Echoes of Betrayal: A Second Chance

ervent admirer of the most popul

cided to go on a diet where she only drank water

sider it and helped her find

n confessed his

ing to outshine her in a rivalry but also spread rum

al attention and care, she lost her sanit

mission to a graduate program and ended u

und myself back on the day Sarah

, saying, "Sarah has gone to such lengths for yo

ounds in seven days," Sarah said in a cheerful voice. At t

reen, and my gaze

my previous

h and hid the hat

away and pretended to re

he post that she didn't no

ng while before putt

to ask me, "Damien, do y

said flatly, "I'm not

ve," Sarah said. She pout

demeanor, I felt a

, she had asked me

and warned her that extreme weight loss

t would be the sta

advice and didn't use

iked, Ruben, confessed

en Ruben from her and deliberately st

ine her in a rivalry but also spread rumors t

sensitive

d with tears, I was

on and called on others to try

f people's encoura

latforms were exposed, and I

stracized and jud

ack from my memories. "Damien, I advise you n

o her in c

ther. She said she wanted to eat some chips, and I told her to g

stopped talking to her about those things in case

the signs were there all alon

efully and sa

see how far she'd go

t to the supermar

an into Sarah and

and faced e

g, while Ruben maintained a calm ex

lia and me, Rube

greet

in my hand, and then he asked gentl

he was interested in me. But I did

gs behind me and shook

ward smile and to

arted between

e several bottles of min

d a bit a

n didn't noti

n a gentle voice, "I have several big bottle

with a smile, "Sarah, you look strong enoug

ze, and her smil

he walked away. Then Sarah fin

said, "For the next seven days, I'll only be drin

responde

expect such a lukew

es again, and her back

ined smile and said,

and turned to ente

ia said, "She only drinks just wat

and said, "

and let her face her

had nothing

aran trying that mean

ouldn't sleep at night and h

exhausted to do anything b

overheard Sarah's weak voice as we passed by. "I heard

ontinued, "I envy you, as you can

ed on us with a b

y something to her, but

you told us not to ask you to ha

howed surprise mixed wi

and pulled Camelia along

ou didn't even try to persuade me.

ou're only halfway through your seven days. If we take

without looking

mething to attend to, so I

encountered Ru

straight t

d and faced all the hostility and insult

elings for him, I was gratefu

behind me a

n, are you free this weekend? Do you w

sions that might lead to misunderstandings

s not far behind Ruben. Her ga

a cheerful smile and

ocent and asked, "What ar

d, "Nothing much. We

ered, "So, you're keeping

. But the memory of her vicious and menacing demeano

d hastily bid farewel

t they talked abo

o the dorm that day, she w

ed me in a serious tone if I

nied

and breathed a

hunger at noon, but she never

f her strict diet, S

loss and got a pale complexion and li

her and fe

n waited at the d

es lit up, and she appro

Ruben kept h

ral times recently, but

ust understand

nt, took a deep breath, and see

I have feelings for you. Wou

was st

et involved in the

straightforwardly, "Ruben, I'm sorry,

expression startin

amelia's ha

s voice. "Ruben, what do you me

couldn't hear their c

to the dorm, I saw the after

ne was sharp when she tugged Ruben's sleeve as she pleaded, "

y shook off

pretty but because she's outstanding, has good grades, w

elt a bit awkward a

on lingered

dsome and had

arah so obses

that she only met Ruben

lly like hi

't figur

ed to the do

ter and put them where she had ke

aid, "You're really going to such extre

onless and said, "

and said, "You're crazy.

yword, Sarah ignored Ca

amien, don't get so happy. Ruben

ou out of your mind? What

to play hard to get. Ruben is such a good guy. How could you not