25: Best Compliment

Noah did not expect to hear this from Vivienne. He had a complicated look in his eyes when he glanced at Vivienne. For years, he really thought she left because of him. It made him feel guilty at times too. He did not expect that his rejection had nothing to do with her departure.

"Is that true?" asked Angelina but the question was directed toward Aurora who shrugged indifferently.

"It is true," responded Aurora. "It's not like intentionally hid it from you. I did tell you that Vivienne was supposed to leave anyway, don't be so hostile to Noah. Remember?"

Angelina vaguely recalled having such a conversation with Aurora in high school right after Vivienne left. But she was too emotional at that time and did not take her words seriously, especially when everyone around them had something else to say about it. A lie spoken a thousand times starts feeling like the truth and rumors are the same.

Angelina sighed to herself and drank the cocktail from the cocktail glass feeling the need to