Chapter 2

Lying in bed, I stared with open eyes until morning, still unable to understand why he was doing this to me.

Was it really just because I'd taken Chloe's campus queen title all those years ago?

But back then, I was humiliated by the entire school, cornered in the bathroom and called a bitch, pushed to the brink of jumping off the roof. I'd already paid the price!

Why, why was he still doing this to me?

Just then, I heard the door open. Fitzgerald was back.

He had changed into his faded t-shirt.

Seeing me, he walked over, asking casually:

"Where did you go today?"

I replied dully:

"Delivering takeout."

Noticing my face, peeling from sunburn, he suddenly pulled my hand to his.

"Aria. Just wait a little longer. After I win the competition next month and sign with a company, I promise I'll give you a good life. I'll buy you a big house, buy you that ring you love most. You won't have to work so hard anymore."

If this were before, I would have found hope in all my hardships.

But now, I just felt a wave of nausea.

I yanked my hand back, looking up at him.

I caught a fleeting glimpse of disgust in his eyes, and my heart twinged with a slight pain.

I asked scornfully:

"What's wrong? Do you think my hands are too dirty, too disgusting?"

Hearing my words, Fitzgerald's face instantly changed, first surprise, then utter panic:

"Aria, who told you that? How could I ever find them disgusting? These are proof of everything you've sacrificed for me."

"Seeing these only makes me care for you more."

Turning away, I said nothing else.

After I turned off the light, Fitzgerald gently wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice tender:

"Your birthday is in two days. I've prepared a surprise for you. Don't worry, it'll be your favorite."

Celebrating my birthday felt like something from three years ago.

Back then, I was young and naive. My ex-boyfriend, Noah, said he wanted me to be his nude model.

Because I liked him, I thought about it and agreed.

But as I, blushing furiously, took off my clothes, I realized he was live-streaming it to the entire campus.

Countless people were recording videos and taking screenshots.

He did it just to humiliate me in front of the whole school, all because I had taken the campus queen title from Chloe, the girl he liked.

Walking through school, countless people pointed and whispered about me.

I didn't even have the courage to look people in the eye.

Completely desperate, I ran upstairs, wanting to jump from the rooftop. That's when Fitzgerald appeared, took me away, and promised to love me forever.

That same day, my parents found out about what happened at school.

They couldn't reach me by phone, afraid something terrible had happened, so they rushed from our hometown through a torrential downpour to the school.

The rain was particularly heavy that day. They got into a car accident on the highway, and both of them died.

From that day on, I never celebrated my birthday again, and I became even more dependent on Fitzgerald, wanting to give him nothing but the best.

Staring at the mold stains on the wall, I counted the days. Two more weeks, and I would leave this city.

I had messaged Professor Dawson that night. He was my parents' closest friend, treating me like his own daughter.

He had long wanted me to go abroad and start a new life.

Before, I'd refused for Fitzgerald's sake, but tonight, I'd said yes.

I figured two weeks was enough time to say a final goodbye to this place.

"Okay," I whispered in response.