Jason’s pov ;
When I heard the news, my brow furrowed deeply. "Why are you bringing up Bella again? Haven't I told both Rey and Brandon not to mention her in front of you?"
Brandon wouldn’t go against my wishes. He knows better than to stir up old wounds, especially when it comes to his mother. That left only one person—Rey.
My jaw tightened. What is that girl up to now? She knows my wife’s health is fragile, yet she deliberately dredged up the most painful memories. Was it carelessness? Or something more calculated?
"Don’t misunderstand Rey," my wife interjected, her tone defensive. "She misses Bella just as much as we do. A few days ago, she had a dream—a fairy told her she was a butterfly fairy. Then she woke up with a birthmark, the same one Bella had."
I stared at her, my expression darkening.
"Do you hear yourself?" I snapped, harsher than I intended.
But she didn’t seem to notice. Her f
Sophie’s pov ;The contest day~~I couldn’t help but smile at the advice Jenna and Carolyn gave me. "Treat everyone as cabbages," they said.Sure, that was supposed to help me not get nervous. But I wasn’t really all that nervous to begin with. I mean, what was there to be nervous about? It was just a competition.Jenna was right, though. She was more nervous for me than I was for myself. “After all, this is your first time participating in such a big competition, so of course I am nervous for you,” she said with a soft smile.I appreciated it, but I didn’t feel the same way. The prize money was all that mattered to me; winning wasn’t some big milestone.Carolyn leaned in and whispered, “I heard that Senior Amanda is here too.”I instantly stiffened at the name. “Which Senior Amanda?” I asked, though I already knew who she meant.“It’s Amanda, Senior
Rey’s pov ;I couldn’t believe my luck. Of all the things I had planned, of all the precautions I had taken, this was what I ended up walking into.Amanda had assured me everything was in place, that Sophie would be eliminated in the first round, and I couldn’t afford any slip-ups. With connections from both the Gu family and the Carpenter family among the judges, Sophie’s defeat was practically guaranteed.It was supposed to be foolproof. Sophie was nothing. A nobody. But if she managed to sneak through—if that bitch somehow advanced—everything I had worked for would crumble. The Carpenter family’s precious daughter, the one they had been obsessing over for years, would be found. And then, Sophie would be everywhere. In the media, on the news, in public—and I couldn’t let that happen.I left Amanda to take care of things, heading toward the audience. I had to get out of the back, away from all the cha
Sophie’s pov ;The backstage was buzzing with nervous energy, and I could feel my heart racing. Everyone was busy running around, preparing for their moment in the spotlight. But for some reason, I couldn’t shake the tightness in my chest. Maybe it was because everything felt so out of my control.The makeup artist rushed over to me, her face filled with panic. "Every contestant is wearing heavy makeup, and all the cosmetics are used up. What should we do?" she said, her hands trembling as she looked at the empty makeup trays.I swallowed hard, not wanting to let the pressure get to me. "No need to worry. I can go on stage without makeup," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I wasn’t nervous—I refused to be. But the situation was definitely not ideal.The makeup artist looked at me like I had just suggested I would walk on stage without clothes. "That’s not a good idea! The lighting on stage is harsh, and with
Dominic’s pov :I sat in the private VIP suite, my eyes fixed on the stage below. The woman I had expected to be waiting for was not the one drawing all the attention—no, it was her. Sophie.I had been on my way to a meeting overseas, but something made me change my mind at the last minute.I’d canceled everything, rushing to get here, just to watch a simple student competition. I knew I was obsessed with her, but this... this was different. It felt like fate."Good thing I arrived in time," I thought, my fingers tapping restlessly on the armrest. "Otherwise, I would have missed it."She appeared later than the others, almost as if the universe itself had conspired to make sure I wouldn’t miss the moment when she walked on that stage. It was like everything was falling into place.The lights dimmed as the music began to play, and suddenly, Sophie opened her mouth. Her voice—so pure, so angelic—poured over the audience like a soft rain, filling the space. The chatter in the room ceased
Sophie’s pov ;Winning the title of campus belle of the University of Finance and Economics felt surreal. The ceremony was over, and as I stepped down from the stage, the buzz of excitement around me was overwhelming. My friends quickly surrounded me, all of them beaming with pride.Jenna was the first to congratulate me, practically jumping up and down. "Sophie, congratulations! I knew you could do it!"I couldn't help but smile, the sense of accomplishment filling me up. "Great, I got a bonus of 20,000 Pounds," I said, a little smugly. Money was real to me—it was something tangible, something I could actually use to ease the weight on my shoulders.Jenna grinned, teasing me, "You don’t care about the great honor, you only care about the bonus."I shrugged. "The money’s more important. I’ll take it over any false reputation any day."Yanran, always the proud one, added, "From today on, your name will be known throughout the university circles in London."I gave a small, indifferent s
Edwin’s pov ;I stared at myself in the mirror, adjusting my collar for the fifth time. Everything had to be perfect today. I’d been planning this for weeks—no more doubts, no more second-guessing.Today, I was going to confess to Sophie. I had everything ready. The flowers, the chocolates, the carefully chosen outfit.I wanted to look charming, rustic, just the right amount of down-to-earth. Nothing too fancy, nothing too flashy. Sophie wasn’t like that. She liked simplicity.I’d checked my appearance over and over again. Hair neat, shirt slightly wrinkled just enough to seem like I wasn’t trying too hard. Perfect. I gave myself a quick nod of approval and took a deep breath. This was it.Grandma had called earlier, reminding me to bring a girlfriend back with me. I could almost hear her voice: “When you’re free, come and see Grandma. It would be best if you could bring a girlfriend back.”
Brandon’s pov ;I could feel the weight of the conversation with Ava pressing down on me as I walked away.My mind was racing, each new piece of information about Sophie sending my thoughts spiraling. The way Ava described her—her difficult family, the fact that she worked to make ends meet—it painted a picture I hadn’t fully realized until now.Sophie was struggling, yet she still managed to smile, to hold herself with such strength. It made me think back to everything I’d seen in her, every quiet moment she shared, every piece of her story that didn’t seem to quite fit.Her family didn’t treat her well, Ava had said. That sentence kept echoing in my mind. It was a painful reminder of the life Bella had left behind, the life she’d fought so hard to escape.And now, Sophie was in front of me, so similar to her in more ways than one, yet so different in others. She didn’t know who she truly was, didn’t know the depth of the blood running through her veins, and I couldn’t help but wonde
Brandon’s pov ;I stood in front of my father’s desk, clutching a stack of papers so tightly my knuckles turned white. My throat was dry, and my lips trembled as I tried to gather my words. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, but that wasn’t the reason for the exhaustion weighing me down. It was the discovery I’d made—one that turned my entire world upside down.“Dad,” I finally said, my voice hoarse as I handed him the documents. “You need to see this.”My father, Jason Carpenter, had been scolding me just moments ago for being absent during critical company decisions. Normally, I would’ve explained myself, but this time I didn’t care about the business. Not when something far more important had come to light.He frowned, clearly irritated by my silence, but he took the papers from me anyway. “What is this?” he asked, flipping through the pages.I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I watched him closely as his expression shifted from confusion to shock the moment his eyes land
Brandon’s pov ;I stood in front of my father’s desk, clutching a stack of papers so tightly my knuckles turned white. My throat was dry, and my lips trembled as I tried to gather my words. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, but that wasn’t the reason for the exhaustion weighing me down. It was the discovery I’d made—one that turned my entire world upside down.“Dad,” I finally said, my voice hoarse as I handed him the documents. “You need to see this.”My father, Jason Carpenter, had been scolding me just moments ago for being absent during critical company decisions. Normally, I would’ve explained myself, but this time I didn’t care about the business. Not when something far more important had come to light.He frowned, clearly irritated by my silence, but he took the papers from me anyway. “What is this?” he asked, flipping through the pages.I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I watched him closely as his expression shifted from confusion to shock the moment his eyes land
Brandon’s pov ;I stood in front of my father’s desk, clutching a stack of papers so tightly my knuckles turned white. My throat was dry, and my lips trembled as I tried to gather my words. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, but that wasn’t the reason for the exhaustion weighing me down. It was the discovery I’d made—one that turned my entire world upside down.“Dad,” I finally said, my voice hoarse as I handed him the documents. “You need to see this.”My father, Jason Carpenter, had been scolding me just moments ago for being absent during critical company decisions. Normally, I would’ve explained myself, but this time I didn’t care about the business. Not when something far more important had come to light.He frowned, clearly irritated by my silence, but he took the papers from me anyway. “What is this?” he asked, flipping through the pages.I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I watched him closely as his expression shifted from confusion to shock the moment his eyes land
Brandon’s pov ;I could feel the weight of the conversation with Ava pressing down on me as I walked away.My mind was racing, each new piece of information about Sophie sending my thoughts spiraling. The way Ava described her—her difficult family, the fact that she worked to make ends meet—it painted a picture I hadn’t fully realized until now.Sophie was struggling, yet she still managed to smile, to hold herself with such strength. It made me think back to everything I’d seen in her, every quiet moment she shared, every piece of her story that didn’t seem to quite fit.Her family didn’t treat her well, Ava had said. That sentence kept echoing in my mind. It was a painful reminder of the life Bella had left behind, the life she’d fought so hard to escape.And now, Sophie was in front of me, so similar to her in more ways than one, yet so different in others. She didn’t know who she truly was, didn’t know the depth of the blood running through her veins, and I couldn’t help but wonde
Edwin’s pov ;I stared at myself in the mirror, adjusting my collar for the fifth time. Everything had to be perfect today. I’d been planning this for weeks—no more doubts, no more second-guessing.Today, I was going to confess to Sophie. I had everything ready. The flowers, the chocolates, the carefully chosen outfit.I wanted to look charming, rustic, just the right amount of down-to-earth. Nothing too fancy, nothing too flashy. Sophie wasn’t like that. She liked simplicity.I’d checked my appearance over and over again. Hair neat, shirt slightly wrinkled just enough to seem like I wasn’t trying too hard. Perfect. I gave myself a quick nod of approval and took a deep breath. This was it.Grandma had called earlier, reminding me to bring a girlfriend back with me. I could almost hear her voice: “When you’re free, come and see Grandma. It would be best if you could bring a girlfriend back.”
Sophie’s pov ;Winning the title of campus belle of the University of Finance and Economics felt surreal. The ceremony was over, and as I stepped down from the stage, the buzz of excitement around me was overwhelming. My friends quickly surrounded me, all of them beaming with pride.Jenna was the first to congratulate me, practically jumping up and down. "Sophie, congratulations! I knew you could do it!"I couldn't help but smile, the sense of accomplishment filling me up. "Great, I got a bonus of 20,000 Pounds," I said, a little smugly. Money was real to me—it was something tangible, something I could actually use to ease the weight on my shoulders.Jenna grinned, teasing me, "You don’t care about the great honor, you only care about the bonus."I shrugged. "The money’s more important. I’ll take it over any false reputation any day."Yanran, always the proud one, added, "From today on, your name will be known throughout the university circles in London."I gave a small, indifferent s
Dominic’s pov :I sat in the private VIP suite, my eyes fixed on the stage below. The woman I had expected to be waiting for was not the one drawing all the attention—no, it was her. Sophie.I had been on my way to a meeting overseas, but something made me change my mind at the last minute.I’d canceled everything, rushing to get here, just to watch a simple student competition. I knew I was obsessed with her, but this... this was different. It felt like fate."Good thing I arrived in time," I thought, my fingers tapping restlessly on the armrest. "Otherwise, I would have missed it."She appeared later than the others, almost as if the universe itself had conspired to make sure I wouldn’t miss the moment when she walked on that stage. It was like everything was falling into place.The lights dimmed as the music began to play, and suddenly, Sophie opened her mouth. Her voice—so pure, so angelic—poured over the audience like a soft rain, filling the space. The chatter in the room ceased
Sophie’s pov ;The backstage was buzzing with nervous energy, and I could feel my heart racing. Everyone was busy running around, preparing for their moment in the spotlight. But for some reason, I couldn’t shake the tightness in my chest. Maybe it was because everything felt so out of my control.The makeup artist rushed over to me, her face filled with panic. "Every contestant is wearing heavy makeup, and all the cosmetics are used up. What should we do?" she said, her hands trembling as she looked at the empty makeup trays.I swallowed hard, not wanting to let the pressure get to me. "No need to worry. I can go on stage without makeup," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I wasn’t nervous—I refused to be. But the situation was definitely not ideal.The makeup artist looked at me like I had just suggested I would walk on stage without clothes. "That’s not a good idea! The lighting on stage is harsh, and with
Rey’s pov ;I couldn’t believe my luck. Of all the things I had planned, of all the precautions I had taken, this was what I ended up walking into.Amanda had assured me everything was in place, that Sophie would be eliminated in the first round, and I couldn’t afford any slip-ups. With connections from both the Gu family and the Carpenter family among the judges, Sophie’s defeat was practically guaranteed.It was supposed to be foolproof. Sophie was nothing. A nobody. But if she managed to sneak through—if that bitch somehow advanced—everything I had worked for would crumble. The Carpenter family’s precious daughter, the one they had been obsessing over for years, would be found. And then, Sophie would be everywhere. In the media, on the news, in public—and I couldn’t let that happen.I left Amanda to take care of things, heading toward the audience. I had to get out of the back, away from all the cha
Sophie’s pov ;The contest day~~I couldn’t help but smile at the advice Jenna and Carolyn gave me. "Treat everyone as cabbages," they said.Sure, that was supposed to help me not get nervous. But I wasn’t really all that nervous to begin with. I mean, what was there to be nervous about? It was just a competition.Jenna was right, though. She was more nervous for me than I was for myself. “After all, this is your first time participating in such a big competition, so of course I am nervous for you,” she said with a soft smile.I appreciated it, but I didn’t feel the same way. The prize money was all that mattered to me; winning wasn’t some big milestone.Carolyn leaned in and whispered, “I heard that Senior Amanda is here too.”I instantly stiffened at the name. “Which Senior Amanda?” I asked, though I already knew who she meant.“It’s Amanda, Senior