Chapter 3
Right after I said that, Cecelia suddenly started crying. “Genevieve, how can you just make stuff up like that? That photo was for my best friend. I realized I sent it to the wrong person, so that’s why I deleted it!
“How could you twist it like this?”
She sniffled and sobbed, her shoulders shaking like I had done something horrible to her.
I saw Luca’s eyes flicker with pity for her.
The next second, he turned on me and snapped, “Genevieve Saconne, stop smearing Cece’s name.”
Hearing the commotion, his buddies came out of the other room one by
one.
They did not even bother to ask what really happened.
They just jumped right in, scolding me like they were my guardians.
“You’re just a junior. How dare you talk to your uncle like that!”
“No parents, no manners. No wonder you lie so easily.”
“Your uncle took you in, and instead of being grateful, you pick on Cece? Do you even have a conscience?”
They ripped me apart with their words.
I just kept staring at Luca. I could almost hear that promise he once made
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- me.
‘As long as I’m here, you will be the happiest kid in the world. If anyone dares to humiliate you, I’ll make them pay.”
However, the people humiliating me were right here in front of him, and yet he did not even flinch.
They did this because they knew they had his silent permission.
All it took was one tear from his precious first love.
I suddenly felt so tired. I really did not want to deal with them anymore.
So I just turned around and walked away without saying a word.
Right away, Cecelia put on that innocent act and said, “Genevieve won’t be mad at me, right? Luca, why don’t you go comfort her?”
Luca’s eyes were dark and hard to read, but he did not say anything.
A few of his buddies just laughed coldly.
“Why bother comforting her? She needs to be put in her place.”
“Yeah, she really thinks she’s something special. Who does she think she…”
Before he could even finish, Luca shoved him aside.
Then he strode over, got in the car, and drove off without another word.
I had not even walked ten minutes before I got pulled into his car.
There was a rare trace of frustration in Luca’s voice.
“What are
you trying to prove, running off alone in the middle of the
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2008 her
night?
“Why are you getting more rebellious the older you get?
“Don’t make things hard for Cece. She’s actually really kind. She even told me to look after you.”
I just listened quietly. At that moment, I realized he did not believe a single word I had said.
When I did not respond, Luca sighed and reached out to hold my hand just like he always did.
>
However, the moment he touched my fingers, he froze. He looked down at my empty finger and asked, “Where’s the ring? Why aren’t you wearing
it?”
It was the only piece of jewelry he had ever given me, and I had worn it for five years without taking it off.
Yet, I had taken it off tonight.
Luca’s face tightened, and he gripped my hand harder.
However, after a couple of seconds, he let go and pretended nothing had happened. “Should I buy you another one, Gen? This time I’ll get you something prettier and more expensive.”
I looked at his hand and felt like laughing.
It already had another woman’s mark on it.
So, why did I have to wear his ring?
It was like he was trying to prove that I belonged to him.
Yet, he never belonged to me.
Am I not a real person with real feelings? Do I have to keep letting him treat me like this?
I gently pulled my hand away and said calmly, “Don’t bother.”
