Chapter 6 · Only After I Was Gone

Chapter 6

On February 28, 2023, hey, Dear, it had been pouring all day.

It took me back to that summer when I was eighteen.

That was the year I got accepted into college.

Kids from the orphanage could apply for a subsidy to go to college.

But when I went to the orphanage director to apply, his eyes looked totally unhinged.

His mouth, stinking of cigarettes, leaned in close to me.

I could still remember that twisted, creepy look in his eyes.

He said, "Aria, you've really blossomed. You're turning into a fine young woman."

"Want that college subsidy? It's simple. Just spend the night with me," he sneered, "Aria, that's how all the other girls before you got into college."

I didn't hesitate for a second. I kicked him right in the balls with everything I had.

While he was reeling from the pain, I bolted, not looking back.

My shoe flew off, but I didn't even slow down.

I ran into the park.

I was just starting to feel like I'd dodged a bullet.

But then, out of nowhere, some homeless guy grabbed my hair and dragged me behind a tree.

That was when Logan came into the picture.

He saved me.

He was broke himself, but still took me out for a meal.

When he saw I didn't have a dime, he even set me up with an e-bike.

I worked as a food delivery rider for a while, and finally managed to save up a bit.

I knew that if it weren't for Logan, I probably wouldn't have survived that day.

The day we made it official, I opened up to him about everything I'd been through.

That included what the orphanage director did to me.

He was pissed. "If I ever run into that bastard again, I'll ruin him for good."

But now, he was saying, "Wasn't it you who almost hooked up with someone when you were eighteen?"

Dear, I was really hurting right now.

Logan really got me.

That was why he knew exactly where to hit, so it hurt the most.

Was that right?

Logan came back into view.

He hung his head, voice low. "I only said that because I was pissed off that day."

The host sneered, "But you didn't really trust your wife, did you?"

Logan shot back, "What if she was just trying to play innocent?"

On October 3, 2023, Dear, I really didn't know what to do.

They were all so scary.

Anti-fans were standing outside my apartment complex, waving banners that said: [Aria, get out of the entertainment industry.]

They photoshopped fake funeral pictures of me and spread tons of nasty rumors everywhere.

Every time I stepped out just to take out the trash, there was a chance they would throw rotten eggs at me.

Logan didn't want to get caught up in all this, so he decided to leave the place we'd rented together for six years.

He packed his bags, keeping his back to me.

He said, "I've paid your rent for the next two years. Don't make things worse. Is 1,000 dollars a month enough?"

I was leaning against the doorway.

I didn't sleep at all that night.

I spent the whole night thinking.

Finally, I made up my mind.

I was going to take the crew of In the Depths of Dreams to court.

I was going to sue those anti-fans who had been making my life a living hell.

I was going to stand up for myself and fight for what's mine.

I was not backing down. Not now, not ever.

When the host read here, Logan said, "If all those rumors about Aria are fake, why hasn't she taken them to court?"

"Yeah, the evidence might be tough to dig up, but at least she'd have a chance to strike back," he added.

Everyone online started agreeing.

[Exactly.]

[Come on, it's all true. Aria's just using her diary to make herself look innocent.]

[But if she's already dead, why bother trying to look good?]

[You don't get it, man. People totally make stuff up in their diaries.]

The host glanced at the live chat. "Looks like everyone's wondering the same thing I am. Aria clearly wanted to sue the crew, so why didn't she? Let's check out the next page."

Chapter 6

On February 28, 2023, hey, Dear, it had been pouring all day.

It took me back to that summer when I was eighteen.

That was the year I got accepted into college.

Kids from the orphanage could apply for a subsidy to go to college.

But when I went to the orphanage director to apply, his eyes looked totally unhinged.

His mouth, stinking of cigarettes, leaned in close to me.

I could still remember that twisted, creepy look in his eyes.

He said, "Aria, you've really blossomed. You're turning into a fine young woman."

"Want that college subsidy? It's simple. Just spend the night with me," he sneered, "Aria, that's how all the other girls before you got into college."

I didn't hesitate for a second. I kicked him right in the balls with everything I had.

While he was reeling from the pain, I bolted, not looking back.

My shoe flew off, but I didn't even slow down.

I ran into the park.

I was just starting to feel like I'd dodged a bullet.

But then, out of nowhere, some homeless guy grabbed my hair and dragged me behind a tree.

That was when Logan came into the picture.

He saved me.

He was broke himself, but still took me out for a meal.

When he saw I didn't have a dime, he even set me up with an e-bike.

I worked as a food delivery rider for a while, and finally managed to save up a bit.

I knew that if it weren't for Logan, I probably wouldn't have survived that day.

The day we made it official, I opened up to him about everything I'd been through.

That included what the orphanage director did to me.

He was pissed. "If I ever run into that bastard again, I'll ruin him for good."

But now, he was saying, "Wasn't it you who almost hooked up with someone when you were eighteen?"

Dear, I was really hurting right now.

Logan really got me.

That was why he knew exactly where to hit, so it hurt the most.

Was that right?

Logan came back into view.

He hung his head, voice low. "I only said that because I was pissed off that day."

The host sneered, "But you didn't really trust your wife, did you?"

Logan shot back, "What if she was just trying to play innocent?"

On October 3, 2023, Dear, I really didn't know what to do.

They were all so scary.

Anti-fans were standing outside my apartment complex, waving banners that said: [Aria, get out of the entertainment industry.]

They photoshopped fake funeral pictures of me and spread tons of nasty rumors everywhere.

Every time I stepped out just to take out the trash, there was a chance they would throw rotten eggs at me.

Logan didn't want to get caught up in all this, so he decided to leave the place we'd rented together for six years.

He packed his bags, keeping his back to me.

He said, "I've paid your rent for the next two years. Don't make things worse. Is 1,000 dollars a month enough?"

I was leaning against the doorway.

I didn't sleep at all that night.

I spent the whole night thinking.

Finally, I made up my mind.

I was going to take the crew of In the Depths of Dreams to court.

I was going to sue those anti-fans who had been making my life a living hell.

I was going to stand up for myself and fight for what's mine.

I was not backing down. Not now, not ever.

When the host read here, Logan said, "If all those rumors about Aria are fake, why hasn't she taken them to court?"

"Yeah, the evidence might be tough to dig up, but at least she'd have a chance to strike back," he added.

Everyone online started agreeing.

[Exactly.]

[Come on, it's all true. Aria's just using her diary to make herself look innocent.]

[But if she's already dead, why bother trying to look good?]

[You don't get it, man. People totally make stuff up in their diaries.]

The host glanced at the live chat. "Looks like everyone's wondering the same thing I am. Aria clearly wanted to sue the crew, so why didn't she? Let's check out the next page."