Chapter 3

This time, that whole mess between Asher and me never happened.

So naturally, Eleanor didn't try to end her own life.

But the engagement ceremony with Asher never took place for her, either.

When my mom called, I was curled up in my rented apartment, soaking up the sunlight of my second chance.

Her voice was shrill with rage. "You shameless brat, get your ass back here right now."

My heart skipped a beat.

I had a bad feeling about this.

As I expected, the moment I walked in the door, I saw my old diaries about my secret crush had been dragged out.

They were spread out in a total mess on the table.

The moment my mom saw me, she charged at me.

She didn't care about her image as a wealthy lady at all and slapped me hard across the face.

I saw stars, my vision spinning.

"You've got some nerve," Mom snapped. "Coveting Eleanor's fiancé, are you?

"Tell me. Did you ruin Eleanor's wedding today, too?

"Wow, Chloe, I never thought you'd stoop so low."

I held my face, my eyes locked on the diary lying on the table.

I couldn't let them know.

Last time around, I admitted it.

That was how everyone ended up believing I was after Asher and that I pushed Eleanor to her death.

I glanced over them.

Luckily, I'd always been super cautious about my crush.

So his name never once appeared in my diary.

I always referred to him as "he".

"The person in my diary isn't Asher," I flatly denied. "I had nothing to do with ruining their engagement. I wasn't at their ceremony, not for a single second."

I couldn't wait to get as far away from them as possible.

Mom sneered, "Didn't ruin it?

"Everything was fine yesterday, and now suddenly they're not getting engaged. Eleanor's been crying at home all day. Don't tell me this has nothing to do with you."

"Does it have anything to do with me?" I stared straight into her eyes. "Don't you already know the answer?"

On my way here, the gossip columns were already exploding with rumors about the Adams and Martinez families in Kiswood.

I thought the real reason the engagement didn't happen was probably that Scarlett Martinez didn't give her blessing.

After all, the Adams family was definitely reaching way above their station.

Mom paused for a second.

Then she slapped me again.

"How dare you talk back?" She pointed upstairs, "Go apologize to Eleanor right now.

"Then go stand in the yard. You're not allowed to leave until you've stood for ten hours straight."

It was the same punishment.

I scoffed.

It had been this way my whole life.

I never did a damn thing wrong.

All I ever wanted was to stand in the sunlight.

But whenever Eleanor wasn't happy, it was always me who had to say sorry.

And it was always me who got punished.

Eleanor heard the noise and came down the stairs.

Her hair was loose and messy, her eyes all red and swollen. She'd clearly been crying.

"Mom, let it go. Don't blame Chloe," Eleanor said. "Asher's nice to everyone. Of course, Chloe would catch feelings for him.

"If they really do like each other, then I..."

Eleanor lowered her head, falling silent.

She quietly sobbed, barely making a sound.

Her shoulders quivered as she cried.

She looked like the world had done her wrong.

She was like a fragile white flower swaying in the breeze.

My parents got angrier when they heard that.

But I was so done with this whole fake, pitiful act.

I said it loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You love putting on a show, don't you?"

She always played the saint, acting like she was sticking up for me every time Mom and Dad tore into me.

It made her look like the bigger person, so understanding and selfless.

Meanwhile, I was always the one everyone found annoying.

But the truth was, she actually couldn't stand me at all.