Chapter 3

I hadn't expected the news to still break.

Someone had photographed Zack and I entering the hotel together from behind. Combined with Zack's state when he opened the door, the reporters were convinced he must have been on a date.

But the mystery woman had only been captured in a blurry shot from behind before vanishing.

The love lives of the city's most eligible bachelors were always hot gossip. In less than a day, news of Zack's secret lover spread like wildfire.

Meanwhile, he was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.

The next day at breakfast, my parents scrolled through their phones and asked me:

"Is it true Zack's dating someone?"

I played dumb: "No idea, we haven't been in touch lately."

I scrolled through my own phone for a while, only relaxing after confirming Zack hadn't revealed my name to the cameras.

Just then, a SnapChat notification from him popped up on my screen.

"Come see me at the hospital."

His tone brooked no argument as usual. My instinct was to refuse, but after thinking it over, I decided against it.

If I angered him, he might leak my name to the media and cause a whole new mess.

That afternoon, I got ready and headed to the hospital. Pushing open the door, I found Zack recklessly working on his laptop in bed.

Seeing me enter, he immediately closed the computer and pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose.

His face was pale as he coldly demanded:

"When did you start liking Jason?"

Not waiting for my answer, he launched into a barrage of questions: "Do you have any idea what kind of person Jason is? Everyone in our circles says he's gay, always surrounded by male escorts. You—"

"I've liked him since we were kids," I said softly, cutting him off.

I forced myself to ignore the look of shock on Zack's face.

Though they ran in the same social circles, Zack and Jason were well-known rivals.

Zack was the typical golden boy - excelling at everything, always perfect. In contrast, Jason was a rebellious troublemaker.

Yet from childhood through adulthood, Jason had always outperformed Zack academically. Even after starting their own businesses, the two remained competitors in the same industry.

The one I had liked since childhood was actually Zack.

When I was little, my parents were always busy with work. We had just moved to the city from out of state, and I wasn't familiar with the area yet.

One day I snuck out of our gated community to play, but accidentally got lost. I couldn't find my way home even as it got dark, and ended up crying by the roadside.

That day, Zack appeared before me like an angel, gently wiping away my tears with a tissue.

"Don't be scared, I'll take you home."

He held my small hand in his, and truly did bring me back to my front door.

From then on, I became Zack's little shadow. My childhood crush gradually became a habit, and I secretly loved him all these years.

Hearing my answer now, Zack's expression grew increasingly ugly.

"Sophia, this isn't a joke. Of all people, why would you like that plague—"

Just then, three polite knocks sounded at the door.

It was Susie.

Seeing me, her expression didn't change at all as she set down the thermos she'd brought on a nearby table.

"I saw the news that you were hospitalized and rushed over. This is soup I made myself, it's very good for you. Drink it while it's hot."

Susie spoke unhurriedly, her voice soft and pleasant, a smile ever-present on her face.

This caring image was something any man would love.

Seeing her, Zack's expression softened.

"You didn't need to go to the trouble of making it yourself."

Susie sat down beside him, inadvertently squeezing me to the side. I took the hint and quietly left the hospital room.

In this life, I hoped those two would end up locked together.