"Elodie and I grew up in the same neighbourhood. She liked Archer, the gentle and refined boy next door. I, on the other hand, was fond of Ethan, the cold and dominant boy who lived downstairs. We each pursued our crushes until I found out that both Archer and Ethan were smitten with the new girl, Aria. I gave up after a while, but Elodie insisted she'd keep trying. I gave her an earful, then decided to go abroad for further studies, out of sight, out of mind.
Seven years later, I returned home, and Elodie picked me up at the airport. I smiled and asked her how things were progressing with Archer. She took a sip of her drink, fell silent for a moment, then quietly told me: 'Zia, I've decided to give up on Archer.'
Honestly, I never thought I'd hear those words from Elodie. After all, when Ethan and I fell out back then, I had earnestly tried to persuade her: 'Elodie, let it go. They're both utterly infatuated with Aria. In their eyes, Aria is a pure, untainted white lotus, while we're just malicious, shameless man-eaters.' 'It's just one man; come abroad with me, and we won't have to see them.'
I remember Elodie smiling at me then. She was so beautiful. From childhood, she'd always been the academically brilliant school beauty with such a gentle nature. That's why I could never understand what possessed Archer to like Aria, who was inferior to Elodie in every way. She gently shook her head at me and said: 'Zia, my love for Archer has nothing to do with him.'
It was a cringeworthy line, but coming from Elodie, it only made me feel sorry for her. I sighed, exasperated, and said: 'Alright, I just hope you don't regret it later.'
After that, I went abroad. Elodie probably knew I didn't want to hear about Archer and Ethan, so she never mentioned them to me on the phone. However, we had many mutual friends, and it was unavoidable; I often heard gossip about her and Archer from others. I heard that after Aria played Ethan and Archer off against each other, she finally decided to be with Ethan. I heard that when Archer was heartbroken and got drunk, Elodie stayed by his side. I heard that Elodie went to the same university as Archer. I heard that Elodie and Archer were together.
Later, Archer posted a public announcement on his social media – a picture of Elodie. They were likely in a restaurant, with a dazzling night cityscape in the background. Elodie was smiling radiantly at the camera, her eyes filled with such tenderness and love that it seemed to penetrate the screen; she looked absolutely beautiful. Their hands were clasped tightly together. At the time, I was genuinely happy for Elodie. She had liked Archer since she was a child, and after all those years, it seemed her patience had finally paid off. So, I commented below: 'Congratulations.'
After that, I was busy with graduation and didn't keep in touch much with people back home, until today, when I returned to the country. Elodie came to pick me up, and we sat together, having a quiet drink. I asked her about her and Archer's current situation. I had expected her to be shy or perhaps beaming with happiness. But I never would have imagined her to be so calm, telling me in a casual, understated tone: 'Zia, I've decided to give up on Archer.'
I paused, looking at Elodie. She was looking down, quietly gazing into her wine glass. The dim, secluded night light projected from behind her, so I couldn't see her expression, only her slightly lowered eyelashes – thick, delicate, and seemingly ready to flutter away. Her voice was flat, as if she were talking about something utterly insignificant. I paused, then asked: 'But weren't you two engaged?'
She gave a soft laugh. Elodie had always been gentle, very warm in her interactions with people. This was the first time I'd seen such a cold, sarcastic expression on her face. She looked up at me, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, and said casually: 'People get divorced even after marriage, let alone just an engagement.' I fell silent for a moment, unsure what to say.
Elodie and I were polar opposites in personality; she was gentle and quiet, while I was lively and straightforward. When we were little, our parents often wanted to swap daughters. My mum wished I could be as gentle as Elodie, and her mum wished Elodie could be as lively as me. However, after I'd pinned the neighbourhood boys of our age to the ground until they cried for their mums and dads, her mum never mentioned it again. Back then, I'd roll around in the mud like a monkey every day, while Elodie would wear a dress and little leather shoes, with her hair in a princess style, quietly following behind me, carrying my school bag, and looking out for me when I was beating up the boys who pulled her pigtails, saying nervously and urgently: 'Zia, the teacher's coming!'
We'd been together since kindergarten, and our friendship was unbreakable – though it had faced challenges, of course. Back then, we were experiencing our first crushes. I had a crush on Ethan, and she had a crush on Archer. We both mistakenly thought the other liked the person *we* liked. Influenced by various romance dramas, we both felt we couldn't compete with our best friend for the person we liked, so we awkwardly hid our feelings until I felt something was off and just directly asked her who she liked. She wouldn't say, so I went first: 'I like Ethan.'
She stared at me blankly, looking completely taken aback: 'Huh? Huh? You like Ethan?' My gaze was fixed on her like a laser beam: 'So, who do *you* like?' Her face turned red, and after a long time of looking down, she whispered, barely audible: 'Archer.'
'Ugh—' I scoffed. 'You like that pretty boy, always with a fake smile plastered on his face. What's the point of being handsome?' She looked up and glared at me, then retorted in kind: 'What about Ethan? Always acting like everyone owes him money, so childish.' We were both sharp-tongued and argumentative, trying to convince each other that our preferred crush was the best, but eventually, we just laughed. She said: 'It's really nice.'
Yes, it was really nice. Back then, liking someone was a simple thing. I developed a crush on Ethan because the group of boys in the neighbourhood, whom I had oppressed for so long, finally decided to fight back. When they ganged up to seek revenge on me, Ethan, who had just moved in, single-handedly took on ten of them. Then he scoffed disdainfully, saying: 'So many boys, bullying one little girl, how shameful.' Then he extended his hand to me and said: 'Don't be afraid. What's your name?' 'Xie Zia,' I said, pretending to be meek, secretly throwing the baseball bat behind my back, speaking softly and shyly. He smiled, then took my hand and walked me home, telling me: 'What a coincidence, I live downstairs from you. From now on, I'll protect you.' I nodded obediently, feigning a delicate demeanor, much to my mum's astonished gaze, and said okay.
Elodie's reason for liking Archer was even simpler. Archer was a year older than us and a grade ahead. His grades were excellent; he was always the one who spoke on behalf of the entire school at flag-raising ceremonies. Elodie's grades were also very good. I suppose her liking Archer was probably a case of kindred spirits among good students."
Elodie's affection for Archer was even simpler. Archer was a year older and in a higher grade than us. His academic performance was excellent; he was always the one who spoke on behalf of the entire school at flag-raising ceremonies. Elodie's grades were also very good, so I suppose her liking Archer was probably a case of kindred spirits among good students.
Because we lived in the same neighbourhood, the four of us later developed a very close relationship and bond. We were once quite dominant in school, seen as prodigies by everyone. The day of our middle school graduation also happened to be my birthday. The four of us celebrated by the sea, and I made a sincere wish: "I hope the four of us will stay together forever and ever."
Just a month after that wish, when high school started, we met Aria. Aria was a clumsy girl who worked part-time to support herself. On the very first day of high school, she accidentally spilled a cup of boiling hot water all over me. I couldn't help but hiss and gasp from the scalding pain, but before I could react, she cried out first, looking up with tearful, fearful eyes, saying: "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry, so sorry—"
She looked quite pitiful, so I held back my anger, but I kept hissing in pain as I looked at the two large blisters forming on the back of my hand. Ethan, who was next to me, checked my injuries, then glared at her fiercely and said coldly: "Are you blind?"
She lowered her head without speaking, as if she were wronged, and tears dripped onto the floor. I found it annoying, so I said: "Forget it, forget it, she didn't do it on purpose." This was our first encounter.
Honestly, I never really paid much attention to Aria. We were in the same class, but her presence was incredibly low. "A" school was the best comprehensive school in A City. Besides students with exceptionally high grades, it was full of rich second-generation heirs from wealthy families. However, Aria clearly didn't fit into the category of top students, and from her appearance and clumsy demeanor, she didn't seem to come from a good family background either. Perhaps she was the daughter of a teacher at the school. Someone in class had once speculated about that. But no one bothered to dig deeper. Times were different; whether they were top students or rich heirs, everyone was focused on studying and wouldn't bother bullying others like in TV shows or novels. People who weren't seen as valuable were just habitually ignored. It was cruel, but that was reality.
Aria sat in a back corner with a small chubby classmate, quiet as a transparent person.
The first time I truly acknowledged her existence was when she had an argument with someone. It seemed her chubby deskmate was blocking the path in the middle of the aisle after class, and the person behind waited, then impatiently scoffed, probably saying something like "If you're fat, don't block the way." Surprisingly, the usually timid and quiet Aria stood up to defend her deskmate, her face flushed as she said: "How can you make fun of someone's body like that?"
I knew that boy; he was always arrogant and a bit of a loudmouth because of his good family background. He didn't have any real malice, but he was sensitive about his reputation, and being publicly challenged by Aria made him somewhat furious. He looked at Aria, sneering: "Please, he's been blocking the way for minutes, doesn't know to move, and I'm not allowed to say a couple of words? You're rushing to defend him, why, do you feel sorry for him?" "Truly deskmates, you and this fatty are a match made in heaven."
Aria seemed to be tongue-tied. Her face was red, and she couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. Instead, her chubby deskmate quickly distanced himself from Aria, saying: "I don't like her at all." Someone in the class quietly laughed. Aria stood there, mortified. I frowned, thinking the boy was being a bit much. Although Aria's strong defense of someone not worth it was quite foolish, I spoke up to help Aria. I raised my voice and said: "Jasper, are you going to leave or not? If you're late for class later, I'll definitely write your name down and make you clean for a week." Gu Yang raised his hands, looking submissive, and obediently said: "Alright, alright, class monitor, I'll be right back." He no longer bothered with Aria and her deskmate, squeezing past them.
At my voice, Aria looked up at me. From a distance, I couldn't clearly see her expression, but I could feel her standing rigidly, looking in my direction. I shrugged, turning away dismissively. Ethan, who was behind me, lazily withdrew his gaze from over there. I heard him say disdainfully: "Stupid."
After that day, Aria's presence in the class became even quieter. Every time I recall this, I wish I could go back to my first year of high school and slap myself awake. Perhaps it was pity, or maybe I was just being foolish. I'm not one to meddle, but I've always had a compassionate, chivalrous spirit – that's not self-praise, but something Elodie once said about me.
That year, for the school anniversary celebration, our form teacher said every student in the class had to perform something. My grades were average, but I was always adept at these "unconventional" skills. I put together a play with male and female leads, supporting characters, and set decorations, which instantly solved the performance problem for over a dozen introverted and reserved students in our class. As the class monitor, every performance registration form came to me. As the deadline approached, only Aria hadn't submitted a performance. When I went to ask her, she was very flustered, keeping her head down and avoiding my gaze, as if she was extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Alright then," I instantly understood, so I tried to speak in a way that preserved her dignity, pretending to be casual, "my play still needs a rock for the scenery. How about you be a rock in my play?" She nodded lowly.
I never imagined that this play would be the origin of Aria and Ethan's familiarity. The character of Aria as a rock was originally something I added to avoid embarrassing her. She put on the costume to play a rock, and whether it was because she particularly cherished or appreciated this opportunity, she lay motionless once she put on the costume, which was quite dedicated. After one rehearsal, she seemed to have a numb foot and stumbled when she stood up. Ethan threw her a bottle of water and said: "A rock, it's just a rehearsal, don't you know you can sit? So stupid." I looked at Aria with some surprise. Although these words were sarcastic, given Ethan's distant and indifferent nature, if he truly thought someone was stupid, he wouldn't even bother to glance at them, let alone throw her a bottle of water and then mock her in a seemingly caring way.
Actually, I had told Aria twice before that she didn't have to be like that, and just to be careful on the day of the actual performance. But she was stubbornly insistent on diligently playing her rock. She was the same when faced with Ethan's mockery; she picked up the water Ethan threw to her, blushing with nervousness, and stammered with her head down: "I... I'm afraid of delaying your rehearsal, it's... it's better to be dedicated." Ethan didn't speak. Later, on the day of the performance, while Ethan and I were acting together, he accidentally stepped on Aria's finger as he moved. I heard Aria quietly "hiss," but she didn't move at all. Throughout the rest of the scene, Ethan seemed somewhat distant and distracted.
After the performance ended, I still had to host. When I went backstage to host, I happened to catch sight of a tall, handsome boy standing in an deserted corner in front of a timid, delicate girl, frowning impatiently but speaking softly: "Hand out." Aria timidly extended her hand. Ethan carefully put a plaster on it, then pursed his lips and quietly cursed again: "Idiot." Aria, sitting in front of him, looked up and smiled at him ingratiatingly and shyly at his seemingly impatient "idiot." I watched this scene from behind the wall, momentarily stunned.
I didn't ask Elodie why she broke up with Archer. Frankly, many times I feel that Elodie and I are like the villainesses in a romance novel. We are merely obstacles that add some drama and twists to the story on the path to the happy ending where the heroine and hero live "happily ever after." As for whether Ethan or Archer is the male lead, I'm no longer interested in knowing. I took a sip of my drink and didn't ask Elodie for her reasons, merely saying: "You're already engaged. Breaking off the engagement with Archer now probably won't be that smooth." "And getting past your families will likely be tough too."
Elodie smiled, and I heard a sigh in her voice. She said: "However difficult it is, it's better than now. I'm tired, Zia." She turned her head to look at me. Under the soft light, her eyes showed no disappointment or sadness as I had expected; instead, there was a sense of calm release, like the calm acceptance of an outcome after putting in all possible effort. She even had a faint smile. She asked me: "Do you still like Ethan? After all, you were so heartbroken when you left back then." I laughed. I thought that, apart from Elodie, no one else would dare say that to me. When I went abroad back then, I was indeed heartbroken, but looking back now, that heartbreak, besides my crush liking someone else, also stemmed from the crushing realization that my trusted friend, who I had grown up with, wasn't on my side. But the past is like smoke; my feelings for Ethan are long gone. Now, mentioning him doesn't even cause a ripple within me. I said, "If you had come abroad with me back then and dated two or three handsome blonde guys, you wouldn't be telling me now that you're giving up on Archer." "Elodie, you've taken many detours." She burst out laughing, raised her glass and clinked it against mine, saying with a smile: "I'm relieved you're so carefree. To be honest with you, Ethan and Aria have been having some problems recently; they often argue. I've noticed Ethan seems less and less interested in Aria. It's quite a coincidence that you've returned now. I wonder what Ethan will think when he sees you." She paused as she spoke, then gave a self-deprecating laugh, as if explaining why she wanted to break off her engagement with Archer: "But even if the prince wants to leave, Aria still has a devoted knight waiting to step in at any time." I wasn't very interested in the conflict between Ethan and Aria; I didn't even have a curious gossipy bone in my body. I just looked at Elodie. Although we had been separated for several years, I still knew her well. She only appeared delicate on the surface; in reality, she was the most stubborn, persistent, and single-minded among us. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stubbornly liked Archer for so long. Now that she had decided to give up on Archer, it must mean she had reached the extreme of disappointment and had truly let go. But just to be sure, I still sighed and said: "Elodie, if you still can't let go this time, even I will look down on you." Elodie tilted her head and smiled softly, saying: "I won't, Zia." We didn't contact each other for quite a while after that meal. Primarily, we were both busy. Elodie is an academic powerhouse and is now working on a confidential project with her mentor.
I couldn't help but laugh. "Honestly, I don't think anyone *but* Elodie would say something like that to me."
When I went abroad back then, I was heartbroken. Looking back now, though, that pain wasn't just about the guy I liked choosing someone else. It was also the heart-wrenching despair of feeling like a childhood friend I trusted hadn't stood by me.
But the past is like smoke. Any feelings I had for Ethan are long gone. Mentioning him now doesn't stir even a ripple of emotion within me. "If you'd come abroad with me back then," I said to Elodie, "dated a couple of handsome blondes, you wouldn't *now* be telling me you're finally trying to move on from Archer. Elodie, you've taken such a roundabout route."
She laughed heartily at that, raising her glass to clink against mine. With a smile, she said, "Seeing you so carefree puts my mind at ease. Truth be told, Ethan and Aria have been having problems recently. They argue constantly. I get the feeling Ethan is becoming less and less invested in her. And with you coming back just now... well, I wonder what Ethan will think when he sees you." She paused, then added with a self-deprecating laugh, as if explaining her own decision to call off her engagement to Archer, "But even if the prince wants to leave the stage, Aria still has that ever-faithful knight waiting in the wings, ready to step in anytime."
I wasn't particularly interested in Ethan and Aria's drama; I didn't even feel a flicker of curiosity. My focus was on Elodie. Even though we'd been apart for years, I still knew her well. She might appear delicate on the surface, but she was actually the most stubborn, headstrong, and single-minded of all of us. Otherwise
I don't know why, after all these years, she still has that constant look of fragile vulnerability she had in high school. Nor do I understand why, already having Ethan, she still feels the need to dangle between another man with ambiguous signals.
Of course, what baffles me even more is what these two men see in her.
Perhaps there's some shining quality in Aria that I've missed? Couldn't just be the protagonist's halo, could it?
I looked away and smiled coolly. "You're certainly dedicated. The CEO of a major conglomerate, swamped with work, yet still finds time to personally accompany one of his minor artists to an audition. Post that online, you'd definitely win a 'Best Boss Award'."
He chuckled, brushing off my sarcasm. He reached out and patted my head like he used to when we were kids – I couldn't dodge it in time. It was as if he was earnestly explaining: "Don't overthink it. Aria just gets nervous easily, and this opportunity is important. I'm merely here as a friend to offer support. Besides," he added, "I am her boss."
I gave a noncommittal smile, feeling a wave of nausea for Elodie.
No wonder she finally reached her breaking point, I thought.
For some reason, Archer felt the need to add, "Don't mention this to Elodie."
I looked up, feigning innocence. "Why not?"
He frowned slightly. "She... Elodie has always had some misunderstandings about my relationship with Aria. She even brought up breaking up with me over it just the other day. I don't want her getting the wrong idea."
I snorted derisively.
I couldn't fathom why he seemed to dismiss Elodie breaking up with him so casually. Did he assume it was just a temporary spat, something he could smooth over later with a bit of charm?
See? Men are all the same. Archer, on one hand, believed his care for Aria was an upright, blameless 'friendship'. Yet on the other hand, he knew it couldn't be mentioned to his actual, legitimate fiancée. If it was truly just innocent friendship, if he felt it was a reasonable boundary between friends of the opposite sex, why fear Elodie knowing?
It was pure self-deception and self-justification.
I turned to leave, but he called after me, "Zia, you might run into Ethan in the next few days."
I rolled my eyes, waved a dismissive hand over my shoulder without turning around, and walked away.
The casting auditions weren't within my remit. At most, I sat with the director reviewing audition tapes, offering some peripheral input.
I never saw Aria's audition tape.
Later, I overheard some set crew whispering gossip:
"Wasn't that guy with Aria at her audition the other day someone different from Ethan, the boyfriend she's always pictured with?"
"I recognised him. That was Archer Chen, CEO of Starlight Entertainment Group. He's the boss who signed Aria."
"Huh? Isn't it usually the agent who accompanies actors to auditions? First time I've seen a company CEO personally escort one... feels a bit off, doesn't it?"
"Shh— I was in the room during her audition. Aria was stumbling over her lines, couldn't even deliver them smoothly. Director Li held his ground, mocked her outright to her face, didn't spare her any dignity. This Archer bloke actually asked Director Li to 'do him a favour' or show some leniency. Director Li shot back that the only reason Aria even got through the audition door was because of Archer's connection."
"Archer looked pretty grim then, but he just ended up giving this... meaningful smile. Got a feeling this isn't over yet."...…The voices of discussion inside are getting fainter and fainter.
After a moment's thought, I sent a message to Elodie: **"How's the un-engagement progress with Archer going?"
There was no immediate reply. I figured she was probably busy in the lab with her professor. Turning off my phone screen, I thought Elodie really couldn't afford to drag this out any longer.
I genuinely didn't understand her persistence. I'd liked Ethan quite a bit myself back in the day, but the moment he stepped up to defend Aria right in front of me, my feelings for him evaporated instantly.
So, I couldn't fathom why anyone would waste affection on someone whose heart belonged elsewhere – especially for as many years as Elodie had endured it.
This thought had barely surfaced when, a few days later, I found myself face-to-face with Ethan.
It was our first meeting since our falling-out years ago.
He was seated at the head of the table as an investor. I couldn't hide my surprise when I saw him, but he just smiled at me, looking utterly unsurprised. Right there in front of the director, he nodded at me without a hint of awkwardness and said warmly, "It's been ages!"
Curious glances darted towards me from around the room. I quickly masked my shock, smiled back, and replied with practised ease, "Yes, it has been a while."
Once I was seated, he turned slightly to address the curious onlookers. "Zia and I grew up on the same street. We were childhood friends, played together all the time." He sighed then, as if reminiscing, and continued, "Then she went off abroad to study – didn't even make a single phone call. If it weren't for this investors' dinner tonight, I doubt I'd have managed to see her at all."
His tone was light, teasing, prompting polite laughter from the others. I simply sat there, smiling politely, offering nothing more than the occasional vague nod or neutral comment when the conversation drifted towards shared memories.
Later, as the dinner wrapped up, I encountered Ethan again in the car park. He was leaning against a pillar next to where I'd parked, though he should have left already. A cigarette rested between his fingers, unlit, just turning idly as he waited.
Hearing my footsteps, he turned his head. He paused for a beat, then offered a tentative smile. "Zia... you're still angry with me?"
I truly felt like sighing then.
The truth was, nothing particularly dramatic had actually happened between Ethan, Aria, and me back then.
After stumbling upon Ethan and Aria together backstage during the school anniversary event, I was deeply shocked. Afterwards, I started paying closer attention to Aria, noticing things I'd previously overlooked.
Like how she worked part-time at the milk tea shop Ethan always skipped class to visit. Like how much more familiar he seemed with her than I'd realised. Like the way he'd casually place a bubble tea on her desk when she was doubled over with stomach cramps. Like how he later deliberately chose the seat next to hers when class seating was rearranged – something unthinkable before Aria appeared, as from primary school right through to secondary school, he'd *always* sat directly behind me.
Back then, he used to joke with me: "Promised I'd always have your back, didn't I? Means I've got to stick close."
It was only after he became Aria's deskmate that Elodie sensed something was wrong. She asked me, "Zia, what's going on with you and Ethan?"
I remember looking down at my textbook. I wasn't without sadness or disappointment, but what could I say? That undefined, hazy romantic tension that had existed between Ethan and me had never been spoken aloud. At its core, it was just adolescent flutters and the occasional teasing from adults. We had no formal relationship. So, who he liked, who he chose to sit with – that was his freedom.
I had no right to be angry, no grounds to demand explanations. The situation was painfully clear. I certainly wasn't going to storm over and confront him, trampling my own dignity underfoot.
There was no need.
He had already made his choice so abundantly obvious.
So, I pretended it was nothing. I told Elodie, "Nothing's wrong. He and I aren't anything to each other. He can do what he wants; it's not my place to interfere." Elodie had looked at me with such pity then, clearly wanting to say something more but holding back.
At that time, none of us knew that Archer also knew Aria.
– Right up until this point, I actually held no malice towards Aria. That changed when I discovered she'd gotten into our school because of my Dad.
Early in the term, some classmates had questioned how Aria managed to attend our prestigious school, given her decidedly average academic record. Rumours had circulated that perhaps her family were school staff. What I never imagined was that it wasn't her family – it was mine.
It was some stale old history, dating back to before my parents met. During a work assignment in a small town, my Dad had had a girlfriend. His family hadn't approved of the match, and later, introduced to my Mum by elders, they married. They were well-suited, and in my memory, their marriage was always one of mutual respect and affection – deeply loving, by all appearances.
I suspect my Mum had no idea. Two years prior, Aria's mother had contacted my Dad. After their breakup, she'd quickly married someone else arranged by her family. Sadly, her husband was a gambler. Chased by debt collectors, he'd fled, only to drown accidentally while escaping.
Left a widow with a child, struggling, she somehow tracked down my Dad. He still carried guilt over their forced separation years ago. So, he arranged accommodation for the mother and daughter in the city, used his connections to secure Aria a place at our school, and even found Aria's mother a job.
I stumbled upon this truth when I saw him having dinner with Aria at a restaurant near the school.
The fury I felt then is hard to describe. But before confronting the situation fully, I was determined to shield my Mum from this knowledge.
First, I confirmed that Aria and I were not half-sisters. Then, I gave my Dad time to resolve the situation.
He was flustered, scrambling to explain. He insisted he was merely helping the daughter of an old friend – they were in such a pitiful state, how could he not lend a hand? I remained expressionless, feeling he was just treating me like a child. Because there are countless ways to help someone; none of them typically involve installing an ex-lover in your own workplace and placing her daughter in your own daughter's class.
I checked his phone. Aria's mother frequently called and messaged him, inviting him over for meals as a "token of gratitude."
A woman nearing forty, speaking in a sickeningly sweet, girlish tone. Her messages overflowed with how lost she and her daughter would be without my Dad's help, how he was their saviour... It was a complete lack of boundaries towards a married man. Even though my Dad declined the dinner invitations, he didn't reject this... *adoration*.
I didn't want to hurt my Mum, so I gave my Dad time to sort this mess out.
Somehow, though, this situation morphed into Aria showing up in front of me, tears welling in her eyes, pleading, "You can do whatever you want to me, but please, just leave my mother alone."
I was baffled. How on earth had this become twisted into *me* bullying *her*? From start to finish, I hadn't approached her once. Even young as I was, I understood the root of this problem was my Dad. Dealing with the woman was pointless; you had to deal with the man.
Back then, I still wanted to handle this discreetly, to preserve some dignity for Aria and her mother.
Then Ethan came to me. He looked at me with such disappointment, his voice cold as he said, "How can you be like this? Aria and her mother only have each other. They're alone and vulnerable. Why do you need to drive them into the ground?"
I was speechless. Even though my feelings for him had faded, I still considered him a friend – we'd grown up together, after all. So, I tried patiently explaining my side. Ethan cut me off, asking bluntly, "Besides all that... is this really about me? Are you targeting Aria because you *like* me?"
I froze.
In that instant, every shared memory, every year of growing up together, meant nothing. He had never understood me. I realised I had never truly understood him either.
That childhood promise – *"I've got your back"* – felt like a cruel joke, a slap across the face that jolted me violently awake.
I remember I laughed then. I looked at Ethan with utter coldness. "Ethan," I said, my voice icy, "what exactly do you think you are?"
She refused the chance to back down gracefully. Fine. It was time for the hard way. My Dad was too weak-willed, too embarrassed to speak the necessary words. So, I did it for him.
I printed out all those "sweet nothings," the overly attentive messages, the "gentle and virtuous" care Aria's mother had sent my Dad. I included a photo of her mother and her. I made copies for everyone in the school.
Standing before the whole school during the sports day assembly, I smiled sweetly and announced: "To Aria from Year 12 student Could you *please* ask your mother to stop trying to seduce my father?"
I'd always said I was merciful and soft-hearted. Pity no one believed me. They thought I was like soft clay, easy to mould and push around. Well, they forced me to show them what I looked like when I played the villain.
The fallout was massive. Aria left the school voluntarily, though I heard later that both Ethan and Archer had helped her behind the scenes.
My Mum, worried about my state of mind, had a long heart-to-heart with me, then went to deal with my Dad. Whatever happened between them, she shielded me from the details. All I knew was that right up until I left the country, my Dad was still kneeling in the garden, begging her for forgiveness, refusing to agree to a divorce.
That past felt like a farce. And now here stood Ethan, acting as if nothing had happened, reminiscing nostalgically and asking me with feigned sadness, "Zia, you're still angry with me?"
I ignored his question and shifted the subject instead. "Does Aria know you're asking me this?" My tone was neutral, detached. I don't know why I said it, but after I did, a strange thought seemed to strike him. He suddenly smiled, his eyes crinkling, looking genuinely pleased.
He walked towards me. "Grab a bite? You barely touched anything at dinner."
I watched him coldly. He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Just catching up. We were young and hot-headed back then. Consider it my apology."
I genuinely laughed. "An apology bought with just one meal? Quite the gesture."
He either missed or ignored my sarcasm, smiling back. "Then I'll keep apologing until you feel it's enough."
I studied him. He was handsome, letting me look my fill. Honestly, I had no idea what his game was. Since I didn't know, I needed to find out. I was tired of these veiled probes every time we met. Better to settle this once and for all, so everyone could move on.
Dinner with Ethan was tedious.
I couldn't fathom why he kept dredging up our childhood. When he asked if I remembered queuing all night for that limited-edition Lego set for his sixteenth birthday, I cut him off.
"Get to the point. Our time is valuable."
He stopped, looking at me with something like regret. "Zia... we can never go back, can we?"
He said it as if our relationship had been some tragic romance like *La La Land*. I couldn't help but frown. "It's been *seven* years, Ethan. I don't see the point in dwelling. And let me remind you – though I dislike Aria, unless I'm mistaken, she *is* still your girlfriend.
Ethan snorted derisively. It was as if mentioning Aria flipped a switch; his expression cooled instantly. "Doesn't she have her own ever-attentive knight?"
The absurdity was staggering. I was momentarily speechless.
Ethan turned to look out the window, his expression wistful. "Sometimes I don't know what's wrong with me. I truly liked Aria back then. I thought she was kind, resilient... During the drama rehearsal, I accidentally stepped on her hand. Her face went white with pain, but she just bit her lip and stayed perfectly still. Later, when I learned about her background, I felt even more for her..."
"The feelings I had as a teenager were real. All these years, I paved her way, gave her resources... but all she seems to have is that dogged determination to keep trying. There's no real growth..."
"Back when my family opposed us being together, I felt I could move mountains for her. Now... my family is finally softening, but... I feel like she and I inhabit different worlds now."
I watched the flicker of confusion cross his face and found it laughable.
*So Aria really is living out the script for a campus romance novel,* I thought. *She's that archetypal heroine: all she needs is resilience, effort, kindness, innocence, and a tragic background. Then, at every critical moment, the hero swoops in to save her from the flames.*
But the campus novel storyline ended long ago. It froze at that "perfect" conclusion: *the 'villainess' exiled abroad, the devoted heroes steadfastly guarding the heroine*. Life, however, moved on. Now, it seemed one of the heroes had grown weary of perpetually playing the saviour. Weary of Aria still embodying that campus novel heroine archetype, possessing nothing but resilience and effort.
*But wasn't that the very thing he once loved?*
I was thoroughly tired of this dance. "My time is valuable," I stated flatly. "If you want me as your therapist, that's a separate fee."
He laughed, a genuinely hearty sound. After a moment, he fixed me with a steady gaze. "Zia, can we not even be friends anymore? After all," he added, leaning slightly, "we *are* the same kind of people, aren't we?"
I picked up my bag and stood. Looking down at him, I sighed. "Ethan, we stopped being friends seven years ago." I paused, letting the words settle. "And you and I... we were *never* the same kind of people."
That, I felt, drew a clear line.
From now on, water under the bridge. If our paths crossed professionally, it would be with nothing more than a distant nod of acknowledgement.
For me, this chapter was decisively closed.
The next day, photos of us made the headlines.
The tabloid caption was predictably lurid: **Aria's Tycoon Boyfriend in Secret Tryst with Beauty – Campus Sweetheart Cheated On?**
Unsurprisingly, Ethan swiftly had it pulled down.
But Aria had clearly seen it.
Two days after the gossip surfaced, she appeared before me.
Disguised as a public figure should be, she was bundled up, a scarf obscuring most of her face, dark glasses hiding her eyes. Only when she stood directly in my path did she remove the glasses, revealing wide, anxious eyes. She bit her lower lip. "Miss Zia."
I turned. She'd always seemed afraid of me since the school incident, a nervous energy radiating from her. This time, however, she held her ground, though her eyes welled up before she even spoke. "Miss Zia... I know it was you in that photo."
Blocking my way, I could only regard her with impatience. "It was. So? Haven't you asked Ethan what we discussed?"
Her face paled further, but her voice held a brittle defiance. "I trust Ethan. I don't *need* to ask him. I just... I need you to stay away from him."
I laughed, a short, sharp sound. For the first time, I truly met her gaze, my expression undoubtedly icy. "That's a sentiment I wish you'd apply to yourself and Ethan. I need *both* of you to stay away from *me*."
I pushed past her. She called out behind me, "Zia! I won't let Ethan invest in your film! And I won't act in it!"
I didn't pause. I didn't look back.
After that bizarre encounter, Ethan's investment indeed evaporated. His key condition had been casting Aria as the female lead.
Contrary to Aria's claim, however, it wasn't her refusal that killed the deal. It was Director Li's flat rejection when Ethan insisted on Aria for the lead role. They couldn't agree, and the investment fell through.
I felt a wave of bitter amusement. So, Ethan felt Aria wasn't from his world? His late-night confession had merely been testing the waters with me? How calculating. Aria wasn't suitable marriage material, hence his assertion that *we* were the same kind of people.
Perhaps he assumed I'd never truly moved on. That if he glanced back, hinting at nostalgia, I'd come running. The sheer arrogance of it.
He wanted a suitable match, a marriage of equals – yet couldn't shake his ingrained compulsion to 'save' Aria.
Disgusting.
On the day our film crew officially started shooting, another director in the industry announced the launch of their own project.
A major co-production funded by Ethan and Archer.
Featuring a gold-standard producer, a renowned screenwriter, and a constellation of established stars... all supporting Aria in the lead role.
When I saw the gossip column item, I forwarded it to Elodie. After a long pause, she replied with six dots: **...**
Her official withdrawal from the engagement with Archer had been formally communicated to both families. I'd heard Archer was desperately trying to win her back.
*Though trying to win her back while simultaneously making such a grand, public gesture for another woman certainly cements his status as the devoted second lead.*
Elodie called me, laughing. "I sent that news item to my family. They were still hoping I'd give Archer a chance... but seeing this, they've all gone quiet." Finally, she let out a long sigh, her voice tinged with genuine confusion. "Zia... what exactly did I see in Archer all these years? It's so strange."
It *was* strange. But thankfully, she'd woken up in time.
Eighteen months later, Aria's film premiered.
That colossal production, packed with veteran actors, crashed and burned spectacularly. Aria, as the lead, was mercilessly mocked across several trending topics.
The multi-billion investment scraped barely £3 million at the box office. One could only imagine how the investors felt about swallowing that loss.
*Ah, but wait – the investors were Ethan and Archer. They invested 'for love'. Presumably, they were savouring this bitter pill.*
A month later, the film Aria had "rejected" was released. Its profound content sparked widespread discussion, dominating social media trends. It broke box office records. Netizens used it for sharp, contrasting memes, dragging Aria back into the spotlight for another round of ridicule.
On the day our film passed the £200 million mark at the box office, that old photo of Ethan and me at dinner resurfaced on the trending charts.
The headline rehashed the past: **Aria's Tycoon Beau's Secret Dinner with Hit Film's Creator – Cheating Scandal?**
Conveniently, paparazzi also released blurry photos of Aria looking haggard, out drinking with a friend late at night. The narrative shifted instantly.
It was baffling how someone managed to pinpoint my details from such a grainy image. Nobody discussed the content of my new film. The focus was solely on how 'tragic' Aria was. Some dredged up claims I'd bullied her into leaving school. Others spun a tale of me, the childhood friend, perpetually waiting to steal Ethan back. Someone claimed the film had *always* been intended for Aria, maliciously snatched away by me.
Then, a 'friend' of Aria's released an audio clip. It purported to be a recording of Aria venting after confronting me. The friend claimed she released it out of righteous indignation for her pal.
The clip played:
> **Aria:** "Miss Zia... I know it was you in that photo."
> **Zia:** "It was. So?"
> **Aria:** "I trust Ethan. I don't *need* to ask him. I just... I need you to stay away from him."
Discussion about Aria's box-office disaster and her apparent 'jinx' status vanished. The attacks turned squarely on me. Even my currently successful film suffered the backlash.
For the first time, I proactively contacted Ethan. "Aren't you going to clarify? Explain?"
After a long hesitation, he replied, "Zia... consider this me owing you one. Aria needs this narrative to shift attention. Your film made £200 million in three days. Your future is boundless. You have *everything*. But Aria... she can't afford to lose anything else."
I asked calmly, "So you're not planning to clarify, is that it?"
Silence hung on the line. I laughed – not out of anger, but pure revulsion. "Ethan, I am *not* you and Aria's personal damage-control service. What I have has *nothing* to do with you or Aria. Why should I be your sacrificial lamb for PR? Am I out of my mind?"
I hung up. That call was my final act of decency.
That evening, I released a statement.
**Regarding the high school bullying allegations:** Coincidentally, I still had the records of the messages her mother sent trying to seduce my father. **Regarding the dinner with Ethan:** Yes, I recorded our conversation too. Who doesn't these days? While Aria released a selectively edited clip, I released the *complete, unedited* recording. I also included the transcript of Ethan refusing to clarify, telling me Aria "needed the narrative". **Regarding the claim the film was 'stolen':** I attached Aria's audition tape, Director Li's scathing, on-the-spot critique, and the documentation showing Ethan's investment was withdrawn *after* Director Li refused his demand to cast Aria.
The evidence was irrefutable and meticulously presented. Finally, I tagged Aria and Ethan directly, stating: **You picked the wrong fight. Don't play dead. Apologise. Or I'll sue for defamation and spreading false information.**
Netizens devoured the drama with relish. The narrative flipped instantly. If I were Aria, I'd be booking a one-way ticket to Mars.
The Qi family's (Ethan's family) share prices plummeted – though I appreciated the internet sleuths. Someone, examining Aria's audition video, dug into Archer's presence, commenting: **"Why does this guy seem so... close with Aria?"**
Naturally, everything surfaced. Aria remained silent, playing dead on my demand, but reacted *swiftly* to this new speculation, issuing a statement claiming they were "just friends and boss/employee." At that precise moment, Elodie registered on the platform and posted her official engagement termination notice, tagging Archer. It effectively pinned them both to the pillar of public suspicion regarding their ambiguous relationship. The court of public opinion erupted. My film's box office soared even higher.
Standing before the vast floor-to-ceiling window, watching the sunset paint the sky, I thought: *What a gloriously perfect picture.*
Later, Archer came to see me. He looked haggard, dishevelled. "Where is Elodie?" he demanded.
*Ah, yes.* Elodie was with her senior lab partner. They'd visited each other's parents the week before. Archer must have heard. He couldn't find her, couldn't reach her. Without clearance, the gates of the National Research Institute would forever bar him from seeing Elodie again.
I smiled coolly. "What's the matter, Sir Knight? Isn't Aria the one who needs you right now? Why are you looking for Elodie?"
He gave a bitter, complicated shake of his head, looking utterly lost, and left without another word.
Ethan, meanwhile, seemed to be exploring the marriage market. His family's stock had taken a hit, their business suffering. A suitable marriage alliance was the obvious play to salvage the situation.
Progress, however, appeared nil. The scandal was too fresh, my released recording too damning. Who hadn't heard him say: *"Zia... consider this me owing you one. Aria needs this narrative to shift attention. Your film made £200 million in three days. Your future is boundless. You have everything. But Aria... she can't afford to lose anything else."*
He tried to reach me, sent intermediaries. I remained unmoved. Eventually, he gave up.
Their tawdry campus romance? I have no part in it.
From now on, our paths won't cross again.