"It's only because the class beauty is kind-hearted that she’s willing to spend time with her. If it were me, I would’ve walked away long ago. In the end, she’s even worse than before. What’s with all this fake high-mindedness?"

Suddenly, I felt like a rat everyone wanted to stomp on, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Even William wouldn’t spare me a second glance.

Back then, as a teenager, I couldn’t bear that kind of humiliation.

Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore and went to find William after evening self-study.

He was still correcting Felicity’s mistakes, and when he saw it was me, surprise flickered in his eyes.

I walked home with William, and I told him all my grievances, asking why he was treating me like this.

But when I mentioned Felicity had deliberately tricked me into going to the amusement park and then falsely accused me of taking her umbrella, William frowned.

He cut me off impatiently, saying, "I don’t know why you’re always so hostile to her. She’s not the person you think she is; she can’t understand your scheming."

"Since meeting Felicity, I’ve realized how jealous you are. She’s so kind to you, yet you talk about her like that. Just because she’s pretty, you keep framing her?"

"Do you know she had a high fever that day, and even after you left, she kept wondering if she’d said too many hurtful things?"

I was stunned. After so many years, I didn’t expect William to distrust me this much.

"Emily, after all these years, this is the first time you’ve made me feel so disgusted. Is it because you’re ordinary that you can’t stand seeing others do well?"

I couldn’t believe those words came from William.

He seemed to realize he’d gone too far and reached out to tug at my sleeve.

"Emily… I didn’t mean that."

But I had lost all my patience. I rushed home, locked myself in my room, and cried the whole night.

I stopped talking to William, burying myself in my studies every day, wanting only to leave this place as soon as possible.

I remember when I first entered high school, I told William I wanted to go to the same university as him, but now I just wanted to be as far from him as possible.

Throughout the second semester of senior year, I didn’t say a single word to William.

After the college entrance exam, William came to find me.

He came to my house holding a bouquet of jasmine.

"Emily, I went too far before. Can you forgive me?"

"I still don’t want to be separated from you. I’m giving you jasmine, hoping you won’t leave."

He promised he would never let others hurt me again, and that he would always put me first.

In the end, I softened, and we agreed to choose the same place.

When filling out applications, William and I were together.

We picked the most likely schools in London; he applied to MIT and Harvard University, while I chose an art academy.

At the time, I was grateful, thinking I might stay happy with William forever.

But I was wrong. I forgot to log out of William’s computer.

It wasn’t until I wasn’t admitted anywhere that I found out my applications had been changed.

All my safety schools were replaced with ones far beyond my score. I failed to get into any of my choices.

The only one who could do this, and with a motive, was Felicity.

Because she filled out her application at William’s house, and she used his computer.

I frantically found her and slapped her in front of William.

William, who had promised not to hurt me again, grabbed my sleeve and asked if I was delusional, accusing Felicity of his own failure to be accepted.

But he forgot that I filled out my applications when we were together, so what reason would I have to ruin my future?

I pointed at Felicity and yelled, but William just called me crazy.

In the end, he left with Felicity, leaving me alone, devastated.

In just one day, my future, my love, everything was gone.

Later, I learned that Felicity had confessed her feelings to William that day.

The next morning, instead of an apology from William, I received a recording from Felicity.

In it, Felicity sobbed, "William, I really didn’t do that. Will you believe me?"

William immediately affirmed, "I know everything."

Then came the sound of Felicity sobbing as she declared her feelings to William.

And William didn’t reject her.

He had once said he would unconditionally believe me and would never hurt me again for anyone.

But why did he abandon me again at this turning point in my life?

This recording felt like the last straw. I screamed, threw my phone down, and broke down in tears.

Many days passed before I finally decided to move on from this relationship.

Even if anyone hurt me, I would still live my life well.

I wanted to repeat a year of high school and start over.

I never thought of giving up on myself.

But I never expected my mother would have an accident.

Ever since I failed my exam, my parents hadn’t smiled.

My mother was constantly anxious, running around trying to get justice for me.

When she received another negative response, she was hit by a speeding car in a daze.

When I arrived at the hospital, my mother was already in a coma, and the doctor said the chances of her waking were extremely slim.

I cried all day, but even then, William didn’t come to see her.

He had also been raised by my parents.

In my most painful moment, I cut my wrists, thinking this would end my painful and failed life.

But fate was cruel, and destiny did not…

Give me this chance.

I didn’t die as I imagined. After sleeping for a long time, I opened my eyes to find my father’s worried face.

Even though I had only been unconscious for a day, he seemed to have aged overnight.

I knew it was time to grow up.

After that day, I deleted all contact information for William and Felicity.

William got into MIT and Harvard University, and although Felicity’s grades weren’t as high as his, she also applied to a London university.

He did go where he wanted, but the person beside him wasn’t me.

And because of my mother’s expensive medical treatment, I didn’t want to burden my family further.

So I didn’t repeat a year of high school; instead, I picked up my paintbrush, which I excelled at.

Life was hard at first, but it slowly improved over the years.

While organizing my paintings, I realized five years had already passed.

Just then, I received a phone call.

It was the buyer who had purchased my painting last week. I answered, and a very familiar voice came from the other end.

On the line, William said, "Hello, I’m here to pick up the painting. I’m at the door now."