I could not help but smile, almost relieved. Her jealousy over my talent was far casier to stomach than the mess with the men in my past.


    Still, even without her little “reminder,” I would have tuned in for thepetition.


    That stage had always been my dream.


    And as for myposition, better to have it performed than left to gather dust.


    When the event began, Tania looked confident, almost smug. She was ying as if first ce was already hers.


    Halfway through, she even turned to show the camera the tattoo on her bare back.


    It wasn’t a romantic couple’s tattoo like she had once imed, but a string of foreign words so crude they made the audience gasp.


    Judging by her proud smile, she had no idea what they meant.


    The whispers started. As the music went on, I saw the judges’ expressions harden.


    It did not take me long to realize she was not ying my piece at all. It was just a twisted variation of one of Chopin’s most famous works.


    Minutester, she was stopped mid-performance. The look of shock on her face was almostical as the staff es- corted her offstage. In front of the entire country, no less.


    The scandal exploded online. Her tattoo, her so-called musical career, and her past were all dug up.


    People found out she could notpose to save her life, that all she had ever done was y and pass off her room- mate’s work as her own.


    Back in college, that tactic had won her fans.


    Later, when Erik became sick, she caught the eye of a “foreign artist,” dumped him, and left.


    It was not until she was abroad that she realized she had been conned, and barely escaped with her life before crawl- ing back to the States.


    When she came home, she found Erik still hopelessly in love with her and inconveniently dating me.


    Soon, every chat, recording, and video between us was online for everyone to see.


    Even the bridal shop staff stepped forward with their own stories.


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    08:32


    Chapter y


    Public outrage hit like a tidal wave, sweeping over her and Erik alike.


    And the bitter irony? Erik had spent a fortune building her up-introducing her to masters, putting her on that pedestal, and paving her way to the top.


    Thispetition was supposed to be her crowning glory, the final step to the peak.


    However, just when she thought she was about to touch the sky, the very man who had lifted her there was the one who sent her crashing down.


    I did not really care how things turned out for her, though I sometimes saw people online saying she had gone crazy.


    My life had moved on, and none of it mattered to me anymore.


    Then one day, Elio came up to me quietly and whispered, “That person’s back.”


    I frowned. “Who?”


    He pointed toward the door, and when I looked, someone quickly ducked out of sight.


    I had a feeling I knew who it was, but I still went outside.


    It was not safe to let someone with a history of violence hang around the entrance of the welfare home every day.


    Erik was there-thinner than before. Even though he was neatly dressed, the pale skin and dark circles under his eyes could not be hidden.


    “What are you doing here?” I asked.


    His gaze slid away from mine, and his voice was rough.


    “Kara, don’t be scared. It’s your birthday today. I just came to say happy birthday.”


    He had a cake and a gift box in one hand, and in the other, a bunch of double-petaled cherry blossoms.


    When I saw the flowers, I remembered the time he held me under a blooming tree, telling me he loved me.


    Back then, his look and his words had been full of warmth and passion.


    “Kara, you’re so much like my beloved crush. Let’s stay together forever.”


    I used to think that was just a corny line.


    Today, I finally understood what he meant by “like.”


    Still, I am me-Kara son-and I am nobody’s recement.


    “I would be happier if you hadn’t shown up,” I told him.


    He went still, his expression uneasy. “Kara, I’ve already made her pay for what she did. Can’t you forgive me?”


    He let everything in his hands drop, grabbed my arm, and raised his voice.


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    08:32


    “She paid for what she did, but what about you? Tania hurt me, but you’ve always been the one holding the knife.”


    I shoved him away, my own voice rising to match his.


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