to start streaming.

The comments raced across my vision again:

[Holy crap! A drunk is banging on our girl's door. Call the police!]

[Calm down. Our girl hired him. She's setting up a chance for the male lead to rescue her.]

[Haha, the male lead got her call and ran three red lights. He's finally reached her neighborhood.]

[Oh my God, our girl has it so hard. Her place is even leaking. Haha, the male lead has gone quiet too. Look at his eyes. He feels awful for her, doesn't he?]

As I read the flood of comments, my hand trembled around the mouse.

A little over an hour later, Perry appeared at the door with Lynn.

She wore his jacket over her shoulders, and a large suitcase stood beside her.

"Her neighborhood is too rough. It isn't safe for Lynn to live there alone. I'll have my assistant find her another place tomorrow.

"She can stay in the guest room for the next few days."

Lynn looked at me with red eyes. Her hands were still shaking.

"Susan, I'm sorry. I really didn't want to trouble you."

I looked at them and said calmly to Perry, "Do what you think is best."

Perry seemed relieved.

He turned to Lynn, smiled, and rubbed the top of her head. "See? I told you Susan is the best."

My heart clenched.

Lynn's eyes grew redder.

"Thank you, Susan."

I said nothing. I turned around and shut the door to my esports room.

I didn't stream that night. I stayed in the room until morning.

Early the next day, the smell of fried eggs drifted in.

I stepped out of the esports room.

Perry was showing Lynn how to use the kitchen equipment. They laughed and talked like a sweet young couple.

The comments went wild over them:

[This is what the male and female leads should be like. They're so sweet.]