Chapter 8
Faye’s face showed complete disbelief. “What are you saying?”
“Not love me? Not want to marry me?! How can that be…”
“You promised to wait for me to grow up. You said you’d marry me. How could you not love
me?!”
“Did I do something wrong? Tell me, Ethan, I can change. Please don’t leave me…”
Faye cried and tried to hug Ethan but was coldly pushed away.
“Get away from me!”
Ethan strode out, while on screen, Faye tore her veil to shreds, sobbing.
The broadcast ended there.
And I, after hearing the boarding announcement, walked toward the gate without looking
back
My phone kept ringing.
Unknown numbers and a stream of text messages.
I knew it was Ethan.
Questioning, threatening, and finally begging me not to leave.
But I gave no response. Before boarding the plane, I removed my SIM card and dropped it
in the trash.
Just like my five years–bound, trapped by love.
I threw it all away from my memories.
A week after arriving in London, my design pieces finally received exhibition space, only to
be informed the day before that the gallery wouldn’t allow “disreputable designers” to
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Chapter 8
exhibit.
I was puzzled how I’d suddenly become “disreputable” when Alex brought me news from
home.
Something had happened back in the States.
Faye had stepped forward as a victim, accusing Ethan of deceiving her emotionally, promising marriage and then publicly jilting her.
In the livestream, Faye cried uncontrollably, even mentioning my name.
“I don’t know what you said to Ethan. He clearly loved me before, even had a custom wedding dress made and held such a grand wedding.”
“You two were just in a contract marriage! Without feelings! You can’t destroy my love.
because you’re bitter!”
Though she didn’t say it explicitly, between the lines, she painted me as a malicious woman
who destroyed her happiness.
She thoroughly villainized me.
There was an increasing amount of discussion about me among netizens, with people even discovering my current job and flooding Richard’s studio’s social media with abuse.
Richard comforted me, telling me not to mind what people said online, that time would resolve everything, and it would all be forgotten.
But this time, Faye’s actions didn’t just affect me–they affected those around me.
I decided not to tolerate it anymore.
I dug out my old phone, found/all those gloating texts Faye had sent and Ethan’s attempts to get me back. Using Richard’s studio account, I posted a clarification.
“Even in a contract marriage, you can’t deny the facts: one cheated within the marriage, and the other knowingly pursued a married man!”
“And remember, I didn’t maliciously try to destroy your happiness. It was your fiancé who
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kept desperately trying to get me back!”
The post quickly gained traction.
Deceived netizens became outraged, criticizing Faye harshly.
Seeing the tide turn against her, Faye had no choice but to start a livestream accusing Ethan of inaction.
She claimed he was perverted, expressing feelings for her when she was underage, that he betrayed her emotions, that he had expressed love for her when she was underage…
All sorts of accusations that pushed Ethan into the spotlight of controversy.
But throughout it all, Ethan never responded.
Because by that point, Ethan had already appeared before me.
He looked like he hadn’t rested in ages. Disheveled and travel–worn, with bloodshot eyes.
When I saw him, he was standing outside the studio door.
Snowflakes drifted lazily onto his shoulders. Hearing movement, he slowly looked up, his eyes contracting sharply when he saw me, then gradually reddening.
“Liv…” he murmured, sounding like an abandoned puppy.
In my memory, this was the first time he called me that.
But now, my heart felt utterly numb.
