Chapter 98
Standing in front of the mirror, I slowly took off my white coat, finally allowing myself the luxury of dressing up.
It had been a long time since I looked at myself this carefully.
The dark circles under my eyes were the first thing I noticed. With a sigh, I reached for my concealer, dabbing away the exhaustion. Then, I applied a bold, vibrant makeup–something I hadn’t done in years.
Opening my closet, I pulled out the hottest short skirt I owned.
Wesley insisted on coming with me, claiming he didn’t trust me being alone at a bar.
As he fastened my seatbelt, he suddenly inhaled deeply.
“Corinne,” he murmured. “You smell amazing.”
I hated Wesley’s flirtatious eyes the most.
He had this way of looking at everyone as if they were special.
Heat crept up my ears. “What nonsense are you talking about? Just drive.“§
He chuckled, turning the steering wheel with practiced ease. “Got it.”
This wasn’t the first time I had dressed like this.§
The night after the college entrance exams, I had done something similar.
I had shed my school uniform, removed my glasses, and slipped into a miniskirt and high heels.
That night, I danced and drank until midnight, reveling in the reckless freedom of youth.
But when I finally stepped out of the bar, I found Wesley waiting outside my house, leaning against the gate, nearly asleep.
At that time, he was still young, but already more than a head taller than me.
I knocked on his forehead. “Shouldn’t you be in school? What are you doing here?“}
“The school gave us a holiday today,” he said seriously. “I came to see you because I have something to tell you.”
I exhaled a puff of smoke, amused. “Go ahead, little brat. You’re not about to confess to me, are you?“}
“I won’t accept it.“}
The fleeting spark in Wesley’s eyes dimmed instantly. He looked like a kicked puppy.
“I’m only a few years younger than you,” he muttered. “I always get top scores–you don’t have to worry about dating me affecting my grades.“%
I burst into laughter. “That’s not it. I’m simply not interested in you.”
His brows furrowed. “Then what would make you interested in me?“>
I leaned in slightly, my voice teasing. “You have a good face, I’ll give you that. But if you want to impress me, you’d better have some muscle too.”
I had been drinking, my words loosening with the buzz of alcohol.
Wesley, however, was dead serious.}
“Then wait for me, he declared. “I’m going to get into the same university as you.”
That night, his determination was unwavering, as if he had made some kind of grand vow.
But when I entered university, I fell for Jude.
Wesley still came to see me during that time.
He had once pushed me against the wall, his voice trembling with frustration, asking me–begging me–what was wrong with him, why I couldn’t like him, why I had to fall for someone else.”
Thinking about it now, it was pathetic. Embarrassing.
Lost in thought, I hadn’t realized I had been staring at Wesley’s profile for too long.
He suddenly smirked
“You’ve tested my skin. Isn’t it time to test my body now?“”
A loud bang seemed to go off in my head.”
This man. I
After all these years, he still remembered the nonsense I had said back then.
“Relax” he chuckled, his voice low and teasing. “I’ll only let you see.”
“This way, you can proudly take me out in public, right?*%
‘And if we run into your ex–husband, it’ll be even more satisfying.“W
I hadn’t expected Wesley to have such a sharp tongue.
We were laughing, drinks in hand, enjoying the moment–until Jude arrived.
སིག སཉཿཉཿཡི‘༔ ཀlཀཐཐ 9
212
12:17 PM
He wasn’t alone.
He held the hand of a little girl, one dressed far too maturely for her age.”
I squinted at them, my mind trying to make sense of what I was seeing.”
And then it hit me.”
Cassy.
Her once soft, childish curls had been styled into perfect waves. Makeup was dusted across her small face, aging her beyond her
years.
I didn’t need to ask who was behind this.
I already knew.&
Adele.
I had seen her live broadcasts recently–using Cassy to gain followers, exploiting her innocence to attract countless fans.
The little girl I had once cherished, spoiled like a princess, had now become nothing more than a tool for making money.
.
12:17 PM C
At first, Cassy enjoyed the attention.
