Chapter 3

"What?"

Ethan turned around, startled.

The moment our eyes met, his face abruptly went pale.

"Chloe..."

He swayed, walked closer, his fingertips trembling as he wiped away my tears.

"Don't cry," his voice softened. "It breaks my heart to see you cry."

I looked up blankly.

Ethan looked at me with the exact same gaze as seven years ago.

In our junior year of high school, Ethan and I became classmates.

He was quiet, I was introverted; our only interaction was a "thank you" when papers were handed out.

The night before the school sports day, we played truth or dare in the dorm.

The sexy, outgoing Olivia blushed and said, "I have a crush on someone."

"Tomorrow at the sports day, once he takes my water, you'll know who it is."

I happened to be absent that day.

The next day, when I returned to school, I was called to help with logistics.

Ethan, after finishing his 1000-meter race, glanced at the electrolyte drink Olivia offered him.

Then he looked at the bottled water I had just set down.

He walked past Olivia, picked up my water, and asked casually:

"Why weren't you here yesterday? Sick?"

I forgot what I said.

I only remembered that from that day on.

Olivia spread rumors that I was a prude trying to seduce the baseball team captain, and then led the charge to ostracize me.

During our late-night dorm chats, the moment I spoke, the air would fill with deliberate silence.

I was chosen as the biology class rep. Olivia grinned and came closer.

Her hand provocatively reached for my chest.

"Wow, top in biology, and such big breasts! From now on, we'll just call you ‘Beaker'."

From then on, the name "Beaker" became my nightmare.

Summer school uniforms were quite sheer.

During gym class, she deliberately splashed water all over me, then snickered:

"Beaker, nice bra today, it's pink!"

"So many guys in class, who are you trying to hook up with? Tell us, I'll help you out!"

The first reaction of someone being bullied is always to self-reflect.

Why me?

Did I do something wrong?

Seventeen-year-old Chloe didn't understand.

I was terrified, trying to negotiate, even to appease her.

Explaining repeatedly, bringing her milk, helping her with difficult math problems.

Olivia finally accepted, her attitude suddenly softening.

During class, she slipped me a note: "I need to talk to you after school."

Ethan, sharp-eyed, spotted it and his expression tightened.

"Don't go."

I didn't hear clearly. "What?"

He turned his head away, no longer speaking.

Years later, in countless midnight dreams, I would always remember that day.

Olivia brought her 'sisters' from outside school to corner me.

No matter how hysterically I fought back, they still stripped off my clothes, and with a utility knife, they cut my arms, one slash after another, until blood flowed freely.

Olivia's eyes were full of disgust: "Chloe, what are you pretending to be, a good girl? You're such a bitch."

Later, Ethan arrived with the police.

His jacket was draped over me as he kept calling out, "Chloe, Chloe, Chloe..."

Suddenly, a warm drop fell on my face.

My blurry vision slowly focused, and I saw clearly.

It was Ethan's tears.

He said, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

"If only I had arrived sooner..."

How could I blame him? It was his report to the school board that got Olivia expelled and dropped out.

It was he who took time off to accompany me to therapy, helping me catch up on my missed studies little by little.

We applied to the same college.

The day our college acceptance letters came out, as Ethan and I walked side-by-side, he quietly took my hand.

Four years of college, three years of work.

From campus to wedding dress, our journey was almost entirely smooth.

When we bought our apartment with our combined savings, Ethan pointed to every corner, planning what to put where.

After he finished, he smiled, his eyes curving: "Chloe, what do you think?"

People often feel a sense of unreality when they're closest to happiness.

Could fate really be this kind? Could the future really be so smooth?

I didn't know.

But at that moment, I believed I was happy.

How did it turn out like this?

"Chloe, just listen to me calmly. It's not what you think between me and her."

Ethan's mouth opened and closed.

But I couldn't hear anything anymore.