Chapter 3

I dragged myself back to my dorm, completely wiped out.

As soon as I collapsed onto my bed, it was like all the tension finally left my body, and a single tear slipped down my cheek.

From the bunk below, my roommate whispered, deliberately keeping her voice low. "Hey, guys, check out the trending topics..."

Hearing that, I fumbled my phone out of my pocket, my hands shaking.

On the screen, "Sean Summers Concert Breakup Drama" was sitting right at the top of the trending list.

The comments section was already a total mess.

[Told you they were just a contract couple. Probably fighting over the payout this time.]

[Doesn't matter if it's for show or not, no couple should be airing their dirty laundry at a concert. Just break up already. We're here for the music, not the drama.]

[That girlfriend is really holding him back. She gets jealous over him taking pics with fans, and does she even know how much Lily dropped on his albums?]

The promo account that posted this has teamed up with Lily plenty of times before.

I felt rage boiling over.

I frantically grabbed my phone and called Sean.

"Hello?" he answered.

I said, "Sean, look at the trending topics! Get Lily under control. Tell her to delete those posts fanning the flames, right now."

I forced myself to stay calm, my voice icy cold.

He paused for a few seconds, then said, "This is way too messy now. We can't sort it out over the phone. Come outside, let's talk face-to-face. My car's at the usual spot at the west gate."

I took a deep breath.

Yeah, maybe it was best to clear things up in person.

When I got to the west gate, his familiar black SUV was parked there, silent and low-key.

I opened the door and slid inside.

He was the only one in the back seat. The driver was separated from us by a partition.

He leaned back, rubbing his temples, looking seriously stressed out.

"I saw the trending topics. But don't worry, I'll figure out a way to calm things down for you," he said.

That again.

He put on that fake concern, but never said a word about the real culprit.

"Calm things down for me?" I let out a cold laugh. "Sean, if you really cared about me, you'd go to Lily right now and get her to take down all those posts dragging my name through the mud."

He frowned, impatience creeping into his voice. "Why are you so sure it was Lily? Those were just fans filming at the concert. What does she have to do with it?

"She's just an innocent girl. Do you really think she could pull off something like this? Stop blaming her for everything."

I scoffed, half laughing in disbelief. "Me? Blaming her? The trending list blew up in seconds, and all the comments are so coordinated.

"And that promo account? Don't even try to tell me you don't know them! Sean, are you blind or just refusing to see what's right in front of you?"

"Blaire!" His tone suddenly turned icy. "Watch your tone. I'm trying to help you here. If you keep this up, there's no point in talking."

I laughed. "Help me? Do you take me for an idiot? If it wasn't for her, none of this would've happened. Would I even need your help then?"

"Clearly, you're still not thinking straight," he said.

Suddenly, he hit the unlock button. "Get out. Go walk it off and think about what you've done."

I just stared at him, totally stunned.

Outside, it was pitch black. His SUV had pulled into some out-of-the-way spot, way off the grid, just to dodge the paparazzi.

I asked, "You seriously want me to get out right now?"

"That's right," he said, leaning back in his seat. "When you realize you messed up and figure out how to talk to me like a decent person, maybe then I'll consider helping you."

It was so absurd, I just burst out laughing.

I said, "Sean, is Lily spinning in the microwave right now? Worried you won't get back before she goes 'ding' and she's ready to serve?"

Sean's face went dark in an instant.

"Fuck you. You think I'd ever beg you? Go run back and check if she's cooked yet, you piece of shit." I didn't even spare him a glance. I just shoved the door open and got out, not looking back.

The car sped off, almost brushing past me, its taillights vanishing into the darkness in seconds.

I walked alone down that dark, empty road, just trees casting shadows and the odd car passing by, its headlights slicing through the night.

He didn't care if I was safe out here alone, and he never even noticed the tears on my face hadn't dried yet.

The cold wind stung my face, and I just let out a scream. "Fuck you, Sean! If all you want is to hook up with your fans, why bother with this fake romance crap?

"Your whole 'devoted boyfriend' persona is bullshit. I'm done with your bullshit! I'm not playing along anymore."

I was leaving him.

I'd never been so sure about anything in my life.