Chapter 3

After that day, I didn't say another word to Ethan.

Instead, he changed his usual behavior. The messages he sent in those two days nearly matched two months' worth.

Yet he never mentioned the diary.

On the night scores were released, Ethan's house suddenly lost internet connection, so he had to come to my house temporarily to use ours.

Mom washed a plate of fruit and placed it in front of him—some tropical fruits she normally wouldn't buy.

She smiled and told Ethan not to be nervous.

Mason also busied himself massaging Ethan's shoulders, serving him water, extremely attentive.

Then he looked at me sitting alone in the corner with nothing and laughed: "Don't secretly cry later if you didn't do as well as Ethan. I get so annoyed every time I hear you cry."

"You brat, is that any way to talk to your sister?"

Ethan laughed and pinched his arm.

He scratched his head: "Oh, she's used to it. She's thick-skinned. These little comments don't hurt her at all."

"She always says she's better looking than Sophia. I tell her she's being narcissistic but she won't believe it. Ethan, you tell her—doesn't she fall far short compared to Sophia?"

Mason had also seen that diary, so naturally he knew he was deliberately trying to embarrass me.

Ethan froze for a moment, then glanced at me sideways.

I lowered my head, so embarrassed I wanted to escape immediately.

In the end, he took the initiative to break the awkward tension, half-joking:

"Stop making fun of your sister. I'm sure she wouldn't ask such a question."

"Alright, everyone stop dwelling on this. It's almost time to check scores."

At eight o'clock sharp, both Ethan's and my score pages appeared simultaneously.

In an instant, the atmosphere became extremely tense.

Ethan and I had received the same score.

My parents' first reaction wasn't excitement, but to scrutinize the screen repeatedly, then ask me where I'd copied from.

Mason first praised Ethan effusively, then said to me with a grin:

"You didn't even get caught? Vivian, your cheating skills are off the charts. You should teach me sometime."

The emotions I'd been suppressing finally erupted. Tears streamed down uncontrollably.

I violently pulled back my chair and yelled at them for the first time: "I didn't cheat! I earned this score with my own ability!"

Everyone was clearly stunned.

After playing the role of the good girl for eighteen years, they'd already carved my compliant image into their bones. They obviously didn't believe I would suddenly lose my temper.

Under their shocked gazes, I got up and ran outside.

Before opening the door, I heard Ethan's voice. He was defending me:

"Uncle, Aunt, you've misunderstood Vivian. She works very hard at school. This SAT score is what she deserves. We should be happy for her."

...

I'd barely taken two steps outside when Ethan followed me out.

He walked alongside me, and after a few words of comfort, suddenly asked: "We'll be filling out college applications in a few days. Where are you thinking of applying?"

If this had been before, when Ethan asked this question, I would have said NYU without hesitation.

But that day, his conversation with his mother had left a thorn in my heart. I didn't answer immediately, but threw the question back to him.

"Where do you want to go?" Even though I already knew the answer.

He paused, then replied: "...I'll probably go with NYU."

After meeting my gaze, Ethan immediately looked away, afraid I might see through him.

My chest ached as if pierced by countless needles.

Two seconds later, I looked away, my voice hoarse: "Same as you."

"That's great then. We can go together."

After he spoke, his eyes looked forward again.

I stared at him. The words about breaking up that I'd been contemplating swirled on my tongue several times, but I couldn't bear to say them.

On the way back, Ethan and I parted ways.

I knew he was lying to me. And I was lying to him too.

Ethan didn't want to apply to the same university as me. I would fulfill his wish—I wouldn't apply to either Harvard or NYU.

Cowardice and unwillingness made me unable to speak the word "ending," so I would use this method to say goodbye to him properly.

This relationship that was impure from the start—I didn't want it anymore.