Chapter 6
I wondered if it was really my fault.
I wondered if I was being narrow-minded, unable to accept a "sister" who once tried to end her life because of me and David.
I really didn't know anymore.
My chest ached so badly that I could barely breathe.
For half a month, David didn't come back.
Surprisingly, it was David's mother, Farrah Anderson, who came to see me instead.
She was a graceful lady, and even at her age, she still carried herself with elegance and dignity.
She asked, "Miss Mason, do you really think David loves you.
"He's never met someone like you before, a poor, pitiful orphan. That's why he feels sorry for you.
"Sooner or later, he'll come to his senses and marry someone from his own social class."
This wasn't the first time Farrah had come to see me.
Ever since I started dating David in college, she'd been pressuring me to leave him.
But every time I hesitated, it made David even more determined to stick with me.
Over time, Farrah became frustrated and helpless.
This time, she probably sensed that David was starting to waver.
She said, "I think that day is coming soon.
"David's getting tired of you. He can't even stand you anymore.
"Once you two finally break up, you'll be nothing but a pathetic drowned rat."
Standing before Farrah, with her imperious air and elegant poise, I found myself unable to utter a single word in protest.
There was a time when I could've told her with absolute certainty that day would never come.
But now, I wasn't so sure anymore.
*****
Late at night, I scrolled through Ashtyn's Instagram.
I saw Ashtyn, David, and Farrah having dinner together at a fancy Valazarrynian restaurant.
In the video, David didn't look particularly happy, but he still went along with it, letting Ashtyn snap photos of him.
Farrah and Ashtyn seemed even closer, like real mother and daughter.
I looked up the restaurant.
It was insanely expensive. What the three of them spent on that meal could cover my entire year's salary.
The difference between David and me was massive.
It wasn't about skills or talent. Even our backgrounds were worlds apart.
My parents died young, and as far back as I could remember, I grew up in an orphanage.
My teacher once told me my dad died in a construction accident, and my mom was killed in a car crash while fighting for compensation.
Whether the money ever came through, or if anyone ever went to jail for it, I had no clue. It was so long ago. There was no way to find out now.
I barely remembered my parents at all. I only remembered how tough things were for me growing up.
I struggled through elementary and middle school, but managed to get into high school with pretty good grades.
At that high school, half the students came from families with money and power, and the other half were students like me, who earned their spot through hard work.
I used to think I could really make a name for myself at that school.
But reality hit me hard.
I wasn't talented at all. I had to make up for it with sheer hard work.
On the first monthly exam, out of 300 students, I ranked 279th.
Studying was the only thing I had going for me.
Back then, I was so devastated that after late-night study hall, I'd stand under the streetlights, crying and memorizing vocab.
That was when David showed up.
I didn't know how long he'd been standing there, watching me. When I was crying with snot and tears streaming down my face, he handed me a tissue.
David said, "Crying won't help you climb up the ranks. It'll only make you a joke to everyone."
Later, I asked David why he noticed me.
He told me he'd kept an eye on me ever since I first came to that school.
David said, "You were always studying, even while eating, but no matter how hard you worked, you still ended up near the bottom of the class.
"You might not be the sharpest, but honestly, that's what makes you so adorable."
At the time, I couldn't figure out if David was teasing me or actually giving me a compliment.
*****
Back in high school, David was a total legend.
He had a rich family, a handsome face, and a cold aura. He was also gifted beyond belief.
Honestly, only someone as exceptional as Ashtyn could ever hope to win him over.
But instead, he came to me, dying to know everything about me.
Ashtyn wasn't about to let that slide. She called me out in front of everyone, accusing me of being the other woman.
Back then, teenagers were obsessed with being righteous. They all believed I was some shameless homewrecker.
I was ostracized, bullied, and even cornered by some thugs from another school in an alley, who tried to strip me and take humiliating naked photos.
Right at the critical moment, David burst onto the scene.
He knew martial arts, but we were totally outnumbered. Both of us walked away battered and bruised.
After we left the infirmary, David looked me straight in the eye and made a promise.
He said, "Ashtyn, you're only being bullied because of me.
"From now on, I'll protect you."
He kept his word.
We stuck together all the time, and David made sure anyone who tried to mess with me never even got close.
That was the first time in my life I ever felt what it was like to be completely, wholeheartedly protected by someone.
All these years, David had never left my side.
I'd never spent a night like this before, curled up in a ball, staring at the ceiling, lost in my own thoughts.
Everything felt so empty and cold.
The endless darkness felt like it was about to swallow me whole.
I couldn't live without David.