Chapter 2

When I woke up again, I was lying neatly on the lab cot, alone.

Ethan Drake sent me a message.

“Lily, you passed out again. Jenna’s exhausted, so we’ll take her back first. We’ll come get you later.”

Suddenly, I remembered what had been said before I fainted: “Should we post some recordings this time?”

My hands shook as I opened the university forum.

Sure enough, there was a new recording.

It was my voice.

Comments flooded in.

“Oh my god, who is this? So shameless.”

“Not just one guy, huh? She’s wild.”

“Wait… doesn’t that voice sound familiar?”

I screamed, throwing my phone across the room and burying my face in my hands.

Last time it was photos. Now it was a recording. What would come next? Videos? Oh god, what do I do? What do I do?

I swallowed hard, trying to force my broken heart down my throat along with each painful sob. Tears fell like raindrops, and all I wanted was to faint and disappear.

When I finally dragged my shattered, filthy body back to the dorm, I was met with the aftermath of my destroyed room and my roommate’s disgusted stare.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” she spat.

“Wh…what?”

“The one on the forum,” she sneered, surveying me like I was trash. “Last time photos, now audio. So gross. Always acting so pure. But secretly? Dirtier than anyone. Pack your stuff and get out. Who knows what else is hiding in there.”

I stood in the hallway, swallowed by scornful eyes all around me.

My phone buzzed relentlessly.

“Senior, didn’t know you played around like this. Want me to show you?”

“Do you charge, Senior?”

“Ha! So much for being untouchable. Just a toy for anyone to use.”

I bent down, picking up my scattered belongings one by one, but each item felt like a shard of my dignity. No matter how I tried, it couldn’t be restored.

Finally, I forced myself forward, feeling the weight of their disgust pressing down on me.

At the campus gate, I saw Jenna Cole linking arms with Ethan.

She spotted me first, stepping in front of him and planting a deliberate kiss on his lips.

I caught a glimpse of what she whispered to him, and he immediately turned and left.

Then she approached me, her eyes curling into a mocking smile.

“See that, Senior? You noticed everything, huh?”

“Oh, and Senior,” she leaned down and tugged her collar slightly. “Is Ethan always this attentive in bed? Look at all the marks he left on me.”

The bright red bruises on her neck made me want to vomit. It was so… disgusting.

I dug my nails into my palms, pain shooting through my body as I crouched, defeated.

Jenna towered over me, smirking.

“What’s the matter, Senior? So pathetic. You always act so high and mighty. I only messed up a few times, and you treat me like this?”

She grabbed my hair, forcing me to look up. Then she clicked her tongue.

“Wow, Senior, your face it’s irresistible. No wonder everyone in the lab fell for you. Bet you love that, don’t you? Do you know how shameless you looked under them?”

I struggled to stand upright.

“And you? So shameless, seducing other people’s boyfriends.”

“You’re lying!” she screamed, tearing at me. “But at least I haven’t been slept around! Don’t you know Ethan tells me every time he’s with me how gross you are?”

Before I could react, she shoved me into the street.

A car swerved past my feet; I fell hard to the pavement.

Jenna slapped herself across the face, then ran over to help me up.

Her eyes were red, wet with tears.

“Senior, what are you doing? I told you, Ethan and I… nothing happened! You hit me to get your anger out, fine, but running into the street like that? If a car had hit you, would you have blamed me for it?”