Chapter 5

Cynthia hung up on her biological mother, only to see Gavin standing in the doorway, his face clouded with confusion. She quickly lied, "It's nothing. There's just an event I need to attend in a few days." Gavin nodded, not pressing further. He placed the meal tray on the small table by her hospital bed. "I was worried you'd wake up hungry. You should eat something before your stomach gets upset." Though Gavin's concern showed, it didn't stir much emotion in Cynthia. While he still cared for her to some extent, his heart leaned far more toward Luna. Their relationship felt like an unbalanced scale—when one side gained, the other inevitably lost. As Cynthia silently ate, Gavin suddenly spoke. "Cynthia, Luna's family isn't well off. I only feel sorry for her. When I see her, I can't help but think of how you used to get bullied in the orphanage. Please, stop targeting her from now on, okay?" Cynthia froze at his words. Her appetite vanished as the food in her mouth turned bitter. She was the one who'd been hurt, yet no one seemed to notice. Perhaps it was because they all liked Luna too much. "I understand. I won't anymore." Never again, she thought. In a week, when she left, they wouldn't have to worry about Luna being hurt anymore. The next day, Cynthia was discharged from the hospital. As soon as she left, she went straight to school to process her leave of absence. Exiting the administrative office, she ran into Luna. Luna was surrounded by a group of girls. "Luna, are you really dating Patrick, the richest man in the city?" one girl asked eagerly. "Is it true that Gavin is pursuing you too?" another chimed in. "I'm so jealous of you! Your debut song even won the Best Golden Melody Award!" a third gushed. Luna smiled shyly, but the glint of smugness in her eyes was hard to miss. "You're overthinking it. We're just good friends. Both Mr. Patrick and Gavin are very kind to me." "How did you meet them?" someone asked. Luna answered without hesitation. "It was raining heavily that day. I was waiting at school for the rain to stop when Mr. Patrick happened to pass by. He kindly offered me a ride home. Mr. Patrick and Gavin are good friends, so over time, I got to know them both." Cynthia remembered that day vividly. The rain had been torrential, and Patrick had come to pick her up. She had graciously let the drenched Luna into the car, asking Patrick to drop her off. Little did she know, Luna would cling to Patrick like a parasitic vine, gradually altering how both Patrick and Gavin treated Cynthia. By the time she realized what had happened, Luna had become closer to them than she ever was. She had brought the wolf into her own home. Luna's gaze shifted, spotting Cynthia standing by the office door. "Cynthia, what a coincidence! What are you doing here?" Cynthia didn't want to engage. She turned to leave but accidentally bumped into someone. "I'm sorry..." "Cynthia, it's you." Startled, she looked up and saw a handsome face before her. It was Jasper. His sharp, refined features radiated youthful confidence, and his deep, almond-shaped eyes sparkled with warmth. He was, without a doubt, the most admired student at the music academy. Jasper steadied her as she stumbled. "Are you alright?" Cynthia nodded silently. His tone grew cautious. "Cynthia, tomorrow's my birthday. I'd like to invite you to my party. Would you come?" Back in her sophomore year, Jasper had confessed his feelings to Cynthia. But at the time, she'd been involved with Patrick and Gavin, so she turned him down. Now, with only six days left before her departure, she decided to accept. "Alright." As she reached the school gates, her phone suddenly rang. It was Patrick calling. "Cynthia, you don't need to participate in the ‘Future Star' program anymore." "Why?" she asked, puzzled. The show had been Patrick's first custom-designed singing program for her, and it held significant meaning. This upcoming episode was the finale, and she had planned to bid farewell to the audience properly. Patrick was silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "The show needs updates and innovation." Cynthia understood immediately. It must have been handed over to Luna. "Alright, I see." After all, the program was Patrick's gift to her. If he wanted it back, so be it. October's autumn air was cold and desolate. The biting wind seeped into her bones, and Cynthia pulled her coat tighter around herself. The car that used to wait for her at the school gates hadn't appeared in a long time. Her eyes dimmed as she hailed a taxi to go home. Sitting in the car, she opened Instagram. Luna's latest post popped up on her feed. The photo was a promotional flyer for the ‘Future Star' program. The caption read: "He said I'm the brightest star in his eyes."