📕Before I turned 18, she announced her fiancé—but only realized her heart after I walked away

The teachers couldn’t understand why I the top scorer in the province refused to attend the nation's number one—Capital University. Instead I chose South City University thousands of miles away. It was all because after my brother died I fell in love with my sister-in-law. But she Fearing society’s judgment coldly rejected me. To make me give up she announced her fiancé just an hour before I turned eighteen and even allowed him to provoke and confront me taking his side again and again. Eventually I gave up completely. I changed the university choice she had arranged for me and

decided to start a new life. Yet when I finally stopped bothering her as she had wanted she came all the way to my new university begging me for another chance. Chapter 1 On the final day to submit university applications for the college entrance exam I sat in front of the computer all day. At the very last second before the deadline I filled in every choice with South City University and clicked submit. The moment I was done My homeroom teacher called. She asked Jeremy why did you choose South City University Ms. Moo has been reminding us

to make sure you apply to Capital University. Didn’t you prefer Capital University yourself The Ms. Moo she spoke of so respectfully was my sister-in-law—Elizabeth. Clutching my phone tightly I responded firmly “I’m an adult now. I can make my own decisions. Thank you for taking care of me these past three years Teacher. I hope you can keep this between us. Only after hearing her sigh and agree did I hang up. Just then the TV lit up with a news report about the grand engagement party of Elizabeth and Pablo held a few days ago. Watching Elizabeth in

a white dress Eyes filled with love as she held Pablo’s arm I suddenly remembered—this kind of tenderness and closeness once belonged to me alone. When I was thirteen my parents and older brother died in a car accident leaving me an orphan with no one to rely on. While I clutched my parents’ portraits helplessly facing a group of relatives who were all eager to fight over the inheritance but none willing to raise a "burden" like me—it was my brother’s fiancée Elizabeth Who stepped forward. She drove those relatives away and brought me into the Moo household. She

patted my head and said Jeremy from now on I’ll take care of you. You can call me sister-in-law. Since then I called her that out of respect for her seniority and she gave me all her affection and care in return. At fourteen When my classmates mocked me for being a jinx who lost both parents Elizabeth came to school to defend me. She told me Jeremy your sister-in-law will always have your back. At fifteen while traveling with friends I was caught in an unexpected earthquake. Upon hearing the news Elizabeth rushed to the disaster site without hesitation

Braved danger and dug through the rubble with her bare hands once she confirmed my location. When I was finally rescued her nails were bloodied and broken. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes that day something in me shifted. That was the moment the seed of love took root in my heart. But because of our relationship I dared not show it—keeping it buried deep inside. By sixteen She had already become the one I saw in my dreams. I knew then—I had fallen in love with the person who had always been by my side. At seventeen my

diary—filled with my unspoken affection—was discovered. Elizabeth was furious holding the notebook in hand scolding me fiercely. But I refused to back down. I said “You’re not really my sister-in-law. We’re not related by blood. Why can’t I love you She looked exhausted rubbing her temples before finally sighing “You’re still too young. You don’t know what love is.” Her indirect rejection only spurred me on. To me it sounded like hope. Eyes red I said stubbornly “You’re only seven years older than me. If you think I’m too young now does that mean once I become an adult I’ll

be old enough for you From that day forward I stopped hiding how I felt. I refused to call her “sister-in-law” anymore. I would only call her by her name. Every Valentine’s Day I confessed my feelings again even though she rejected me every single time. Still I never gave up. But she grew colder started avoiding me. On my eighteenth birthday she brought Pablo—her well-matched fiancé—to the party and publicly announced their engagement. That night I begged her “Didn’t you say you’d wait until I was an adult I’m only an hour away from turning eighteen. Just one more

hour—please don’t get engaged to him.” She replied coldly “I never said I’d wait for you. And no matter how old you are I will never love you. I’ll only ever be your sister-in-law.” As soon as she said it she turned and walked out. I chased after her—only to see Elizabeth in Pablo’s arms kissing him passionately. At that moment I could feel the sound of my heart shattering echoing from the depths of my soul. I finally understood— Elizabeth would only ever be my sister-in-law. There would never be anything more between us. And it was in that

moment that I truly let go of my feelings for her. I would no longer love Elizabeth. And I would no longer stay by her side. Chapter 2 The sound of the door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned around just in time to see Elizabeth coming home. Her expression was as indifferent as always. She didn’t say a word when she saw me but as she walked past something seemed to cross her mind. She paused for a moment and asked “Today’s the application deadline. Did you submit your choices I nodded and replied Yes sister-in-law.

Elizabeth froze for a moment when she heard me call her that. Ever since my feelings were exposed at sixteen This was the first time I had called her sister-in-law again. I was very well-behaved today. I didn’t go up to her when she walked through the door. I just sat properly on the sofa keeping a polite distance. A strange feeling passed through her. Elizabeth noticed the change in me immediately. But almost instinctively she thought—this change was a good thing. This was how things were supposed to be. Suppressing the odd emotion in her heart Elizabeth looked away

and said You filled in Capital University. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. Even after everything that had happened between us even though things could never return to how they were Capital University had always been the unspoken agreement between us. Capital University was one of the best universities in the country. More importantly It was in our city. Long ago Elizabeth had already bought a place near the university planning for us to move there together once I was accepted. Even now with a fiancé by her side that thought hadn’t changed. She had never imagined that

I would choose to leave. I could hear the certainty in her voice. A flicker of discomfort crossed my face And after a long silence I finally lowered my head and replied “Yes.” Elizabeth wasn’t surprised at all. She nodded and headed toward the study. Before leaving she reminded me If you need anything before the semester starts just contact my assistant. He’ll take care of it.” I said Sister-in-law Actually… I hesitated. Just as I was about to gather the courage to speak her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the name on the screen and her expression instantly

softened. She said gently Pablo What’s up Her voice was so tender—so full of warmth I hadn’t heard in a long time. I watched her face light up with a shy Smile as she walked quickly into her room completely forgetting whatever I had almost said. After a while I lowered my head in disappointment swallowing the words I had wanted to speak. The truth was I hadn’t chosen Capital University. I had applied to South City University—the furthest university from here. The truth was I was about to leave. Sister-in-law Once I’m gone I hope you’ll be happy forever.

I glanced at the time on my phone—sixty days left before the semester began. I opened a countdown app and set a timer for sixty days. Watching the seconds tick down disappearing one by one I suddenly smiled. Sister-in-law in sixty days you’ll finally be free of me.” With that I put away my phone and went back to my room. That night I didn’t sleep well and I woke up very late. After washing up I headed downstairs to the dining room—only to be stunned by the sight of Elizabeth sitting at the head of the table reading a

newspaper. Normally by this time She would have already finished breakfast and left for work. I had deliberately slept in to avoid her. But unexpectedly she had waited here. Seeing me finally come downstairs Elizabeth frowned and said “Even if it’s the holidays your schedule shouldn’t be all over the place. I didn’t argue. I simply nodded and chose a seat far from her. But then she spoke again My assistant will come by later to take you shopping for school supplies. Again I just nodded. My silence caught her attention. Elizabeth sensed something was off about me. Just as

she was about to speak I asked first Sister-in-law why haven’t you gone to work today Are you going on a date with Pablo At my question Her previously calm expression changed instantly and her tone grew cold without her realizing it. She said “That’s none of your business. Her sudden harshness stunned me. But then I realized—she had misunderstood my question. The truth was I only saw her as my sister-in-law now. That was a simple casual question. Nothing more. Just as I was about to explain Pablo pushed the door open and walked in. What are you two

talking about he asked. He smiled warmly like a gentleman. When he heard I was going shopping for school supplies he immediately volunteered to take me—acting like a caring elder. Elizabeth frowned seemingly wanting to refuse. I also shook my head about to say it wasn’t necessary. But Pablo had already patted his chest and said confidently Elizabeth we’re engaged now. That makes me Jeremy’s uncle. Let me do my part. Elizabeth gave a small nod in agreement and completely ignored my opinion. She looked at Pablo helplessly and said Alright then we’ll all go together. Chapter 3 Seeing Elizabeth

agree without hesitation I lowered my head a bitter smile curling at the corners of my mouth. The rejection I had wanted to voice was once again swallowed back. After we finished eating I followed Elizabeth and Pablo to the mall. We first picked up some stationery then moved to the clothing section to buy warm winter clothes. Noticing how I kept lingering in the winterwear section Pablo looked a bit puzzled. Eventually he couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked Jeremy your sister-in-law said you’re going to Capital University—it’s right here in the city. Summers in the capital are

pretty hot and orientation’s during summer too. Why are you buying so many winter clothes My hand froze mid-reach. It’s true—the capital gets scorching in the summer. But the school I’m going to isn’t in the capital. It’s in Pingcheng far to the north. It’s freezing up there all year round. And I chose it precisely because South City University is the farthest from the capital. I replied casually I still have a lot of summer clothes so I figured I’d just get all the winter stuff in advance. Saves me trouble later. I kept my tone natural and gave

a vague excuse. They didn’t think much of it. After we finished shopping Elizabeth checked the time—it was already noon—so we decided to grab lunch. We headed to a nearby restaurant. Elizabeth ordered a table full of dishes but once the food arrived I found myself at a loss. The entire table was full of spicy food—Pablo’s favorite. But I’ve always had a sensitive stomach and can’t handle spicy food. Despite that Pablo kept smiling warmly as he added more and more food into my bowl even as I just silently picked at the plain rice. Watching the once-white rice

grains soak red with chili oil I felt my face stiffen slightly. Seeing me stop eating Pablo looked a little awkward and turned to Elizabeth “Jeremy doesn’t like me huh I’ve been giving him food and he won’t eat any of it…” Elizabeth glanced at the food in my bowl Her expression darkening. Stop acting childish. Eat your food she said coldly. Her words held a warning and I looked at her deeply remembering how she used to go out of her way to accommodate my tastes. I still remember that one time I ate something too spicy by accident

and ended up feverish throwing up with a bad stomach. She rushed me to the hospital in the middle of The night and stayed up all night at my bedside only leaving to rest once I had fully recovered. After that she declared that spicy food would no longer be allowed in the house. There was even a time the maid intentionally ignored that rule—Elizabeth fired the entire staff saying my health couldn’t afford even one mistake. She had truly cared for me all these years. But now just to please Pablo she filled the table with spicy Dishes—and even

pressured me to eat them. In the end I said nothing. I just silently ate the food. The moment the chili oil touched my mouth I started coughing uncontrollably eyes tearing up from the spice. But Elizabeth didn’t even glance at me. Once she saw I had eaten she turned her attention completely to Pablo. She served him food poured him water Wiped the corner of his lips—all with a tender intimate touch. After the meal Pablo suggested taking her on the Ferris wheel. Elizabeth was clearly thrilled and immediately got ready to head to the amusement park. Feeling my

stomach burning like it was on fire I waved them off. I said Sister-in-law you two go ahead. I’ll skip it.” Pablo didn’t take my rejection seriously. Instead he kept pulling at my arm insisting with a smile Come on don’t leave us hanging. How can we go have fun without you As he tugged at me sweat formed on my forehead. My lips were pale and my voice grew weak. I said “I’m not feeling well. I just want to rest a bit. Really I’ll sit this one out.” Hearing that Pablo finally gave up on trying to convince

me. But he looked a little conflicted and asked Should we drop you off first But the Ferris wheel’s about to close…” Just then Elizabeth glanced at the time and made the decision “I’ll have the driver come pick him up. Let’s go ride the Ferris wheel. Her word was final. She told me to wait there and said she’d call the driver soon. Then she and Pablo walked off toward the amusement park. But I waited at that spot for a long time—and the promised driver never came. As the sky began to darken I let out a bitter

laugh. There weren’t many cars in this villa area and I couldn’t catch a ride. Luckily home was only three kilometers away. Clutching my aching stomach I walked all the way back on foot. The moment I got home the pain became unbearable. I rushed to the bathroom and threw up violently. After taking some medicine I leaned against the sink trying to catch my breath—when my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a message from Pablo Along with a photo. He wrote The Ferris wheel was actually great. Too bad you missed it. I scrolled up to look at the

photo—and froze. It was a picture of Pablo and Elizabeth kissing on the Ferris wheel. But within seconds the photo was deleted. Then another message popped up. Oops sent the wrong one. Don’t mind it.” Staring at the message I smiled. If this had been the old me I probably would’ve felt crushed. But now I simply replied “As long as you’re both having fun that’s what matters. Chapter 4 For the next few days Elizabeth didn’t return home. But during those days I kept receiving messages from Pablo. One day he told me he and Elizabeth had gone to

a romantic restaurant. The next he said Elizabeth was off with him to see a sea of flowers and wouldn’t be home. Then he claimed she was spending the night at his place. Along with that he accidentally sent me a photo of Elizabeth in a bathrobe—only to delete it two minutes later. At the end he messaged Take care of yourself at home Jeremy. I didn’t bother replying. I was too busy sorting through every single gift Elizabeth had given me over the years. I was also arranging to sell my parents’ old house. I deposited all the money

into one bank card. Once school started I’d give it to Elizabeth. That would be my way of repaying Her for raising me all these years. After getting rid of all that I had nothing left. To cover my tuition I started working part-time jobs—early mornings to late nights. Time was tight and the money I needed wasn’t small. So I worked three jobs a day—doing whatever hard dirty exhausting work I could find. In just a few days I already looked haggard. That day while delivering food for one of my gigs I received an order for a birthday

cake. When I arrived at the address on the receipt I realized it was Pablo’s villa. That’s when it hit me—it was his birthday today. I hesitated wondering whether to deliver it or not. But the order was about to expire and I didn’t have a choice. Before going in I pulled on my delivery cap and mask to avoid being recognized. I knocked on the door. Just as I was about to get Pablo’s signature a foot suddenly stuck out from somewhere and tripped me. I fell hard—along with the cake—which splattered across the floor. The custom cake was

completely ruined. A few of Pablo’s friends who had come out with him wrinkled their brows and stepped back in disgust. One of them sneered How clumsy can you be You’ve destroyed a perfectly good cake. I could tell someone had tripped me on purpose. But looking around I knew none of these people were going to speak up for me. I could only keep apologizing. But the people surrounding me refused to let it go. Someone said “Do you think ‘I’m sorry’ is enough This cake cost seven figures. Can you afford to pay for that The contempt in

their voices made my cheeks burn. But they were right—I couldn’t afford it. And I didn’t want Pablo to recognize me. So I kept bowing and apologizing trying to keep my head down. But they kept pushing. Someone like you delivering food You probably couldn’t afford even a tenth of this cake if we sold you. Another said Forget it. It’s Pablo’s birthday today. No point wasting the cake. Eat the whole thing and we’ll let it go.” Every word they spoke dripped with cruelty. Pablo gave a hesitant smile and tried to play peacemaker. “But the cake’s all dirty

now. Isn’t that a bit much The others laughed. “What’s the big deal People like him at the bottom of society probably never even tasted a cake this expensive. Pablo you’re too kind. This guy ruined your birthday remember “We’re not even making him pay. Just giving him a lesson. He should be thanking us. Pablo looked convinced. He nodded. Alright then. Eat the cake and clean up the mess. Just as he said that Elizabeth suddenly walked out and asked “What’s going on The sound of her voice froze me in place. I lowered my head even more terrified

of being recognized. Her friends immediately began embellishing the story. Pablo worried Elizabeth might be disgusted added quickly “We’re not making him pay. Just letting him eat the cake so he learns to be careful in the future. That’s not unreasonable right Elizabeth’s gaze landed on me. Her eyes stayed there a moment too long. For a second I thought… maybe she recognized me. But then her voice rang out—calm and cold. “That’s fair. Those two words hit me like a slap to the face. I clenched my jaw but didn’t look up. With everyone staring at me I quietly

crawled over to the mess of cake. I could hear their mocking laughter echoing around me. But I didn’t say a word. I squatted down and forced myself to eat the ruined cake piece by piece. As I ate a memory came to me. Back in middle school I once accidentally offended a school bully. He demanded I kneel before him. Instead I smashed his Lamborghini in a fit of rage and told him to stay away from me. Furious he gathered a group of guys to block me after school demanding compensation—or that I lick his shoes. Elizabeth was

overseas at the time but when she heard what happened she took a red-eye flight traveling for more than ten hours straight to come back. The moment she saw me she stood in front of me glaring coldly at those boys as she tossed them a black card. She said Go call your parents. Bring every Lamborghini they own. Let Jeremy smash them all. I may have been an orphan but under her care I grew up bright and bold. She always said Our Jeremy does whatever he wants. He doesn’t need to bow to anyone. But now She let

me eat cake off the ground for another man. And all she had left for me was two cold words: “That’s fair. After delivering food all day I dragged my bruised body back home. I was just about to head to my room to rest. But when I turned on the lights I saw Elizabeth sitting on the living room sofa. The air felt ice-cold. I had a bad feeling. I lowered my voice and said “Sister-in-law…” She shot to her feet and snapped Why are you delivering food Didn’t I give you money So she had recognized me. Then

why… why did she still make me eat that cake Just to make Pablo happy I kept my head down and didn’t respond. But her voice came again—sharper this time And another thing. Why did you sell the old house and all the gifts I gave you What are you trying to do Jeremy Have you completely lost your mind Chapter 5 The moment her words fell a chill shot through my heart. I hadn’t expected Elizabeth to find out so soon. I hesitated for a long moment then finally came up with an excuse to cover it up. I

said “I just figured I wouldn’t use those things anymore. No point in keeping them around so I sold them. It was a clumsy lie—one Elizabeth clearly didn’t buy. She was about to press further when her phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the screen she saw it was a call from Pablo. As soon as she picked up an anxious voice came through. Elizabeth I just tripped and twisted my ankle. There’s no one around…” Hearing that Elizabeth immediately forgot all about questioning me and rushed out the door. Watching her disappear down the hallway I didn’t know whether I

should feel disappointed that I now meant so little in her world compared to Pablo—or relieved that she was so preoccupied with him that my plans could proceed unnoticed. The next morning after I washed up and came downstairs Assistant Lin was already waiting with a gold card in hand. He said Sir This is from Chairwoman Moo. Before I could refuse he had already handed the card to me and left the villa leaving me standing there staring blankly at the card. In the end I picked it up—but I didn’t put it away. Instead I placed it beside

the bank card I had prepared to return to Elizabeth. I planned to give them both back To her together when the time came. I never used the gold card. I didn’t stop working my part-time jobs either. I still hadn’t saved enough for tuition. But this time I kept everything a secret from Elizabeth. Luckily she was too busy taking care of Pablo to notice. She was out early and back late every day which gave me plenty of time to do what I needed to do. A week later One evening I received a message inviting me to

a class reunion. It was our first gathering after graduation. Since we were all going our separate ways soon—and I’d be going far away—I figured I might not get the chance to see them again. So I canceled my shift that night and agreed to go. But just as I stepped out of the villa I ran into Elizabeth and Pablo returning together. Elizabeth asked “It’s late. Where are you going Seeing me clearly intending to walk right past her she frowned. The Moo household had always had a curfew. No going out after 11 PM. Since she asked I

didn’t hide it. “I’m going to a class reunion I said. Her instinct was to refuse—but Pablo spoke up to smooth things over. Young people need their own social life he said. “It’s just classmates. What could go wrong If you’re really worried why don’t we go with him Elizabeth nodded. If you really want to go we’ll come with you. A bunch of kids staying out all night doesn’t look good. I had no choice but to let them tag along. The moment we walked into the private room two of my close friends rushed over. Jeremy congrats I

heard you got into Hua— I quickly cut them off asking instead What schools did you guys end up at They were confused by my interruption especially as I subtly shook my head at them. But they still went along with it and answered my question. “Our scores weren’t as high one said. “Alicia’s staying local going to a university here in the city. As for me my parents decided to send me abroad. I tugged them toward the center of the room glancing back at Elizabeth as I walked. She stood silently her gaze fixed on me unreadable. I

didn’t know if she had heard what they said—and could only hope she hadn’t. In the end Elizabeth didn’t say anything. Instead she stepped into the room and was the first to speak. “Tonight’s bill is on me.” Instantly the room burst into surprised chatter. Jeremy your sister-in-law is gorgeous and generous God please bless me with a sister-in-law like hers The compliments rolled in one after another. If this had been before I would’ve basked in it—like they were praising me instead. I probably would’ve added Of course My sister-in-law’s the best and most beautiful woman in the world

But now I just smiled faintly—and said nothing at all. Chapter 6 At the reunion perhaps it was the striking contrast of beauty and elegance between them Or maybe it was the genuine affection between Elizabeth and Pablo—either way they kept drawing everyone’s attention. As the two of them acted like no one else was around openly showing off their affection the classmates around us couldn’t help but look on with envy. Someone said Jeremy your sister-in-law is so sweet to her boyfriend. I’m jealous…” Right I want a mature goddess like your sister-in-law too I second that I third

that Everyone chimed in with laughter and teasing. But something in their words seemed to strike a nerve with Elizabeth. Her expression darkened slightly. She said “People your age shouldn’t be looking for someone like me. You should be dating people your own age. As she spoke Her gaze drifted—almost imperceptibly—toward me. The air froze for a moment. I understood the message behind her eyes. But I said nothing. Instead I stepped forward to ease the tension. “They’re just here to hang out with me sister-in-law I said “Don’t worry about them. Let’s just enjoy ourselves. On the screen at

the front of the room Karaoke lyrics continued to roll. Others sensing the shift in mood quickly jumped in Yeah yeah Let’s sing The first song was one I had picked. I hadn’t learned anything new recently so I chose an old one I knew well— "A Crush Is a One-Person Thing." I held the mic and sang along quietly. My voice carried a soft melancholy. When the song ended everyone clapped and praised me. Jeremy you sang that so well You really captured the feeling of bittersweet love… Hey speaking of secret crushes—Jeremy now that we’ve graduated you should

confess Who knows when we’ll see each other again If you miss your chance It’ll be a shame Instinctively I glanced at Elizabeth— Then quickly looked away and shook my head. “I don’t have anyone I like I said. But no one believed me. Instead it sparked more teasing. Come on no way I saw you sketching someone Right after class once—it was a girl Yeah I remember that You even wrote a love letter Even my old desk mate joined in I saw your textbooks. They were full of someone’s name I tried to sneak a look but you

dodged me so fast A little drunk and way too hyped they began egging me on to confess. Someone even grabbed my phone Trying to scroll through my contacts. I held on tightly protecting it feeling more and more overwhelmed. That’s when Elizabeth suddenly stood up. I have something to do she said. “We’ll head out first. With that she and Pablo left without another word. Only after she was gone did I quietly let out a breath of relief— But not in time. One classmate had already found the top contact on my phone and hit call. I quickly

snatched the phone back. I was just about to explain when Elizabeth’s voice—cold and low—came through the speaker Jeremy I will never love you. Then came the beep of the call being disconnected. As her words settled into the air the entire room fell into a deathly silence. Every face was painted with awkwardness and regret. After that night I never saw Elizabeth Moo again. Not until the evening before the Moo Corporation’s anniversary gala. She returned briefly and handed me a box her gaze still indifferent. She said Try it on. See if you like it. I took the

box and returned to my room. Inside was a white formal suit—plain But safe. Not bad but not special either. It was nothing like the clothes she used to give me before I turned sixteen when she’d carefully select every piece herself. Since then everything had become neutral emotionless—like this suit. I changed and came downstairs walked over to Elizabeth and gave her a soft smile. Thank you sister-in-law. I really like it. Chapter 7 The next day I put on the white formal suit Elizabeth had picked for me and followed behind her and Pablo into the ballroom for

the anniversary gala. Midway through the evening the host suggested a round of party games as per the schedule. The first game Guess who by touch. After explaining the rules the host encouraged the crowd to suggest the first volunteer. Since everyone at the company knew Elizabeth was engaged this was the perfect opportunity for some good-natured teasing. Naturally they all began chanting for her to guess Pablo. CEO goes first CEO goes first Elizabeth didn’t step forward. Instead she frowned. She didn’t enjoy these kinds of noisy games—and she certainly hadn’t expected to become the center of attention. She

was about to decline when Pablo took her hand and said Elizabeth this actually sounds kind of fun. I want to try too. Come on Do it with me. Let’s see if you can recognize me.” With Pablo coaxing her like that Elizabeth finally agreed. Once she was blindfolded the men were arranged into a line per the host’s instructions each extending one hand. Everyone watched eagerly as Elizabeth began walking forward blindfolded. The guy on the far end stared at his own hand Tense with anticipation. But Elizabeth didn’t stop. She passed by one man after another without pausing

without reaching out to touch a single one. A wave of disappointed sighs spread through the room. Aww I thought I might actually get to hold the CEO’s hand…” Same She didn’t even raise her hand. The murmurs were finally interrupted by the host. Looks like Chairwoman Moo can recognize Pablo just by his scent She must be very in love to be that confident. So gentlemen please don’t make a sound—it might give her an unfair advantage Unbothered by the comments Elizabeth kept walking steadily forward. But just as the host finished speaking she suddenly stopped. Standing right in

front of her—was me. Silent unmoving. She reached out and grabbed my hand. Her clear composed voice rang softly in my ear “It’s you.” And then before I could react she lifted her face and leaned in to kiss me. The entire room fell silent. Pablo’s smile froze his expression cracking visibly. Startled I instinctively pushed her away my grip tightening in panic. Sister-in-law I said hurriedly “You’ve got the wrong person. Pablo’s standing right there. Elizabeth’s body tensed. Then she slowly released my hand turned and walked toward Pablo’s position—taking his hand this time. Pablo gave an awkward smile

and said trying to sound playful How could you mistake someone else for me Elizabeth took off her blindfold. For a moment she looked like she didn’t know how to explain. Eventually I spoke up to smooth things over. “Maybe it’s because Pablo and I are about the same height I said. And we were standing close. It was just a mix-up. Elizabeth looked slightly surprised that I had stepped in to help but she only gave me a quick glance before turning her attention away again. I didn’t stick around either. I quietly found a seat in the corner

and watched the rest of the game from a distance. By four in the afternoon the party was winding down. Guests began to leave. Elizabeth eventually brought Pablo Over to find me—I was sitting alone eating cake. She said “I’ve still got a few things to handle. The driver will take you two over first. I nodded offering no argument. I followed them silently getting into the car behind Pablo and sat quietly as the two of them exchanged affectionate goodbyes outside. Once the car pulled away And Elizabeth was out of sight Pablo turned to me with a casual

air and asked Jeremy is there someone you like Chapter 8 I wasn’t sure why he suddenly asked that and I really didn’t feel like answering. But Pablo wasn’t letting it go. He said “Don’t be shy Jeremy. It’s totally normal for Someone your age to have a crush. Come on tell me. He stared at me clearly intending to keep pushing until he got an answer. Left with no choice I shook my head. But Pablo didn’t buy it. His eyes were filled with suspicion. Really No one at all Want me to introduce you to a girlfriend No

need. I rejected his offer without hesitation. With everything that had happened between us I saw no reason to let Pablo have any say over my personal life. But in the very next moment Pablo smirked. Something in his expression shifted—like he’d suddenly become a completely different person. He said “Are you sure you don’t need help Or is it because you’re hiding someone in your heart you don’t dare talk about Jeremy you’ve got some nerve. Developing those kinds of dirty feelings toward your own sister-in-law. I wonder—if your parents could see you now from wherever they are—would they

regret having a son like you He leaned in his voice low and venomous. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking Elizabeth picked you because she cares about you. You know sometimes when you hate someone you remember their scent just as clearly. He was still smiling but his eyes were full of naked malice. His words cut deep. My face turned pale. I wanted to argue back to defend myself—but then a sudden screech of brakes tore through the air. The car jolted violently. Both Pablo and I were thrown forward only to be yanked back by our seatbelts. Furious Pablo

looked up ready to yell at the driver— Only to see a massive out-of-control truck charging straight toward us. The driver jerked the wheel in a panic trying to swerve— But he turned too sharply and the car slammed into the guardrail. Bang. The vehicle flipped. Everything went black. When I came to again everything was red. I was being wheeled on a stretcher into a hospital the world around me spinning. Through the blur I thought I saw her. Elizabeth. For the first time ever her face was full of panic. I heard the doctor Speaking to her in

a trembling voice Chairwoman Moo we’ve already called Professor Raphael—the most renowned surgeon—but he can only operate on one person at a time. Who… who should we save first Elizabeth's voice was cold and calm. What are the risks for the one who has to wait The doctor hesitated then said Both patients have been impaled by steel rods. If we delay the surgery… the one Who waits could be permanently disabled. Silence. Elizabeth didn’t speak for a long time. So long that I began to drift into unconsciousness again Then I finally heard her answer. Save Pablo first. And

then she followed after Pablo’s gurney toward the operating room Never once looking back. Before the darkness took me a single tear rolled down from the corner of my eye. I dreamed for a long long time. And in every dream— She was there. Elizabeth. She took care of me for ten whole years. When I was bullied she dropped everything to come to my school and defend me making sure I was never mistreated. When I woke screaming from nightmares she would rush into my room Hug me close and whisper over and over again “Don’t be scared. Your

sister-in-law is here. Once I got hit while crossing the street— She was the first to run over and hold me. I was so happy that day. Sister-in-law how did you get here so fast She smiled gently tapping me on the forehead. Because Jeremy is the treasure I raised. You’re the only one in my eyes. Of course I wouldn’t let you get hurt. But now— She was also the one who when faced with a choice between two lives Abandoned me. Save Pablo. Pablo. Of course. He’s the one she cares about now. I don’t know how long

I was unconscious. When I finally woke up my eyes were wet with tears. The only person by my bedside was a nurse. Seeing me awake she smiled brightly. “You’re finally up The other gentleman you came in with woke up a long time ago. You were the only one still unconscious. I shifted my body slightly— It hurt but I could still feel everything. I let out a sigh of relief. “I’m not… disabled I asked. I couldn’t help but wonder Didn’t she choose to save him instead of me The nurse’s expression turned a little solemn as she

nodded. You were very close. Just a bit deeper and we wouldn’t have been able to save your leg. But you pulled through. You’re lucky. My eyes burned with sudden emotion. Thank God I thought. Thank God my leg is still here. Then I remembered something and asked “Where’s Elizabeth My voice was still weak but I forced myself to ask. The nurse didn’t hide the truth. In fact her voice held a trace of admiration. “She’s in the room next door with the other gentleman. I heard they’re engaged. Such a loving couple. Do you want me to go

call her for you I paused. Then shook my head. “No… That’s okay. Chapter 9 During my entire stay at the hospital Elizabeth never came—not even once. And I didn’t ask about her again. It wasn’t until the day I was about to be discharged that she finally called. She said “I’ve been really busy lately that’s why I haven’t had time to visit. I heard you’re being discharged today—I’ll have my assistant take you home later. I responded with a soft Mm and said nothing more. But Elizabeth didn’t hang up. I thought she had something else to say

so I waited. After a short pause she asked “How’s your recovery I replied “I’m fine. You can focus on taking care of Pablo. Don’t worry about me.” It was the care I had longed for—just a few words. But now that it had finally come all I felt was polite detachment. Elizabeth seemed to sense it too. She tried to explain “I wasn’t—” Before she could finish I ended the call. Three days before I was to leave the capital I had already packed up everything. That’s when Elizabeth finally came home. Seeing the bags and suitcases stacked by

the door she couldn’t help but ask Why are you packing all this “I’m starting school in three days I replied. Just getting everything ready in advance. My voice was calm as I zipped up the last suitcase. There was no hint of anything unusual in my tone. But for some reason Elizabeth looked unsettled. She asked again You need this much stuff just to start school Yeah I said. I want to bring it all at once so I won’t have to bother again later. I placed the suitcase in the corner then turned back to look at her.

Sister-in-law before school starts… could we have one meal together I want to cook for you. A simple request. But Elizabeth didn’t immediately say yes. She paused then said We can have dinner anytime. Your university is in the city and I’ll be moving to the neighborhood near Capital University anyway. There’s no rush. I looked at her a stubborn glint in my eyes That she hadn’t seen in a long time. Just this once. One last time. She stared at me—and in the end she gave in. …Do what you want she said. After that day I stayed busy

tying up loose ends. I didn’t have the time to notice what Elizabeth was doing. Then came the day school started. I spent half the day preparing a full table of food. Then I sat at the table and waited. And waited. But Elizabeth never came home. As the food slowly cooled I picked up my phone and tried calling her. Once. Twice. Ten times. No answer. Just as I was about to set the phone down a notification popped up. It was a message from Pablo. His words practically dripped with smugness [Stop waiting. Check my WeChat Moments.] Confused

I switched to WeChat and saw the photo Pablo had just posted. In the picture the Elizabeth who had promised to be home for dinner was sitting beside Pablo wearing a pale green dress. Behind them were flowers Balloons and steak—the setting looked like a romantic French restaurant. Anyone who saw the photo would think they were the perfect couple. This was supposed to be our final farewell. And she couldn’t even keep that promise. I stared at that WeChat post for a long time. Then without a word I gave it a silent thumbs-up. After that I deleted Pablo

from my contacts. Then Elizabeth. And finally—I deactivated my entire account. One after another no hesitation. Then I pulled out my SIM card snapped it in half and tossed it into the trash. Finally I took out the two cards I had prepared— The bank card I had saved up for years and the gold card she later gave me. I placed both of them in the most visible spot in the living room. On top I left a single note Sister-in-law I’ve given up. I walked 999 steps toward you. I have no regrets— I just hope you don’t

either. With that I took one last look at the villa I had lived in for ten years. Then I rolled my suitcase to the door called a cab and headed straight for the airport. I didn’t look back. Elizabeth— From this moment on I’m going to a new life. One that has nothing to do with you. Chapter 10 Elizabeth returned on the morning of the third day. Even while sitting in the car she didn’t forget to remind Assistant Lin to bring a gift for Jeremy. She said "Assistant Lin please send the entire set of figures I

bought a while ago to the villa." Lin agreed and as soon as the call ended he went to prepare the figurines. At that moment Elizabeth had just stepped into the villa. As she passed the dining room her eyes immediately caught sight of The table still full of untouched dishes. She froze for a moment then instinctively turned her steps toward the dining room. It was mid-summer and the food that had been left out for two days and nights had lost all its color aroma and appeal—instead it gave off a faint foul smell. For some reason she

suddenly felt as though she truly Saw Jeremy stubbornly sitting at the table his head lowered. Aside from occasionally glancing at the time he didn’t make any other moves. But in the end just like the meal the person who prepared it had waited in vain for someone who never showed up to enjoy it. A tightness welled up in her throat but she eventually walked out of the dining room and called the housekeeper to come deal with the table of spoiled food. She said Jeremy. She instinctively called his name but this time there was no response. She

paused then remembered—he should be at school now. Elizabeth sat on the couch in the living room massaging her temples. But a casual glance brought her attention to two bank cards and a note placed right in the most prominent spot. She picked up the note and when she read its contents she froze. [Sis-in-law I walked 999 steps toward you. Now I’m giving up. I don’t regret the past or the present—hope you don’t either.] He gave up What did that mean For some reason panic crept into Elizabeth’s heart. She took out her phone and dialed that all-too-familiar

number. But in the end all she heard was a robotic female voice saying the number was currently unavailable. She froze then quickly opened their chat window to send him a message. She asked Where are you Time ticked by and Elizabeth felt like she Was suffocating from the silence. She suddenly remembered that a few days ago she had promised to have dinner with Jeremy. But on the appointed day she had stayed out with Pablo and never even went home. Was Jeremy just as anxious waiting for her that day Her unease grew worse. She kept comforting herself—As

long as I can reach him I’ll apologize and fix everything. But he still didn’t reply. It was hard to tell whether the tightness in her chest came more from anxiety or frustration. Seeing no response she sent another message “Why aren’t you replying But this time a glaring red exclamation mark appeared next to her message. An indescribable wave of rage surged through Elizabeth’s body. She suddenly hurled her phone across the room her chest heaving as her Emotions spiraled out of control. She gritted her teeth and said Got some nerve now huh Blocking me like this Snatching

up her keys and retrieving the phone she stormed out of the villa. Just as she stepped outside she ran into Assistant Lin who was carrying the gift box. Seeing her expression Lin hesitated and asked President the figurines She snapped Take them back The words came out harsh and full of anger. But just as Lin turned to leave with the box she called him back. Forget it. Give them to me. You can head back now. Her expression was so dark that Lin dared not ask another question. He handed over the box and quickly left the villa.

Only after putting some distance behind him did he finally let out a sigh of relief. Just then a low-profile yet luxurious Maybach sped past him nearly scaring his legs out from under him. Meanwhile Elizabeth raced all the way to the apartment she had bought near the Capital University storming in to confront Jeremy and demand an explanation. But the moment she entered She realized—there was no trace of anyone ever having lived in that room. Chapter 11 Elizabeth was so furious that she actually laughed. With a cold snort she said “You’ve really grown a pair huh Blocking

me cutting off contact—and now you’ve even moved out of my apartment Let’s see just how far you think you can run.” When Elizabeth arrived at the president’s office at Capital University it was right in the middle of the lunch break. In exchange for donating an entire research building she gained access to the school’s database hoping to find out which class Jeremy was in and where he was living. But after almost an entire afternoon of searching the president wiped the sweat from his forehead and finally shook his head at Elizabeth. The president said Chairwoman Moo It’s

not that I don’t want to help you—but we really don’t have any record of him in our system. Which can only mean... He trailed off looking at Elizabeth with a complicated expression. Was she negligent toward her younger relative It didn’t seem that way—she was willing to donate a whole building just to locate this boy named Jeremy. But if she truly cared why was it that Jeremy clearly hadn’t even applied to their university in the first place Otherwise Even if he hadn’t been accepted there would still be a trace of him in their records. Elizabeth asked

sharply Mean what Her frustration had reached a breaking point—so much effort wasted all for nothing. Her voice held clear impatience as the president continued to fumble with his words. Seeing this the president quickly forced a smile and finished his sentence. It means... he didn’t apply to our university. He’s not a student here. Elizabeth froze. She suddenly remembered the note Jeremy had left behind—the one where he said he was giving up—and also thought back to two months ago when she had asked Jeremy whether he applied to Capital University. She hadn’t paid much attention to the flicker

of unease in his expression at the time. Now it all made sense. Jeremy had been lying to her from the beginning. What he gave up… was his feelings for her. He meant to disappear from her world entirely. Elizabeth slumped into the chair momentarily speechless. The despair on her face was clear and undeniable. The president of Capital University looked at her now radiating nothing but despondency and cautiously asked Chairwoman Moo about the research building you promised—does that still stand She rose to her feet numb and empty. Waving him off she replied Yes the building. I’ll send

someone to handle it soon. Walking out of the university gates Elizabeth felt an unexpected hollowness in her chest. Wasn’t applying to Capital University supposed to be part of their agreement Jeremy had worked so hard Pushing his grades higher and higher just to get closer to the admission line for Capital University. That way he could stay in the city… stay close to her. So why had he suddenly changed Had he truly decided to give up on her That possibility—one that should have brought her a sense of victory—didn’t make her happy at all. She still didn’t want

to believe it. That the Jeremy who once so stubbornly insisted he liked her The Jeremy who lit up whenever he talked about staying by her side forever… would just give up so easily. No. Jeremy must be playing a trick on her—trying to lull her into lowering her guard only to come back later with all his hidden love. Yes. That had to be it. A glimmer of hope reignited in her eyes. As if reminded of something she pulled out her phone and found another number. Even if Jeremy had secretly changed his university preference there was one

person—someone—who would definitely know where he ended up. She asked “Jeremy isn’t at Capital University Ms. Li. Do you know which university he finally enrolled in Chapter 12 Ms. Li replied Jeremy He applied to South City University. I thought he had already told you. Her voice carried a note of confusion. Elizabeth paused. South City University Jeremy had actually chosen a university that far away She suddenly remembered how she and Pablo had accompanied Jeremy while he was preparing for school—how he lingered so long in the winter clothing section. Now it was clear—he had already made up his

Mind back then to go to South City University. The thought stirred a wave of irritation in her heart. I told you people to make sure he applied to Capital University. He changed his application and no one thought to inform me she snapped. Ms. Li chuckled awkwardly before finally bringing up what Jeremy had told her at the time. She said Jeremy told me he was legally an Adult and wanted to make his own decisions. He asked me not to tell you. I thought you two had just had a falling-out and that once things cooled off he’d

talk to you himself…” At those words Elizabeth suddenly felt a lump in her throat. A falling-out Wasn’t that exactly what they were having right now And yet she still didn’t even know what had caused him to vanish without a trace. But now that she knew where Jeremy had gone Elizabeth didn’t want to waste another word on the call. She hung up and immediately called Assistant Lin. Book me a flight to Penang. As soon as possible Elizabeth instructed. Penang That far Lin sounded surprised when he heard the destination. But President you have a meeting tomorrow morning—

Before he could finish Elizabeth cut him off impatiently. Reschedule the meeting. Just book the flight. Don’t worry about anything else. Yes ma’am.” Not long after the call ended Elizabeth received her flight details. It was scheduled for just two hours later. She didn’t linger. She got in the car and Headed straight for the airport. By the time her flight landed in Penang it was already 10 p.m. She didn’t wait for the pick-up Assistant Lin had arranged. Instead she hailed a cab and told the driver to take her to South City University. South City University was far

from the airport. Even by car it would take nearly an hour. When Elizabeth finally arrived It was already 11 p.m. She glanced at the time and after a moment of hesitation decided not to look for Jeremy right away. Instead she found a hotel near the university to stay for the night. Chapter 13 It was already eleven. Even if Elizabeth could find Jeremy right away he would probably be asleep. It would be more prudent to wait until the morning. That night Elizabeth tossed and turned in the hotel bed unable to sleep. She stared at the ceiling

as the hours ticked by until finally at 7 a. m. she grabbed some breakfast and headed straight to South City University. Using the same method she had used at Capital University she found Jeremy’s class and dorm information. Then she went directly to the dormitory to wait for him. This was usually when students returned from morning study to eat breakfast or rest. But Jeremy never liked breakfast. Without her around to nag him he probably wouldn't eat. That’s why she made sure to bring breakfast when she came to see him. At this hour many students were returning

to their dorms. Elizabeth Impeccably dressed and standing under the boys’ dorm building with a breakfast bag in hand became a striking sight. Students passing by couldn’t help but stare. Even those whose dorms were in other directions detoured just to catch a glimpse. When I returned from the cafeteria and saw the crowd I had no idea Elizabeth was the center of attention. At first she was completely obscured by the group so I planned to head straight upstairs. But my curious roommate insisted we take a look. And that’s when I saw her—Elizabeth the woman I thought I’d

never see again. The moment I recognized her my instinct was to lower my head and leave. But she spotted me first. Seeing me turn to escape she raised her voice. Jeremy wait Elizabeth thought I would stop upon hearing her voice. But as soon as she spoke I quickened my pace. My roommate puzzled glanced between us and hurried to follow me. Left with no choice Elizabeth shoved through the crowd and came after us. Just as I was about to enter the dorm building she grabbed my arm. She asked Why are you running I sighed. I turned

to my roommates and told them to go on ahead. Once they were gone I turned to face her and greeted her quietly “Sis-in-law.” Elizabeth frowned. “You still remember I’m your sister-in-law You changed your application and ran off to this faraway place. Left me two bank cards and a weird note. What feeling grown-up now Trying to fly solo What she didn’t expect… was for me to nod. Her face darkened instantly. “What’s that supposed to mean she demanded. Only then did I finally raise my head and meet her gaze. I said Ms. Moo I’m truly grateful for

the five years you’ve raised me. And for all the tolerance you’ve shown—no matter what I did you forgave me. I have nothing to repay you with so I sold the old house. I also sold all the gifts you gave me and converted everything to cash. It’s all in the card I left you. As for the gold card you gave me later I never used it. That’s all I can return to you.” I was immature before and I caused you a lot of trouble. Especially after I confessed my feelings—it must’ve made things worse for you. But

I’ve let go. Don’t worry Ms. Moo I’m an adult now. I’ll take care of myself. I won’t be your burden anymore. Every word I spoke was calm and clear—yet to her it must have hit like a hammer. Her mind felt tangled and chaotic. She clutched my wrist tighter and kept asking over and over What do you mean I pulled away gently and said Ms. Moo I think I’ve made myself clear. What I mean is—from today on I won’t call you sister-in-law anymore. We have no relationship. And the thing you always feared about me clinging to

you—don’t worry. It won’t happen again. Ms. Moo I won’t like you anymore. With that I turned to leave without another glance. But she acted as if she hadn’t heard a word I just said. She called out again Jeremy I brought you breakfast. I knew you wouldn’t eat properly so I brought it for you. Elizabeth held the takeout bag out in front of me Eyes betraying a hint of both expectation and desperation. I didn’t understand what she wanted from me anymore. But after a pause I shook my head. I said No need Ms. Moo. I already

ate. I gave up that bad habit of skipping breakfast a while ago. You should eat it yourself. And with that I turned and left without another word or glance back. I didn’t look at Elizabeth’s expression didn’t care how she reacted and didn’t concern myself with when she would leave. She’s an adult—the youngest CEO in the Moo Corporation a major figure in the business world. She doesn’t need someone like me an eighteen-year-old college student to worry about her. Chapter 14 As soon as I returned to the dorm my roommates swarmed around me. One of them asked

Jeremy who was that downstairs I replied “She’s my late brother’s fiancée—and also my legal guardian for the past five years. ” I didn’t hide it. I stated our relationship plainly. But instead of easing their confusion My answer only seemed to deepen it. Then why were you avoiding her one of them asked. I forced a faint smile but didn’t elaborate. I just gave a short explanation Because… from now on we won’t have anything to do with each other. As soon as I said it the room fell a little awkward. My roommates chuckled sheepishly and apologized one

after another. But I shook my head and said “It’s fine. I know you were just concerned. The morning break was short and I had already wasted a lot of time downstairs. After a quick rest it was almost 9 a.m. —our first class of the day. We packed up and hurried out of the dorm toward the teaching building. On our way out Elizabeth was still standing under the dorm building looking dazed. The crowd around her had mostly dispersed save for a few guys who had probably arrived later and were trying to strike up a conversation just

because she was so attractive. Just as I passed by one of those guys mustered up the courage to walk over and held out his phone. Hey beautiful can I get your contact info I didn’t stick around to see whether Elizabeth accepted or rejected him. I was too busy getting to class. But from the moment I appeared Elizabeth’s eyes had been fixed on me. The reason she didn’t immediately brush off the guy who approached her… was because she wanted to see if I’d react. She wanted to see if I really no longer liked her. But as

she watched me pass by—without a pause without even glancing in her direction—Elizabeth realized with a hollow feeling in her chest that maybe I truly didn’t like her anymore. This was the answer she had waited two years for. For this she had deliberately spent time with other men flaunted her closeness with Pablo right in front of me and repeatedly threw cruel words at me saying she could never like me back. Now she got what she wanted. So why… did her heart feel so heavy Why wasn’t she happy at all Why did she feel… hurt She couldn’t

find an answer. Nor did she have the energy to Entertain the guy still waiting for a response. Without a word she stood up and walked off campus. Just as she stepped out of the main gates of South City University her phone suddenly rang. She took it out and glanced at the screen—Pablo. She had ditched Jeremy countless times in the past because of Pablo. But now that Jeremy had truly given up on her… she realized she had no desire to see Pablo again. The ringtone echoed again and again. She didn’t answer. She just let it ring

go to voicemail and ring again—until finally the other end gave up and stopped calling. Elizabeth hadn’t planned to return so soon. But after just two days in Penang she was summoned back by the Moo family patriarch. Rushing back to the Moo family’s old estate the moment she stepped in she saw Pablo sitting Cheerfully beside the old matriarch beaming with charm. A faint frown tugged at Elizabeth’s brow but she walked forward and asked You called me back in such a hurry. What’s going on Madam Moo smiled kindly. Elizabeth you’re not a child anymore. It’s time to

start thinking seriously about marriage. She gestured for Elizabeth to sit beside her her tone warm but her words landing like lead. Pablo is well-mannered obedient and you picked him yourself. I looked at the calendar—the tenth of next month is an auspicious day. Let’s move forward with the wedding then alright Chapter 15 The news that Elizabeth and Pablo would be getting married on the tenth of next month made the trending list by noon the next day. It wasn’t until the evening of the Third day that I saw her again—Elizabeth looking exhausted from a long journey. I

honestly hadn’t wanted to see her again. I couldn’t understand why she kept showing up. I had already given her exactly what she wanted—distance closure a clean break. And yet she kept lingering. She stood outside the dorm like a statue—silent unmoving—refusing to leave until she saw the person she was waiting for. The crowd of curious onlookers only grew until the dorm supervisor seeing how disruptive it had become started sending people away. Elizabeth herself had been asked to leave at least five times. But as the sky darkened and the students returned to their rooms for the night

Elizabeth despite the repeated warnings never moved. Eventually The dorm supervisor gave up and just let her stand there. 10 p. m. inside the dorm. Elio peeked out the window then shuffled over to me and nudged my shoulder. Hey your girl’s still down there. Aren’t you going to go talk to her I replied Let her wait. I didn’t ask her to come. I didn’t even lift my head eyes glued to my laptop screen browsing through the past events of a few student clubs I was interested in—like I really didn’t care who was waiting downstairs. Eventually I

looked up and saw Elio still sitting beside me. I hesitated for a moment then slid the laptop over to him. We spent the next half hour making a final Decision and eventually agreed to join the drama club. By then it was already 10:40. Elio went off to wash up. I walked over to the window and looked down. Even though it was dark the streetlights made it clear—Elizabeth was still there. That stubborn figure beneath the lamp made me sigh. In the end I went downstairs. What are you doing here again I asked. My voice so familiar

made Elizabeth’s eyes light up. But the hope in her eyes quickly dimmed again when she heard the coldness in my tone. She asked Jeremy why are we being like this with each other Elizabeth didn’t understand. Everything had been fine for years. Why had I suddenly chosen to go to a University in the farthest city possible Why had I suddenly cut off all ties with her But I didn’t understand her confusion either. I said “I don’t think there was ever that much between us to begin with. My words were blunt. After a pause I added “You

didn’t need me around in any other role. But you knew I liked you. And even though I’ve decided to give up Staying close to you would only make that harder… Isn’t that what you always wanted I left no room for her to twist my intentions. She opened her mouth but struggled to find anything meaningful to say. After a long silence she finally offered a weak excuse. She said Grandpa and Grandma… they just want a younger person around the house more often… But that made me laugh. I said “If that’s what the elders said what they

actually meant was—they want great-grandchildren. I heard Ms. Moo is getting married. Guess that day isn’t far off now.” At the mention of her wedding Elizabeth suddenly remembered the real reason she had come here. She said Jeremy listen to me—I don’t want to marry Pablo Chapter 16 Her sudden words caught me completely off guard. It took me a while to fully grasp what she meant. I lowered my head and the smile on my face turned even more bitter—almost mocking. I said Ms. Moo if you don’t want to get married you should be telling your fiancé not

me. After all your wedding… was never something I needed to worry about. I had a vague sense of what was going through her mind but I didn’t call her out on it. Our ending was something she had chosen. And once a choice is made… there’s no turning back. I didn’t love her anymore. And I would never go back to her. I said Please go home Ms. Moo. Your fiancé and your family are still waiting for you in the capital. With that I turned around and headed back upstairs. Elizabeth chased after me wanting to explain but

I stopped her. I paused at the stairwell. Without turning back I still knew exactly what she was trying to do. “This is the men’s dormitory Ms. Moo. Any further and it’s inappropriate. She froze her steps faltering. But she still didn’t give up and asked Jeremy… is it really impossible for us to go back to how things were I let out a soft sigh. Which past are you trying to go back to I asked. The one where I still loved you but you kept pushing me away I shook my head and continued That version of the

past was exhausting. Forcing down spicy food I couldn’t eat. Walking kilometers home alone. Getting hurt and still being the first one you’d abandon. Every word of mine landed like a blow—hitting her square in the heart. Her eyes filled with pain as she shook her head whispering over and over “That’s not true… it’s not…” I said Or do you want to go back even further—when you were kind to me and I drowned in your tenderness but had to suppress all my feelings Couldn’t love you couldn’t ask for anything. Elizabeth don’t you think that was cruel “Isn’t

this better now I listened to you. I let go. I only won’t be hurt by you if I stay away. I don’t have to force myself to please someone else anymore. I won’t be abandoned by you in favor of someone else. I’ll fall in love with someone my own age. Live a normal life. Isn’t that what I deserve It wasn’t until this moment—until I showed her all the screenshots on my phone the daily taunting messages Pablo had sent me showing off every little thing he did with her to Get under my skin—that Elizabeth finally began

to realize Just how cruel it had all been to me. She said “I didn’t know… Jeremy I didn’t know he was doing all that. I didn’t know it hurt you so much…” There was a hint of desperation in her eyes. But I had already let go of my sorrow. Now that I had spoken everything I needed to I felt a strange calm—relief even. No more sadness no more weight. I said Elizabeth you still don’t understand why you came to find me. When you’ve figured out what it is you’re actually looking for—then come talk to me.

I looked her straight in the eyes. And then I turned and went back upstairs. This time Elizabeth didn’t chase after me. And I didn’t look back. By the time I returned to the dorm it was already 11:30. I had to get up early the next morning so I quickly washed up turned off the lights and lay down in bed. Just as I was about to fall asleep I heard Elio’s voice. He asked Jeremy… are you sad He kept his voice low so he wouldn’t wake the others. Our beds were close So I heard him clearly.

I hadn’t expected Elio to be so perceptive. After a moment of silence I answered honestly. “A little bit.” Chapter 17 Even though I hadn’t known Elio for long after just a few days together we were already like brothers. I let out a sigh and began telling him everything—leaving out Elizabeth’s identity. I said I used to like someone. For five years. She was kind to me but she didn’t like me back. In fact she rejected my feelings pretty hard. To avoid me she started pulling away. Got engaged to someone else. Even when I was in danger

she didn’t care anymore. I was hospitalized after a car accident And she didn’t come to see me even once. So eventually I gave up on liking her. But later… I realized she didn’t actually hate my feelings. She was just scared to face them. Because… she liked me too. She just couldn’t admit it.” My voice grew distant as I spoke and I could feel Elio’s silence grow heavy. When he heard my last sentence his breath caught. He asked softly Do you still like her I shook my head—then remembered he couldn’t see—and lowered my voice to say

“It’s all in the past now. I don’t want to like her anymore. Elio nodded. Exactly That’s how it should be I couldn’t see his face but just from his voice I could tell he was full of Righteous anger on my behalf. He added excitedly Jeremy I heard there are a ton of beautiful girls in the drama club. Let’s go meet someone new tomorrow—make her regret it I couldn’t help but chuckle. I didn’t refute him. Instead I played along and said Alright. Tomorrow it is. But it’s late now and we’ve got an early class. Let’s sleep.

The room fell quiet and I soon drifted off to sleep. The next morning I was woken by my alarm. I got up and shook Elio awake before heading down to wash up quickly. Once he was ready we left the dorm together. As we stepped outside I didn’t see Elizabeth. I figured she must’ve left already. I didn’t dwell on it. I gave the area a quick glance saw she wasn’t there and withdrew my gaze. I only hoped that this time… she wouldn’t come back to disturb my life again. Our first class was self-study—no teacher. Since we

hadn’t slept well the night before Elio and I both dozed off at our desks. By the end of class We’d gotten enough rest and were feeling much more awake. We had no classes for the rest of the morning and since we’d promised to check out the drama club we grabbed breakfast and headed to their booth. It was early in the semester and all the clubs were recruiting members. A whole section of campus had been set aside just for club booths. As new students walked by the upperclassmen at each booth enthusiastically called out Basketball Club recruiting

Hey bro wanna check us out Anime Club sign-ups Check out our figure collection and brand-new cosplay costumes Join us and you could get your own Drama Club anyone Tons of handsome guys and gorgeous girls Want to join the Student Union It’s a great way to grow and earn extra credits Elio and I had already made up our minds. We walked straight to the drama club booth and signed our names on the registration sheet. The upperclassman in charge of the booth saw two new recruits at once and beamed with delight. She said Wow you two are

really good-looking You’ve definitely made the right choice with the drama club Elio pulled me closer and glanced around at the other club members—every single one of them Was attractive enough to make heads turn. Grinning he leaned toward the upperclassman and asked cheekily Senior are all drama club members this good-looking And more importantly… are they single She lifted her chin proudly patted her chest and declared “Of course we’re good-looking But as for dating… that’s up to fate. Elio nodded knowingly. He could hear what she was really saying: we’re hard to get. But he didn’t seem to

mind. Beautiful people are worth the effort after all. Chapter 18 A week later after Elio and I finished our last class of the afternoon we were on our way back to the dorm when a message popped up in the club group chat. It said that the Recruitment season was officially over and to welcome the new members there would be a dinner gathering that evening. The dinner was set near campus and since quite a few people were attending they had booked a private room. Elio and I arrived neither early nor late. When we stepped into the

room a portion of the group was already there. I immediately spotted the senior who had been in charge of recruitment and went up to greet her. Hi Senior Su. Cecelia seemed to remember Elio and me fairly well. She smiled as we walked in and started introducing us. She said My name is Cecelia I’m the president of the drama club. This is our vice president Lillian. Just a heads-up—she’s single That last part was clearly directed at Elio. It was obvious that Cecelia still remembered how Elio had asked during recruitment whether it Was okay to date the

pretty girls in the club. But Elio glanced at the direction of Lillian’s gaze and a mischievous smile crept onto his face. He reached out his hand and said Nice to meet you senior. I’m Elio and this is Jeremy. She gave a polite nod and briefly shook hands with Elio. Then her gaze landed back on me. This time Even Elio noticed it. A faint blush crept up my face and I also reached out my hand greeting her Nice to meet you senior. With a soft smile she replied Nice to meet you too. If you don’t mind

you can call me Lily. Her sudden friendliness caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure how to respond but thankfully Elio stepped in and eased the awkwardness. He asked Then senior can I call you Lily too Lillian gave a small cough and the tips of her ears gradually turned red. She didn’t answer his question but at least the moment had passed without tension. Ten minutes later Everyone had arrived. After we were all seated around the table someone noticed there was an extra chair. Just as people were wondering about it Cecelia stood up cleared her throat and

said with mock mystery We have a special guest tonight. From today on she will be the investor behind our club and will be fully funding our activities—tonight’s dinner included Cheers erupted around the table—except from me. I don’t know why but I had a strange feeling... that I knew who this "special guest" was. And when Elizabeth walked in dressed in a white dress my suspicion was confirmed. For a moment I didn’t know what to say. Chapter 19 Elizabeth entered the private room instinctively wanting to walk in my direction. But everyone else had already taken their seats.

The only empty chair left was at the head of the table—and both seats beside me were already occupied. She recognized both of the people sitting next to me. One was my roommate. The other was the president of the drama club. Her emotions were complicated. She considered asking Lillian to swap seats but couldn’t think of a reason. She looked at me hoping I would make the suggestion instead. But after giving her a glance when she entered I hadn’t looked her way again. After a brief pause she reluctantly sat in the seat that had clearly been reserved

for her. Even though it was just a brief moment Lillian keenly noticed Elizabeth’s gaze. She poured me a glass of juice and using the motion of handing it over to lean in slightly asked in a low voice Do you know our new investor I replied No I don’t. I answered firmly without hesitation. It was clear that Lillian didn’t believe me. But since I didn’t want to talk about it she didn’t push further. With everyone present we went around the table introducing ourselves while waiting for the food. Once the intros were done the dishes began arriving.

Lillian was incredibly attentive. She kept an eye on my needs serving me food and refilling my juice even though I repeatedly told her she didn’t have to. The veteran club members weren’t used to seeing Lillian act so sweet. They couldn’t help teasing her about it. Elio even stepped in to intercept her a few times on purpose but she just gently served him another portion as if nothing had happened. Her thoughtful nature almost had me fooled into thinking she was always like that. But when another guy came over trying to strike up a conversation while holding

a drink she responded with a polite yet distant attitude—nothing like the warm tone she had when speaking to me. That’s when it hit me—this gentle side of her was something she reserved especially for me. Elio remarked Wow looks like I’m enjoying some of your perks too. ” He had clearly noticed Lillian’s attitude as well. He leaned in a little and although he lowered his voice the implication behind his words was crystal clear. I was busy handling Elio’s teasing and Lillian’s attentiveness so I didn’t notice that Elizabeth had been quietly watching me the whole time. Elio

noticed but he didn’t say anything—just rolled his eyes. Lillian noticed too. Her smile became even softer almost as if to shield me Completely from Elizabeth’s gaze. But what hurt Elizabeth the most was that I didn’t push Lillian away. It was as if she were punishing herself continuing to watch the whole dinner unfold. And when Cecelia suggested we all head to a karaoke bar afterward Elizabeth came along as well. At the KTV Elizabeth was once again a step too late and missed the chance to sit next to me. In the end She found herself alone in

a corner watching me laugh and chat with others. Soon it was my turn to sing. I had picked a love song. I picked up the mic focused and started singing along to the melody. As soon as I opened my mouth Elio couldn’t hold back and exclaimed Jeremy Just how many surprises are you hiding from me I couldn’t help but smile at his comment. The very next moment a soft and clear voice joined mine harmonizing perfectly. I turned my head in surprise—and saw Lillian’s gentle smiling face. Chapter 20 From the corner of the room Elizabeth watched

the smile on Jeremy’s face—and for a moment it stung. The subtle connection between him and Lillian The unspoken understanding was like a thorn stuck in her throat. She thought back carefully and suddenly realized—it had been a long time since Jeremy had smiled like that around her. Ever since she discovered his hidden feelings when he was sixteen she had gone from shock to anger. Without hesitation she shattered that final layer of illusion trying to force him to give up on what she saw as a forbidden love. But Jeremy unexpectedly had been stubborn. He refused to let

go. From then on every time he approached her he did so with extreme caution afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing terrified of upsetting her. She wouldn’t let him stay close and even when he did her expression was always cold. Elizabeth thought that by doing so she could kill his feelings. But instead he persisted—for two whole years. And during those two years she had never seen him truly smile again. Now she had finally succeeded in driving him away. He was moving on—to someone else. And she regretted it. After the song ended the atmosphere between

Lillian and me felt more relaxed. It was no longer as awkward as it had been during dinner. A senior girl asked Hey junior can I get your contact info I turned around and saw it was another senior member of the drama club. I didn’t refuse. After all we were in the same club—sharing Contacts would make communication easier. The gathering wrapped up around 9 PM. Before leaving I went to the restroom. When I came out I saw Elizabeth waiting outside. I paused for a moment but I had no intention of catching up with her. I stepped

forward intending to walk past her but she reached out and grabbed my wrist. She said Jeremy... I regret it. Left with no choice I turned around and looked at her. I pulled my hand free from her grasp and the look in my eyes was nothing like the joy she had hoped for. I asked So what Elizabeth struggled to swallow the sour ache in her heart. She explained Jeremy I’ve called off the engagement with Pablo. Back then I was scared. I thought our feelings were wrong—that they would never be accepted. So I forced myself to accept

someone else and pushed you away trying to make you give up on your love for me. I thought that would make everything return to normal. But I was wrong. As she spoke Her eyes reddened with tears. She continued I once told you that you should love someone your own age—not me. But now I’ve realized... I couldn’t even wait for you to fall for someone else. The moment you pulled away the moment another girl appeared by your side... it already felt like I couldn’t breathe. Jeremy… the truth is the one I love is you. And I

can’t just stand by and Watch you fall for someone else… Jeremy… can you… give me another chance Elizabeth rarely cried. In my memory the first time I saw her cry was when I had just arrived at the Moo household. She hadn’t been so attentive to me in the beginning. She didn’t know how to raise a child and had just taken over the company so she barely had time to care for me. Because I was living under someone else’s roof I was too timid to speak up—even When I caught a cold and ran a high fever.

That night I collapsed in front of her my body burning with heat. It wasn’t until she got close that she noticed something was wrong and she rushed me to the hospital. The doctor said if we had been even a little later I could’ve ended up brain-damaged—or worse dead. When I woke up the first thing I saw was Elizabeth’s face—filled with guilt her eyes red from crying. From that day on no matter how busy she was she always made time for me. She gave me everything she could showered me with love just to prove that the

Moo family was now my home and that she would be my safe harbor—forever. But promises… in the end are just words. Chapter 21 And now she was crying again—right in front of me her voice choked with emotion begging me to give her another chance. I looked at her and let out a long sigh. I said Elizabeth. Hearing her name she lifted her head. Her eyes were full of pleading and hope. But mine held only confusion. I asked If you loved me… then why knowing I have a sensitive stomach did you still force me to eat

those spicy dishes I couldn’t handle—just because Pablo said something Why when Pablo and I got into that car accident did you choose to save him instead of me You didn’t even come to see me afterward—not even once. Do you know what happened right before that crash He called me delusional. Said I had some sick crush on my sister-in-law. Said my feelings for you were disgusting and shameless. And Elizabeth—you chose him. With just those two questions I watched the hope in her eyes shatter bit by bit. She had no answer. Because not even the present-day Elizabeth

truly understood what was going through her mind back then when she made those choices. Even if her goal had been to make me give up there had been a thousand other ways—none of which needed to hurt me like that. Seeing her fall silent I let out a cold laugh. See Even you can’t explain it. Elizabeth do you really love me Or are you just used to having me around—used to being the only one in my eyes And now that I’ve let go now that I’ve moved on… you just don’t know how to deal with it

Elizabeth shook her head. No Jeremy I really love you She tried to explain in a panic—but before the words had even fully left her mouth I had already turned and walked away. I was still close enough to hear her but my steps didn’t slow for a second. A few steps later I saw Lillian. Her eyes shifted past me and landed on Elizabeth behind me—but only for a second. Then she looked back at me. She asked Need help I knew exactly what she meant. I shook my head and said “Don’t worry about her. Let’s just head

back. The moment I said “let’s” Lillian couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. She nodded and replied Okay I’ll walk back with you.” I didn’t refuse. When we returned to the karaoke room only Elio was left. Seeing us come back he picked up Lily’s bag and walked over. He said “Let’s go.” The three of us walked away farther and farther. No one looked back. Only Elizabeth remained where she stood Watching us disappear into the distance. She could’ve caught up—just a few quick steps and she’d be beside us. But somehow that distance felt impossibly

far. So far… that even if she spent a lifetime chasing she’d never be able to reach it again. Back at the dorm Elio—always good at reading the room—headed upstairs first leaving me and Lillian the space to ourselves. I didn’t even have time to stop him. I gave Lillian a helpless shrug and said Sorry that’s just how Elio is—always kind of impulsive…” But Lillian shook her head and replied No. He’s very thoughtful. I didn’t know how to respond to that. Before I could say anything else she smiled and asked Can I call you Jeremy I nodded

and only then did she continue Jeremy… can we be friends I wasn’t expecting that. I froze for a second—then smiled. I said I thought we already were the moment you called me Jeremy. Understanding the implication behind my words Lillian smiled a little embarrassed. That was slow of me she admitted twirling a strand of her hair. Then she added Well then let’s exchange contacts. We were so caught up talking earlier I didn’t get the chance. I nodded. Instinctively I reached for my phone… only to find nothing in my pocket. It hit me then— I’d left my

phone in the dorm. I had completely forgotten to bring it out with me. Chapter 22 Just then Elio came rushing down the stairs panting and out of breath. He placed my phone in my hand with a kind of ceremonial reverence then turned around and jogged back upstairs like a man who had completed a grand mission. I couldn’t help but laugh at his retreating figure. After exchanging contact info with Lillian I waved to him and said Senior It’s getting late. I’ll head up first—you should head back soon too.” Lillian nodded and only then did I start

up the stairs. But just as I reached the corner landing I saw three very familiar figures awkwardly crouched there peeking down the stairwell. Four-person dorm—everyone but me was gathered right here. I sighed helplessly. What are you guys doing They looked a bit embarrassed to see me come up so quickly their eyes darting around trying to cover for themselves. They said Wow this staircase… sure is… a staircase “And the moon tonight… it’s just… so moon-like Elio at least stayed composed. Man I just ran too fast. Needed to catch my breath. The other two gave him a

look that screamed Seriously Meanwhile in an apartment near South City University Elizabeth sat slumped on the carpet beside her bed. Empty liquor bottles were scattered around her. Her cheeks were flushed—clearly she was already drunk. Still She kept mechanically pouring and drinking over and over. Eventually even pouring felt like too much effort. She grabbed the bottle and started drinking straight from it. Beside her her phone kept lighting up and going dark ringing nonstop. Finally annoyed by the endless buzzing she reached for it—but her blurred vision doubled everything in front of her. After fumbling several times she

still couldn’t grab it. Frustrated she swiped at it hard. Bang. The phone flew across the room. The ringing stopped abruptly and silence returned. Only then did the restlessness in her chest begin to quiet down. She picked up the bottle again and took a swig—only to get nothing. She pulled it away and gave it a shake. Out again she muttered to herself. Then she let her body fall sideways—landing right on top of the pile of bottles. They were cold and they dug painfully into her back. She winced as one or two propped-up bottles jabbed her ribs.

Annoyed she flung them aside with another careless sweep and laid back down. It was still uncomfortable. But nowhere near as painful as what she felt inside. She whispered “Jeremy… I was wrong… Please forgive me…” She kept murmuring but her consciousness was already slipping. Finally she fell into a heavy sleep. Elizabeth had a dream. In the dream Jeremy confessed to her when he was sixteen. Instead of reacting with shock and fury She gently told him that he was still too young that he couldn’t yet understand the weight of the feelings he carried. So they made a

promise. They would spend two years apart. And if after two years he still loved her—they would be together. During those two years they didn’t live under the same roof but they stayed in touch—just like regular friends. There were no age gaps No complicated roles no forbidden labels. When Jeremy got bullied she didn’t show up in person—but she made sure someone was there to protect him. Then came his eighteenth birthday. Jeremy confessed again. He said Elizabeth I’ve thought it through. I’m not afraid of the consequences. I still love you—so So much. Can we be together And

this time— She said yes. Together they faced the whispers the stares the rumors. Hand in hand they walked into a future that belonged only to them. It was beautiful. Unreal. Too perfect to exist. She saw herself in a wedding dress her face glowing with joy running happily toward Jeremy—who caught her in his arms. He said Elizabeth I finally get to marry you. Chapter 23 The dream had been so beautiful that when Elizabeth opened her eyes to the white walls of a hospital room and saw Mother Moo sitting beside her bed there was still an undeniable

sense of loss in her gaze. Seeing that Elizabeth was finally awake Mother Moo could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She said What were you thinking Locking yourself up and drinking yourself half to death so far from home—do you have any idea how worried your father and I were when we couldn’t reach you As she spoke Her eyes began to shimmer with tears. I only have one daughter. Do you know what it felt like to open that door and find you unconscious unresponsive no matter how loud I shouted Do you know how scared I was

when the doctor told me you had severe gastric bleeding and if we’d brought you in any later it could’ve been life-threatening Elizabeth even if you don’t care about yourself Can’t you at least care about me Elizabeth remained silent for a long time before finally whispering “I’m sorry. Mother Moo continued Come home with us Elizabeth. If you don’t want to marry Pablo then don’t. Just… stop hurting yourself like this okay Elizabeth opened her mouth As if to say something else—but in the end all she could do was give a weak nod. What was the point of

staying here anymore Jeremy would never forgive her. Elizabeth lay in bed drained of strength staring at the IV drip as the last drops slowly trickled down. The doctor had told her mother that her condition had stabilized and once the drip was done they could begin the transfer procedures. After leaving Penang this time it might be a very long time before she ever returned. She wondered if Jeremy upon hearing the news would be glad. She wouldn’t bother him anymore. I didn’t find out about what happened to Elizabeth until much later—after she’d already been transferred back to

the capital. That night after the dinner gathering she had returned home alone Gotten drunk and ended up hospitalized with gastric bleeding. When I heard the news I froze. Looking at the message Lin her assistant had sent me I stayed silent for a long time before finally replying Is she okay now The assistant responded “She’s out of danger. She just needs plenty of rest. Seeing those words finally put me at ease. I replied Please remind her to rest and take care of herself. When I saw the assistant respond with a short Understood Jeremy ” I didn’t

reply again. From that day on I never received another update about Elizabeth. A year later it was once again time for new Student orientation in the summer. That night just as I put my phone down and was about to sleep it buzzed again. I picked it up—it was a message from Lillian. She wrote At the end of the month the school’s holding a welcome party. Every club is going to put on a performance. The drama club too. Want to sign up I replied Is it a stage play I’ve never acted in a proper one. During

past shows I only helped behind the scenes or filled in tiny roles. I’m not sure I’d be good enough…” I didn’t immediately agree to her invitation. Even though I’d been in the drama club for a year and I’d technically been in a few performances my actual acting experience was still nearly zero. But Lillian replied quickly. She said Most of our members had never done any acting when they joined. We all started from scratch. It’s okay—I’ll be there with you.” “And we’ll be holding auditions. Just give it a try. If it doesn’t work out it’ll still

be good experience for the future. Reading that last part I finally made up my mind. I responded Alright. Elio and I will give it a shot. Lillian was clearly in a great mood after getting the answer she wanted. We chatted for a bit longer and when it got late we wished each other goodnight. I gently knocked on the edge of Elio’s bed. Elio are you awake He mumbled “What’s up Half-asleep He squinted at me clearly confused about why I was waking him up in the middle of the night. Grinning I said “Lillian told me there’s

a welcome party at the end of the month. The drama club’s doing a performance. Want to try out with me Elio blinked checked the time on his phone and went quiet for a second. Then he groaned “That’s what this is about Couldn’t it wait till morning It’s 1 a. m. He gave me a look full of sleepy resentment. I felt a little guilty but still asked So are you in He muttered Yeah Yeah I’m in. Can I sleep now His voice was filled with resignation—but in the end he still said yes. Chapter 24 I finally

let Elio off the hook—and that night I slept like a baby. The next day after our classes the two of us headed to the drama club to sign up. When we arrived The play had just been decided—it was a classic: a scene from Snow White. Originally I only intended to audition for a supporting role with a decent amount of lines. But Elio grabbed the pen and without hesitation wrote my name down under Prince. Then under the list of Seven Dwarfs he put his own. He said “Since we’ve decided to level up this time you play

the Prince and I’ll be a dwarf He looked beyond excited his eyes practically glowing. Then he pulled me up to Cecelia and eagerly asked Senior is Lillian signing up too Cecelia exchanged a glance with Elio. She looked down at the sign-up sheet where Jeremy was now boldly written in the male lead column… and then she Simply wrote Lillian under the female lead. “She’s in she said. Just like that Lillian and I were very clearly arranged as the leads—no discussion no negotiation. The two of us stood at the back exchanging a wordless look. But Lillian looked

at Jeremy and thought to herself—this isn’t so bad. She’d suggested he audition in the first Place just so they’d have more time together. Now that they were cast as the leads she had even more reason to be around him. Since it was the beginning of the month and the welcome party wouldn’t be until the end we still had about four weeks—plenty of time. Most of Snow White's key scenes were in the first half and the audition scenes were also taken from that section. Ironically in the actual script the Prince has the fewest Interactions with Snow

White. But despite that Lillian still chose to rehearse with me the entire time. And honestly As a total newbie in theater having someone experienced like her helping out was a huge advantage. I avoided a lot of rookie mistakes and her guidance helped me improve fast. After almost a week of rehearsals the official cast list was finalized. Not much had changed—just the usual swaps and eliminations among popular roles. Lillian and I were firmly locked in as the leads. Elio’s role however had changed—from a dwarf to the Evil Queen. That… was my idea. After all we had

both agreed to level up. ” I couldn’t be the only one taking it seriously. Elio had groaned endlessly about it but ultimately gave in. The day before registration closed he let me cross out his name from the dwarves list and write it under Evil Queen. He picked a role for me and I picked one for him. Totally fair. Once casting was confirmed the next step was to sort out costumes. Technically Cecelia was in charge of that. But right now it was Lillian standing in front of me Holding a notebook and asking for my measurements. I

looked at her puzzled. “Isn’t this part of Senior Su’s responsibility Why are you handling it too Lillian gave a small cough a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. “She’s the president and there’s a lot on her plate. Since I’ve been spending more time rehearsing with you guys she figured it’d be easier For me to handle this part too. I nodded took the notebook from her and wrote down mine and Elio’s measurements. Usually for school productions it’s enough to rent costumes that roughly fit. There’s no need for custom tailoring every time. But thanks to the generous

support from the Moo Group the next four years I’d spend at South City University would be the wealthiest years the drama club had ever seen. Cecelia was already a senior this year. Technically she should’ve started picking her successor last year—or even handed the position over to Lillian the vice president. But she just… couldn’t let go. After all how often does a club get to go to war with unlimited ammo Not just the drama club—no other club on campus had ever seen a sponsor this extravagant. No budgets. No expectations. No limits. Chapter 25 It was obvious

to everyone that the Moo Group was being this generous because of me. Though I never admitted it. Whenever someone asked about my relationship with Elizabeth I would simply reply Just an elder from the family. Two weeks before the welcome gala Cecelia told me she planned to recommend Me as the new president of the drama club. I was a bit stunned. Sure I’d known there would be a leadership change this year—Cecelia was a senior now and by her final semester she probably wouldn’t stay on campus much. Even if she did her focus would shift to academics

and internships. What I didn’t understand was—why me I asked “Wouldn’t Lillian be more suitable I voiced the question honestly because I genuinely thought so. Cecelia chuckled. You two really are in sync. When I asked her she recommended you. And now I come to you and you bring her up. But on this I agree with Lillian. She and the others are in their third year. Come next year They’ll be busy preparing for graduation. If she took over now only to hand it off again next year it’d be too rushed. You’re just the right fit. Plus let’s

be honest—everyone knows Moo Group is sponsoring us because of you. With you in charge no one will object. Truthfully the moment she mentioned Moo Group as a reason I had intended to decline. But in the end Cecelia convinced me. If I had no plans to completely sever ties with the Moo family then there was no shame in accepting support that was already mine by default. Since I still called Elizabeth a family elder then there was nothing wrong in accepting the help that came with that title. So I agreed. But for now My main priority was

the welcome gala—just two weeks away. It would be my first time performing on stage as the male lead. To say I wasn’t nervous would’ve been a lie. I’d grown much closer to Lillian too over the rehearsals. Soon the night of the gala arrived. Dressed in a white prince’s costume and stage makeup I stepped onto the stage. In the audience sitting toward the back Elizabeth watched her eyes filled with a quiet sense of longing. The invitation had been sent by Cecelia on behalf of the drama club to Moo Group. It wasn’t Elizabeth’s first time watching one

of our shows. In fact she’d been there for every performance I’d ever been in. But always backstage Always silently. That way she could see me—clearly—but never disturb me. This time I was the lead. And for once she wanted to be a real member of the audience. So she found a quiet seat tucked away from the crowd. Her thoughts wandered and when she came back to herself the play had already moved on— The Evil Queen had tricked Snow White into eating the poisoned apple. Snow White lay unconscious. The dwarves were heartbroken. That was when the Prince

rode in on his white horse saw Snow White surrounded by the sorrowful dwarves and pulled out the wishing stone to awaken her. Narration followed The Princess followed the Prince to a beautiful kingdom and from then on they lived happily ever after. The play was a success. Just before the curtain fell each dwarf came forward handing the Prince a small bouquet of flowers. By the time he held them all it had become a giant bouquet. Nervousness rare and visible flickered across Jeremy’s face. He walked up to Lillian and handed her the bouquet. He asked Snow White

followed the Prince to become his bride. So Lillian—will you be my girlfriend The unexpected confession set the entire room ablaze. A wave of cheers and teasing erupted from the audience Say yes Say yes Onstage the dwarves began dancing in circles around Lillian and me. And just before the curtain closed completely her voice came through the mic—clear and steady. I will. In the audience several rows away Elizabeth gazed at the falling curtain that slowly obscured their figures from view. In that final moment— She could’ve sworn Jeremy looked her way. So close. And yet So far out

of reach.