Chapter 1

I decided to give up on Beckett.

It all started with something trivial. During our research group meeting, Lily brought in some soy milk and buns. Beckett, always protective of the younger girls, covered for her:

"Lily's still young and likes to eat. Let's cut her some slack."

Everyone teased her, their eyes occasionally darting towards me. Only my roommate, who was close to me, stood up for me:

"Beckett, aren't you being biased? When Zoe had a stomach ache and wanted to eat something, you didn't allow it!"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Beckett's face darkened. "Zoe, what are you up to now? There's a time and place for your tantrums. No one here is going to indulge you!"

"Yeah, she's just seeking attention," I heard someone mutter.

For some reason, I sighed inwardly. It all felt so pointless.

I took off my name tag and looked up at Beckett. "I want to leave the research group."

As soon as I said this, the senior girls tried to calm me down. After all, if you made some achievements in the research group, you had a chance for guaranteed admission to graduate school.

"It's fine. I've made up my mind. I'll go explain the situation to the professor later."

"Are you throwing another tantrum? Do you need everyone to revolve around you? It's just letting Lily have breakfast, do you have to be so petty?" Beckett's tone was cold and slightly impatient.

I looked at Beckett seriously and explained, "I'm not throwing a tantrum. It's just..." I pointed at some people. "She, he, she, these people all got in through Lily's connections. They do the least work and like to gossip. I don't like this research environment."

It's quite tiring, playing along with them day after day.

As soon as I said this, the people I pointed at all turned pale, lowering their heads guiltily.

The other seniors didn't say anything, but Lily started crying:

"What did I ever do to you, senior? Why are you publicly humiliating me like this..."

"These are all my classmates. If they don't get some credits from the research group, they'll fail their courses. I was just trying to help them, and Beckett agreed."

I nodded. "Mm-hmm, but the research group doesn't belong to you alone. You're being kind on your own, so everyone else has to bear the consequences? Is that your robber's logic?"

"Enough! Zoe, don't you think you're acting like a lunatic right now? I'm willing to cover for her, what's it to you?" Beckett's words felt like a hard slap across my face, making me blush and feel a bit strange.

Was he still the Beckett I remembered, the one who always protected me?

His next words pushed me into an abyss.

"Zoe has a mental illness. She sometimes becomes unstable and has episodes. Lily, don't take what she says to heart."

Beckett took out a tissue and gently wiped Lily's tears.

"Really? She doesn't look like it." Lily glanced at me, full of curiosity and disdain.

"It's true. I even have her diagnosis here."

My heart, which had been lifted high, was now heavily smashed down.

In a daze, I remembered how seven-year-old Beckett had chased away the bullies and wiped my tears, telling me he would always stand by my side.

Now he was cruelly exposing my wounds, just to comfort another girl.