Ellen was still struggling to move, having been slapped in the face by her best friend in front of reporters.
What had happened? How could Harley and Lauren be engaged when they had always been friends? Her eyes were wet with tears as the reporters continued to bombard her with questions about her alleged 'affair'.
She slowly turned her head to look at her lover, who seemed relaxed under the sudden attack.
"Harley, what the hell happened?" she hissed, covering her face with her palms.
Harley smiled sarcastically. He slow walked over to Lauren and placed his arm around her shoulder. Reporters were now busy photographing Harley and Lauren's unexpected intimacy, leaving Ellen breathless. She continued to pat her chest and cry loudly.
"You shameless woman! How dare you set me up last night!" Harley snapped loudly.
Ellen felt her throat tighten. Her body trembled.
"What?"
"Lauren and I have been dating all this time. How dare you ask me out for drinks last night and then sleep with me in this hotel room!"
Ellen shook her head slowly, covering her stinging ears. The sound of cameras, the reporters' shouts, and the flashes of the cameras were so distracting that she wanted to scream. Could it be that Harley was the one cheating on her all this time? That's why Harley always used various excuses to avoid her!
Ellen refused to act weak now. She raised her head confidently and clenched her fists tightly. If she remained silent, it would only further reveal her identity as the perpetrator of this crime. Her gaze sharpened on her friend, who deliberately put on a pitiful face, pretending to be the victim. In fact, it was her friend who had been stabbing her in the back.
"I took Harley from you, Lauren?" She laughed irritably, crossing her arms. "Weren't you the one who took him from me?"
Lauren frowned. "What? How dare a lowly woman like you accuse me so recklessly!"
"In fact, I've been dating Harley for a year. Harley and I have spent a lot of time together."
"Do you have any proof that you are dating him?"
Damn! Ellen has rarely been photographed with Harley because they can't date more freely. Furthermore, their filming schedules always clash, making it difficult for them to be together. When it comes to chats, she always deletes them because her agency told her not to keep them for a week. Therefore, she has no solid proof that Harley is her boyfriend. All the things Harley gave her are also untenable.
That's right! The condominium's CCTV cameras, as well as the hotel's, must have caught Harley's trail. She was curious as to how Harley had gotten her into the hotel room. Luckily, she always starred in thrillers or dramas, making it easier for her to solve this mystery.
"How about we look at the hotel's CCTV footage?" she asked loudly.
"I've checked, but it just so happens that the CCTV camera couldn't record what happened last night," Lauren replied in a high-pitched voice.
"Then, on what basis are you accusing me so carelessly now?!" Ellen shouted until her voice was hoarse, ruffling her hair in annoyance.
Lauren pulled out her phone and showed a photo of them in the pool that looked like they were kissing. "You guys are openly cheating."
Ellen rolled her eyes as she pointed to the photo of herself hugging Harley in the pool. "How did you get this photo?"
"Even though you're swimming in a private pool, there are paparazzi taking pictures of you. Of course I'm not stupid, Ellen!"
"But, do you have any proof that you are Harley's fiancé?!"
Lauren took off her ring and showed it to Ellen. It said "Lauren and Harley." Seeing the ring, with their names clearly engraved on it, made Ellen want to vomit. She couldn't argue anymore. Accused of being a bad woman in front of reporters, all she could do now was run away while waiting for her manager to pick her up and search for CCTV footage in her condominium.
Before that, she slapped Harley's face so hard it bruised. "You bastard! Have you been avoiding me all this time because you cheated on me?!"
Harley laughed in annoyance, pushing his ex-lover's shoulder with a little force, causing her to hit the wall. "Don't accuse me so carelessly, Ellen! You were the one who asked me to sleep with you last night! You deliberately got me drunk until I passed out!"
"You're lying, Harley! You're the one who—"
"Shut up, Ellen!" Harley snapped loudly, making Ellen unable to stop crying.
Ellen also didn't hesitate to slap her best friend across the face. "I won't forgive you for stabbing me in the back. How dare you steal Harley from me just because you two always act out romantic dramas together!"
*****
In a luxurious condominium, a handsome young man looks anxious because his playmate hasn't invited him to play tonight, which is unusual. He paces around his luxurious condominium in casual clothes, staring at his phone screen. He hopes for a message notification from an online game, but the woman's status has been inactive since last night. Will he have to play alone again before bed? For some reason, he feels so comfortable playing with a woman that it helps him sleep soundly every night.
While he was waiting for his playmate to arrive, his parents suddenly visited, surprising him. He greeted them with a blank expression, deeply uncomfortable with the current tense situation.
"Father, mother, why did you come to me suddenly?"
The father folded his arms. "My son, how long will you continue to be so stubborn? You're an architect! You should be helping me design development projects in other areas!"
He rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead. "Dad, I actually don't like working in your office. You should just let me do whatever I like."
"But, if you focus too much on the game company, won't it end up being a waste?" the mother suggested with a pleading face.
"No, I don't want to deal with a troublesome business. You guys own several shopping malls and hotels in various regions. I own an online gaming company that's recently become popular. Shouldn't you be proud of me?"
"Anyway, we want you back at the company!"
His hands clenched tightly. Seeing his parents controlling his life made him sick. Should he run away now, somewhere where his parents wouldn't find him? Only his nightly playmates were his constant companions, comforting his broken heart.