Chapter 2
No matter how much he shouted outside, I ignored him. Eventually, Miles stomped away, grumbling under his breath. Not long after, I received a call from Corbin. He was a prominent figure in that circle, much like Miles, and had always looked down on me. Since I began seeing Orion, I had felt the cold shoulder from that group and had never reached out to them myself.
"Orion’s in the hospital, didn’t you know?" Corbin's accusatory tone was expected, though I had no idea how he got my number.
"So what?" I replied.
"Orion’s had a high fever for a week now, he can barely stand. You're supposed to be his girlfriend; why didn’t you stop him from going up the hill to pay respects? It’s dangerous to go up there during a rainstorm, and now he’s bedridden and vulnerable. You blocked his number and cut him off. Do you have any heart?"
He knew perfectly well that once Orion was determined to pay respects to his ex-girlfriend, nobody could stop him. But now that something had happened, everyone was quick to cast me as the villain, blaming me for everything.
"If he was willing to pay respects to his ex despite having a fever, it shows she meant more to him than his own health. Do you really think I could have stopped him?"
"Besides, I broke up with him half a month ago. Whatever happens to Orion now is none of my concern."
On the day I was given a new lease on life, I broke up with Orion. In my previous life, I was puzzled why Orion suddenly became so gravely ill. After being given another chance, I had a private investigator look into it and discovered that Orion had lost a bracelet given to him by his late ex-girlfriend during a trip in the Alps, and he’d spent the whole night looking for it, catching a severe cold as a result.
A man deeply sentimental, indeed. No wonder they call him the prince of romance in Hollywood.
When I told him I wanted to break up, he didn’t take it seriously. After all, we’d already chosen a venue for our engagement. He barely looked up and muttered, "Can you stop being a nuisance for a few days? You're really being annoying."
Every year around his ex-girlfriend’s anniversary, he was like this—listless and morose. Everyone in their circle knew how much Elouise meant to him. And me? I couldn’t compete.
Corbin's questioning tone came through the receiver. "Could it be because Orion’s paralyzed now that you’re trying to ditch him? Angelica, he’s been under so much pressure just to be with you these years, and now you’re dumping him as soon as something goes wrong. You’re heartless."
My voice grew colder. "During the years I dated Orion, I never received any expensive gifts, and we split our expenses evenly. I endured your circle’s disdain, and both you and his father publicly humiliated me. Who do you think was under more pressure?"
"Every time he publicly mourned his ex, it would go viral and I’d be ridiculed by everyone online for years. I endured it all just because I loved Orion."
My heart ached, and my eyes welled with tears. Yes, I once loved Orion. Last year at this time, we were already preparing for our engagement. Back then, I thought I was the happiest woman on earth. But Orion suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving me alone at the engagement party. I sat there the entire day, making dozens of calls to him. He vanished as if into thin air. No explanation, no contact. He just abandoned me there.
That night, the news broke that Elouise was alive after all, and Orion was seen kissing her on a rooftop. And me? I was nothing but a laughingstock.
I despised Orion. That’s why this time, I broke up with him early and let him go up the hill to pay his respects. Whether he ends up paralyzed or worse, it’s no longer my concern. Before Corbin could say another word, I hung up.
Afterward, I called Viviana. She reassured me, "Everything's been taken care of, don’t worry."
The next day, a piece of news exploded online. A certain once-popular starlet had been leading a secluded life in a small village and had given birth to three children. Though the rumors didn’t mention names, the implications were clear, and netizens quickly connected the dots to Elouise.
[Could it be Elouise Black, the actress who disappeared due to illness? I loved her shows. Wasn’t she supposed to have passed away?]
[Passed away, my foot! She ran someone over with her car, faked her death, and went on the run. She’s actually alive and well.]
[It wasn't her; it was her co-star who crashed the car after drinking. I’ve got some insider info; she was just a passenger in the car. That guy took off afterward, and Elouise vanished too.]
The explosive nature of these comments, involving a hit-and-run murder case, quickly drew widespread attention. I didn't even need to spend a dime; the news made its way to the trending topics on its own.
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