Chapter 3
The chat kept saying Lydia was soft and vulnerable, the type everyone wanted to shield from the world.
No wonder.
My four childhood friends always had a thing for "saving" the helpless ones.
After my parents died unexpectedly, those four stuck to me like shadows, never letting me out of their sight.
They called it "protecting" me, but honestly, it was just them playing house with me to make themselves feel better.
They wouldn't let me make new friends, scared someone would mention my parents. They banned me from going to any of my girl friends' family gatherings, worried I'd get emotional.
And when the school heartthrob tried to confess to me in high school, they stepped in and blocked him.
They said with righteous conviction, "Don't think you can mess with Lydia just because she doesn't have parents.
"Lydia, even though your mom and dad are gone, you've still got us."
Just my luck.
Honestly, if it weren't for them, I'd have gotten over everything on my own ages ago.
So right after graduation, I went abroad: just to put as much distance between us as humanly possible.
So right after graduation, I went abroad, just to put as much distance between us as humanly possible.
I just wanted them to keep doting on Lydia and stay out of my life for good.
But on the day my grandpa threw a big welcome party for me, those shameless jerks still had the nerve to show up.
My grandpa just sat there, totally unfazed. He said, "The Blackwood, Cross, Vale, and Flynn families have been stuck beneath us for years.
"They've been trying to get in good with the Jennings family by marrying their sons to you, hoping to level up their status.
"Too bad a stand-in popped up out of nowhere, but they managed to deal with that. Then you come back with a boyfriend in tow. If you end up marrying someone else, their whole scheme falls apart. No wonder they're panicking.
"They've definitely already warned their sons."
One comment read: [Mr. Jennings has some next-level scheming. But honestly, that's not even what's happening here.
[The male leads' parents just told them Zara's getting engaged to someone else, and suddenly they're all second-guessing their feelings for Lydia. It's really that simple.]
Another comment read: [Guys always want what they can't have. These fools are just showing off all their classic guy flaws.]
The live comments were breaking it down like pros.
One read: [And they're so dumb for bringing Lydia along. She's just there to act all innocent and saintly, just to make Zara look bad and herself look like an angel. Why even bring her along?]
One comment read: [Why? Obviously, it's to make Zara jealous. They can ditch Zara whenever they want, but the moment she tries to leave them, it's a whole different story. Four classic nice guys, huh?]
That night at the party, the two most eye-catching guests were dressed to the nines.
One was Lucas, my soon-to-be fiancé, whom I was about to introduce to everyone.
The other was Lydia, the sweet, fragile girl who had crashed the party without an invitation, smuggled in by my four childhood friends.
Lydia's features did resemble mine, but she was far smaller, almost bird-boned.
She wore a royal-blue, high-collared ball gown that swallowed her tiny frame, and her narrow shoulders made her head look too large, so the whole effect seemed even more out of place.
With my four childhood friends circling around her, she was basically the star of the show; she looked like the center of the Apocalypse, surrounded by her own Four Horsemen.
I stood at the top of the stairs, watching everything unfold.
When those four childhood friends looked up at me, I saw that same awestruck look flash across each of their faces.
The live comments fired up again.
One commented: [What, hanging around the substitute for so long you forgot how stunning the real one is?]
A comment read: [Men are just suckers for novelty. If they haven't tried it, even crap seems appealing. But once they've had a taste, suddenly that chocolate they haven't touched in ages is the real prize.]
Lydia glanced left and right, noticing how the guys were suddenly looking at me differently.
She bit her lip, unwilling to accept it.
Then, in a fit of pique, she gathered up her dress and marched straight toward me.
Lydia said, "You must be Zara, right? I'm Lydia. I came here today to personally give your childhood friends back to you.
"When you came back that day, they were all at the hospital with me, but I knew deep down, you're the one they really care about most.
"I'm sorry. I never meant to take them from you. Please, forgive me."
She reached out for my arm.
The live comments were snarking.
One read: [Here we go. If the story sticks to the script, Zara's gonna snap because Lydia's taking her spot and shove her down the stairs right then and there.]
Another comment read: [Seriously? Zara's got Lucas now. No way she's still jealous and fighting Lydia for those guys.]
One read: [Is Zara really doomed to get wrecked by the plot again?]
A comment read: [Will Lydia actually gonna throw herself down the stairs on purpose? That's just clumsy. So lame.]
Turns out, the live comments totally nailed it.
Just as Lydia was about to reach me, she suddenly wobbled and tipped backward.
Unfortunately, she didn't move fast enough.
Before anyone blinked, a hand shot out from behind, yanking her down the stairs.
Lydia crashed head over heels, landing in a spectacular heap: flat on her back, spread-eagled, limbs still flailing.
At least she picked the perfect spot: her head was safe, but the tumble was far less graceful than any staged fall.
Before she even managed to get up, Lydia was already clutching her face and sobbing as if her whole world had ended.
Honestly, she was crying because she'd just wiped out in the most ungainly, unladylike way imaginable.