When I accompanied Lucas to a party, my entire body suddenly broke out in an allergic reaction. As the itching intensified, red rashes appeared on my exposed skin, spreading to my cheeks. “Sis-in-law, did you use some cheap makeup? Your face is swelling up like a balloon,” someone sneered. “How did Lucas end up with a girlfriend like this? So embarrassing.” “That dress you’re wearing costs a fortune. Can you afford to ruin it by scratching?” Amidst the mocking voices, I panicked, not knowing what to do. Lucas smiled and quieted everyone down. He took out a pill and said to me: “It’s an April Fool’s Day party. You won’t get mad at a little joke, right?” Later, I realized the truth. For three years of our relationship, I was nothing but a toy for Lucas and his friends to fool around with. But Lucas, I only fooled you once. Why are you crying your eyes out now? 0 “Here’s some allergy medicine. Take it quickly.” But even after taking the pill, my symptoms didn’t improve at all. I had no choice but to go to a nearby clinic alone. When I came back to return the dress, I heard an explosion of laughter from inside. “I’m dying of laughter! Her face was so swollen but she just kept enduring it.” On the big screen inside, they were playing a video of my swollen face after the allergic reaction. Lucas was at the center of the crowd, holding a wine glass with a smile on his lips. Someone beside him was laughing and counting on their fingers: “How many times have we successfully pranked her now?” “The first time, we tricked her into waiting for Lucas on the mountaintop. She stood in the cold wind all night, and we nearly scared her to death with our fake wolf howls. She ended up with a 104-degree fever the next day.” “The second time, we lied that Lucas needed a blood transfusion for a stomach hemorrhage. She stupidly donated 800cc of blood, which I resold on the black market.” “The third time, we framed her for stealing Bella’s necklace. Not only did she lose her scholarship, but it was hilarious watching her desperately search for evidence to prove her innocence.” “Including this time, it’s been 97 times, right?” “Just three more times and we can wrap this up perfectly. It’s been fun playing with her for three years. I’ll almost miss it. Poor Lucas though, having to be her boyfriend for three years.” “Well, who told her to mess with Bella? If it weren’t for her last-minute submission, Bella would have been accepted as Master Johnson’s final student. Lucas has doted on Bella since childhood. How could he watch her suffer such an injustice? It just happened to be April Fool’s Day, so we planned 100 pranks. Too bad it’s ending after only three years.” I staggered away from the banquet hall. Those words were like chains, tightly constricting my heart, making it hard to breathe. Five years ago, it was love at first sight for me. After two years of secretly liking him, I had barely managed to become a familiar face to him. But three years ago, at the apprenticeship ceremony, Lucas suddenly confessed to me. With my heart pounding like a drum, I couldn’t refuse his kiss. But it turns out there was never any mutual attraction. This was all his long-planned revenge. For the sake of another girl – the one he truly loved. My body was still itchy. The doctor had warned me earlier that there might be a problem with the fabric of the dress. But I still thought I was just being too delicate, not worthy of wearing such a nice outfit. When I got home to shower, I found that I had scratched my entire body raw. As the water hit me, it stung and itched. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I bit my lip, telling myself: “Don’t cry, don’t cry.” After the shower, I saw that Lucas had just called: “Are you home? I’m not coming back tonight. Had too much to drink.” I made a sound of acknowledgment, and then I heard someone on the other end of the line calling him: “Lucas, Bella’s looking for you. Hurry up.” The call was abruptly disconnected. I laughed bitterly at myself. He didn’t even bother to ask how I was doing. I opened my contacts and called Master Johnson: “Master, I’ve made a decision about studying abroad.” “I want to go.” Not long ago, my mentor had specially reserved a spot for me to study abroad, but I had been reluctant to leave Lucas and kept putting it off. I had even considered giving up this opportunity. But now, I was grateful for this “joke”. It allowed me to see everything clearly. “Sophia, are you sure? This study abroad program will take you away for three years. If you perform exceptionally well, it might even be extended.” “Master, I’ve made up my mind,” I said firmly, wiping away my tears. “I won’t regret it.” 0
“Alright, alright.” Master Johnson sounded very pleased on the other end. “Then you should let your boyfriend know. You love him so much.” Boyfriend? Did Lucas ever truly consider himself my boyfriend? “Master, I don’t love him anymore.” In my mind’s eye, I could still see Lucas sitting in the middle of that group, watching my embarrassing moment on the big screen with a carefree smile. Those mockeries and pranks were like sharp knives stabbing into my heart. Forced to play the fool for three years, now that I’ve woken up from this dream, I sobbed and said: “I will never love him again.” It wasn’t until I started packing that I realized just how many memories could accumulate in three years. The most prominent Polaroid on the fridge was from the day we got together. Lucas chose to confess his love on the eve of April Fool’s Day. He said he was afraid that if he waited any longer, I might take his sincerity as a joke. When I nodded and he embraced me, it had just turned midnight. So, were all those vows of love and eternity planned lies from the very beginning? My phone buzzed. Someone in the group chat asked: “Are we letting her off so easily today? There are only a few hours left until midnight. Shouldn’t we play one more prank?” “We’d have to lure her out first. We’ve already used the ‘Lucas has a stomach hemorrhage’ trick before.” “You’ve all seen that bracelet Lucas wears, right? The one Sophia gave him. Apparently, it was her mother’s keepsake.” My hand holding the phone started to shake. “Shit, you sent that to the wrong group!” “Crap, Sophia’s in this chat too.” After a series of message retractions, the group fell silent. Ten minutes later, my phone rang. Jack frantically said: “Sophia, come quickly! Lucas is in the swimming pool and won’t come out because of some bracelet.” “None of us can persuade him. You’re our only hope.” That bracelet had been passed down for generations in my family. My mother had put it on my wrist on her deathbed. “Sophia, don’t cry. This will keep you company in my place from now on.” I never intended to give the bracelet to Lucas. It was Jack who said in front of everyone: “Lucas has given you so many luxury gifts, but you’ve never given him anything decent in return.” “Sophia, are you just playing with Lucas?” I tried to explain, but I couldn’t be heard over their jeering voices. The truth was, I had given him quite a few gifts within my means. But in Lucas’s circle, even a keychain could cost thousands of dollars. At that time, Lucas kept a stern face. It was Bella who spoke up, pointing at my wrist and saying the bracelet meant a lot to me. “Why don’t you give it to Lucas?” “For a gift, the thought matters more than the price.” I stammered, “This is from my mom…” Lucas’s eyes, which had briefly lit up, suddenly darkened. He threw his wine glass to the ground. Someone pushed me from behind. I suddenly found myself kneeling in front of Lucas, allowing him to take the bracelet from my wrist. … When I got out of the car and returned to the banquet hall, I felt like my entire body had turned cold. I hated myself so much. Hated how weak and stupid I had been back then. I regretted it so much. Regretted being blinded by love and constantly lowering my standards. Even though I knew this was another trap. I had no choice but to come. 0
“Sis-in-law, you’re finally here!” “Lucas passed out, but we still can’t find the bracelet. What should we do…” I showed no emotion as I reached out to touch the pool. The members-only high-end club had a temperature-controlled pool 365 days a year, but now the water felt as cold as ice. Jack explained that the club’s temperature control system had coincidentally malfunctioned. I could see the malice hidden in his eyes. I nodded slightly, having noticed the phone he kept clutching in his hand. Before coming, I had already put on a swimsuit underneath. After a few laps in the pool, I indeed found the bracelet near the drain. But just as I retrieved the bracelet and was about to climb out, someone stepped on my hand. I jerked my hand away in pain, and a figure screamed as they fell into the water. Caught off guard, I was suddenly pushed underwater. Water rushed into my nose and mouth, nearly suffocating me. Before I lost consciousness, I vaguely saw someone jump into the water, swimming in the opposite direction from me. Perhaps it was my strong survival instinct, but at the last moment, I managed to grab onto the pool’s edge. As I surfaced, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me onto the deck. Lucas was holding Bella in his arms. He slapped me across the face: “Sophia, do you realize you almost killed Bella!” “It’s my fault the bracelet was lost, but why did you try to hurt Bella!” I lay on the ground, coughing and retching. My ears were ringing so loudly that his angry words seemed distant. Lucas handed Bella to Jack. With red eyes, he grabbed my neck: “Stop pretending. If anything happens to Bella today, I’ll make you pay with your life!” Seeing that I was still clutching the bracelet tightly, he snatched it away. I hugged his legs, sobbing and pleading through my coughs: “Please, don’t!” His expression was ice-cold: “This is your punishment.” With a forceful tug, he broke the bracelet into two pieces. “Lucas, don’t blame Sophia. She was just embarrassed about what happened at the party and wanted to get back at me a little.” “We’re both women, I can understand.” Lucas angrily threw the broken bracelet to the ground. He carefully picked up Bella: “Don’t defend her. You’re just too kind-hearted.” The group hurriedly left. Jack took the opportunity to snap several photos of me. He made a “98” gesture to someone nearby, and they both laughed so hard they could barely stand up straight. I held the broken bracelet tightly to my chest, tears falling in large drops onto the floor. All the hurt I had been holding back now burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam. Let it hurt more, until all the love turns into hate. Lucas, I will forget everything from the past. Never, ever will I love you again!
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