Chapter 4

The biology teacher was thrilled. She had tried hard to persuade me to compete before, but I had always refused.

She said she would fight to get me an extra spot no matter what.

Lucas was stunned. He hadn't expected me to suddenly change my mind and enter the competition.

This meant he and Hazel now had a formidable rival.

We had to compete internally before advancing to the state-level competition.

Hazel looked at me with concern: "Lily, do you really want to compete? Or are you just doing this to spite Lucas? This isn't something to take lightly."

Her friend chimed in: "Don't be so selfish. Your extra spot means someone else loses theirs."

Hazel smiled: "The team has already been training for a month. Even if you join now, you won't be able to catch up. You'll just embarrass yourself and waste study time. Don't jeopardize your future over petty relationship drama."

Her words seemed considerate on the surface, but they painted my decision to compete as nothing more than jealous pettiness, disregarding the bigger picture.

I said coldly: "You know exactly how you got selected. If you can compete, why can't I?"

Hazel's face paled. Seeing her discomfort, Lucas's expression darkened.

"Lily, don't go too far!"

"Hazel is looking out for you and this is how you repay her? Apologize right now!"

"Don't think this will make me like you. I could never love someone so narrow-minded and unjust!"

I thought he must be mentally unwell.

How else could he not see my utter disgust for him?

"Lucas," I said, "Was your spot obtained fairly then?"

"If I hadn't withdrawn, do you think you'd have had a chance?"

With that, I ignored them and walked away.

The biology teacher told me to choose a partner. I looked around, just wanting someone who wouldn't get in my way and let me focus on the competition.

Lucas seemed to say something, but I didn't catch it. My gaze landed on the figure slumped over his desk in the back row.

"I choose him!"

Ethan slowly raised his head, looking at me with bleary confusion, not quite grasping what was happening.

Sure enough, he never showed up for any of the study sessions or training after that. It was as if I was competing alone.

Hazel watched me with schadenfreude while Lucas wore a knowing expression.

As if my choice of Ethan was just to make him jealous, to get his attention, but I had only shot myself in the foot.

He patiently tutored Hazel, his face radiating sincere contentment.

I knew he was trying to make up for his regrets from the past life.

But what about my regrets?

Back then, heavily pregnant with our child, I had begged him to accompany me to prenatal checkups. He couldn't even be bothered to go.

It wasn't that he lacked patience. He just never directed that patience towards me.

Ethan turned out to be almost too low-maintenance. I never once saw him at our training sessions.

Doing the work of two people while trying to catch up to everyone else's progress, I didn't get home until well after dark.

I opened the door to find two unexpected guests sitting on the couch.

"Lily's home. Your Aunt Jenny and Lucas came over for dinner. I made some extra dishes," my mom said.

I looked at the people on the couch. Lucas turned away, his face cold and aloof.

Dinner was like chewing sawdust. Lucas's mom kept lamenting her tragic fate like a broken record.

Widowed young, with no job, forced to work odd jobs to support herself and her son.

Lucas looked uncomfortable. Of course - his pride couldn't stand appearing weak in front of others, especially me.

My mom kept sighing: "Lily, you must look after Lucas more at school!"

I scarfed down a few bites and retreated to my room.

Shortly after, my door opened.

I said flatly: "Barging into a girl's room - is this how your family raised you?"

He flinched as if stung, his face turning icy.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Couldn't win me over yourself, so you're going after my mom?"

He sneered:

"Lily, when will you understand that your fake concern and pity only disgust me?"

"You invited my mom over just to see me humiliated, to feed your superiority complex, didn't you?"

"Stop wasting your time. I hate your phony kindness. It makes me sick!"

[Truncation point]