He laid it on thick, acting like he was torn up
inside, but his acting skills were top–notch.
The viewers loved it. They ate it up. He was
getting all these “good guy” props for dumping me in the middle of the drama.
And Tiffany? She’s behind Ethan, tearing up,
all doe–eyed and pathetic.
“Chung,” she said, “I thought we were friends.
How could you steal my painting at such a
critical moment?”
“…I’m just so let down.”
<
Tiffany was a petite little thing, and with
those tears welling up, she instantly had the
judges and the audience on her side.
Ethan couldn’t help himself. He started
walking towards me.
He stops in front of me and his hand goes up
like he’s about to smack me.
But his hand didn’t land. I grabbed his wrist
before he could connect.
Ethan looked even angrier, “You’re actually
trying to fight back?!”
Hearing his rage, I suddenly flashed back to
the last time this happened. Last time, Tiffany
had already handed in a finished painting that
was identical to mine, and went on live TV,
く
calling me out for being a copycat.
I didn’t understand how my concept had
ended up in her painting. I tried to explain but
Ethan just slapped me across the face
without even giving me the chance.
He didn’t want to hear it. He was shouting,
calling me a “thief,” dragging me out by my
hair.
“I can’t believe you’re a copycat,” he spat. “I
was so wrong about you!”
And because he was my boyfriend, the online
mob took it as the truth. I couldn’t shake the
accusation of being a copycat.
I was the internet’s public enemy number one.
After the cyber–bullying finally killed me, my
<
elderly parents followed shortly.
But, after my soul floated in the air for a
while, I saw Ethan propose to Tiffany, riding
my misery to fame and riches.
Tiffany became the new “it girl” artist, and
Ethan became a judge in the art world.
Only I ended up alone, a ghost with a broken
family.
This time, I made sure my eyes were gone. I
went to a doctor before this whole thing
happened again, and had them take my
eyeballs out. I’m not letting them pull that.
crap again.
Snapping back to reality, I felt Ethan’s rage. I
tightened my grip on his wrist.
<
He was fuming, “Chung, what do you think
you’re doing? In front of everyone, are your
going to start hitting judges now?!”
“You already stole Tiffany’s work, what else
do you want?!”
The chat went wild again, all saying I was a
lost cause and wouldn’t own up to my
mistake.
But I wasn’t worried. I smirked at Ethan.
I looked up and told him, calm as could be,
“Ethan, you sure have a way with words.
Anyone who doesn’t know any better would
think you’re Tiffany’s boyfriend, the way
you’re defending her.”
Ethan seemed thrown off. He didn’t expect
<
“I’m just being impartial as a judge. There’s
nothing personal about this!”
I laughed.
“Then why did you show Tiffany my sketches
before the competition?”
The whole room went silent.
Even the chat took a few seconds to process
what I just said.
