Chapter 3
The next entry read: [August 14th, 2020. I sent Lucas the last of the money.
[He thought it was some kind-hearted benefactor helping him out.
[He said that if he ever got the chance, he'd definitely find a way to repay me.
[Lucas really hadn't changed. He was as kind as ever.
[Sadly, I wouldn't live to see that day.
[With no money left, I found a cheap motel to crash in.
[Lucas always said our parents spoiled me rotten.
[I used to be picky about food and clothes, and I was a total clean freak. But I wasn't like that anymore.
[The only thing I could afford was instant noodles in a bag. I didn't even have a bowl, so I soaked them in hot water and ate straight from the bag.
[The motel was pretty dirty, so I took matters into my own hands. I ended up killing a bunch of cockroaches and even some rats.
[Pretty impressive, right?
[Honestly, the place wasn't too bad, but the middle-aged guy next door was kind of weird.
[He kept watching me. His gaze reminded me of Victor.]
The following page read: [September 1st, 2020. The pain had faded. I barely felt it by then.
[I was drained and didn't even want to move.
[But I still wanted to stick around a bit longer, so I dragged myself up.
[I took a gig handing out flyers. The supervisor was harsh, but I'd earn fifty bucks.
[As I was working, I bumped into a group of students.
[They snapped at me, 'Watch where you're going!' and rushed off.
[I caught a glimpse of their emblems on the jackets. They were from Aurelian College.
[Their parents were there, helping them move in.
[I crouched there for what felt like ages, watching them, feeling utterly lost.
[I had gotten into Aurelian College, too.
[The school had kept calling me, practically begging me to enroll.
[Lucas had reached out himself, saying that no matter what happened, I had to go to school.
[But I blocked his number and cursed out the teachers who'd shown they cared.
[I told them I was going to be a trophy wife and live the high life. I said that I couldn't care less about school.
[They must've been furious.
[Truth was, getting into Aurelian had been my dream since I was a kid.
[If things hadn't gone south, Lucas would've been right there with me, just like those parents, walking me to registration.]
The reporter finished reading, his expression complicated.
Lucas said coolly, "Impressive. She's really good at spinning things to make herself look innocent. She never liked studying anyway. Dropping out to be a rich guy's wife. That's exactly what she wanted."
The reporter tried to speak, but Lucas cut him off. Clearly impatient, Lucas turned to leave.
The post about my diary kept going viral that day, but most of the comments were pure hate.
People online dug up that Victor had recently gone bankrupt and killed himself, and everyone started saying I was acting pitiful now that my sugar daddy was gone.
Even some Aurelian College teachers joined the pile-on in the comments.
[She was so harsh before. Now she's regretting it? Too bad. Even if she begged, there's no way Aurelian College would take her back now. Nora Shea totally outshines her. Not a single person wants her back.]
Chasing the viral wave, the reporter reached out to Lucas and even tracked down the user who posted my diary.
Maybe Lucas simply wanted to meet the poster face-to-face, so he agreed.
The live stream kicked off, and the camera focused on a small, frail girl.
Lucas was momentarily stunned, then sneered, "Hannah Shea really has no shame, using a kid this young for her own ends."
The girl ignored him, cradling a diary in her hands with extreme care.
I had always loved pretty, delicate things, but this diary was battered and worn, stained with tears.
The girl choked up and said, "I'll read the rest.
"January 1st, 2021. It was the first day of the new year, and honestly, I felt much better.
"But I wasn't dumb enough to think I was actually recovering. It was probably just a temporary improvement before the end.
"I quit my part-time job and spent everything I had just to eat at Hartshorne Estate.
"I loved the food there. In the past, Lucas had always celebrated my birthday with me at that place.
"But then, it was just me.
"On my way there, I spotted a little girl.
"She was covered in dirt, hugging a scruffy dog that looked just as grimy as she did.
"The bodyguards at Hartshorne Estate were shoving her, yelling that she was a thief and calling her disgusting.
"Without thinking, I rushed over and put myself between her and the guards, handing over all the cash I had.
"The girl stared at me, eyes wide, then suddenly shoved the dog into my arms, her voice breaking as she pleaded, 'You're a good person. Please, save him.'
"With that, she ran off.
"I froze, feeling helpless. I didn't have any money to help the dog.
"I wanted to chase after her, but the dog licked my arm.
"It was so small, so pathetic.
"It reminded me of the dog Lucas and I used to have. The debt collectors had beaten it to death.
"I took the dog home and named him Ludo.
"It rhymed with Lucas. After all, Lucas had named our old dog Hana.
"I imagined how pissed Lucas would be if he found out, and I couldn't stop laughing. But the more I laughed, the harder I cried."