Sarah walked out of the house slowly, her legs feeling like they were made of glass. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, and her vision was blurry from the tears that just wouldn't stop. The night air hit her face, but it did nothing to cool the burning pain inside her.
She opened the car door with trembling fingers and slid into the back seat. The driver looked at her through the mirror but didn't say anything. Maybe he could already see the heartbreak on her face.
As soon as the door closed, Sarah let herself go.
She covered her mouth and cried.
Hot, heavy sobs tore through her chest. She cried until her throat was sore and her eyes ached. Everything she had believed in, her relationship, her family, and her future was falling apart. Daniel had cheated. With Hannah. Her own sister.
No, not sister. Stepsister.
And worse, they didn't even look sorry.
Her hands clutched the soft material of her dress tightly. It still sparkled from the award show. She had looked like a star just an hour ago. Now she felt like nothing.
"Take me to my father's house," she whispered to the driver.
"Yes, Miss Sarah."
Her father, even though he didn't fancy her would understand. He had always been strict, but he was still her father. He had to care. Hannah had done wrong. It was wrong in every sense.
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The Chen family manor was large, cold, and lifeless—just like her memories. She stepped out of the car and walked up to the door. Her heels clicked on the pavement, but she felt as if every step took all the strength she had left.
A maid opened the door and looked surprised. "Miss Sarah?"
"I need to speak to my father," she said quietly, wiping her cheeks.
"Yes, come in please."
Sarah nodded and walked through the halls, past expensive portraits and polished floors. None of it felt like home anymore. Thank goodness she moved out long ago.
Her father was in his study when she arrived. He was sitting in a leather chair, reading some papers when she stepped in fully.
"Sarah," he said, looking up with no smile. "What brings you here at this hour?"
She swallowed hard. "Dad….." She called out first, her eyes shining with expectation. She was waiting for him to congratulate her at least. But he was staring coldly at her.
With a broken heart, she continued anyway, "Daniel… He—he cheated on me… with Hannah."
There was silence for a moment. Her father raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.
"And?"
Her heart dropped. "And? What do you mean, and?"
He sighed. "Daniel is a very smart man, and you know that. If he chose Hannah over you, then maybe he realized what I've always known. He saw the better one between you both."
"What are you saying?" she asked, her voice shaking.
He stood and walked around the desk slowly. "You think being on stage and singing makes you special? That little speech you gave about your dreams and music... it was one big joke to me."
Sarah stared at him, frozen.
"I would never be proud of you, Sarah," he said coldly. "I hate how you disobey me and chase after your silly singing career. I told you many times to stop, but you never listened."
Tears filled her eyes again. "You don't mean that…"
"Oh, I do." His eyes were like ice. "Hannah always listened. She did everything I asked. She studied fashion, traveled the world, and now she's with Daniel, one of the most promising young businessmen in Wuhan."
Sarah stepped back, her heart-shattering piece by piece.
"Hannah is the only daughter I'm proud of," he said. "Not you."
"I'm your daughter too…"
"And a disappointment," he said simply. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."
He turned and walked back to his desk like she hadn't even been there.
Sarah stood frozen in the doorway for a long moment, her fingers digging into her palms. She finally turned around and left. Her legs moved on their own, her face numb with pain. She got back into her car and slammed the door shut.
The driver looked at her through the mirror. "Miss, where to?"
She didn't answer.
Her phone buzzed in her purse. She pulled it out with a sigh, hoping maybe it was someone kind. Maybe her manager.
And It was.
"Sarah?" Antonio's voice was tense. "You need to check online. Now."
"What is it?" she asked, her voice hoarse from crying.
"It's Daniel. He made a public post."
Without waiting, she opened her browser and went straight to his page.
There it was.
(I've ended things with Sarah Chen. I wish her the best, but I can no longer be with someone who values fame more than love. I hope everyone understands.)
The comments were filled with sympathy for Daniel.
"You deserve better, Daniel."
"I knew she was fake all along."
"Poor guy. She used him."
Sarah's hands trembled.
Then Antonio spoke again. "That's not all. There's another post going viral now."
"What now?" she whispered.
"It's from a fake account. But it's... bad. They're saying you bribed the award organizers."
Sarah's stomach dropped.
"They posted screenshots," her manager said. "Messages between you and the award team. It looks like you begged them to give you the award and paid them off. Not just that…." He paused and continued. "They think you also slept with a few of them."
"What?" Sarah gasped. "No. I never—I never did that! I earned it! That's fake! It has to be!"
"I know," her manager said gently. "But people online don't care about the truth. The comments are getting ugly."
Sarah hurriedly opened the post.
There they were—screenshots. Her name. Her photo. Messages were edited to make it look like she had cheated her way to the top.
The comments were worse this time.
"She paid for that award?"
"Disgusting."
"Cancel her!"
"Liar."
Sarah felt like she couldn't breathe. Her vision blurred as her chest tightened.
She dropped the phone onto the seat beside her.
Without saying a word, she told the driver to leave the car and give her the keys. She was spiraling so badly.
He protested, but she insisted. She just needed to drive.
She needed silence.
Once the driver obeyed and handed her the car keys, she climbed into the driver seat and started the car herself before driving through the dark streets. She didn't know where she was going at first. Her tears fell faster than before.
Then she remembered.
The only person who ever gave her peace.
Seeing her mother.
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The car arrived at the city's most popular cemetery, one that held the dead people of most politicians and city elites.
She parked beside the familiar old gate and stepped out. Her dress fluttered in the night wind, and the grass was wet under her heels.
She walked slowly through the rows of stones until she found it.
Her mother's grave.
"Mom…" Her voice cracked as she dropped to her knees in front of the stone. "It hurts. Everything hurts." she began to ramble on and on.
She placed her hands on the stone and cried again. "They all hate me. Daniel... Dad... even Hannah. They ruined everything. And now the whole world thinks I'm a liar."
She pressed her forehead to the cold marble. "I wish you were here. You'd believe me. You'd hold me. You'd tell me not to give up."
Her sobs echoed in the empty cemetery.
"I'm all alone."
The stars above twinkled silently, as if watching her. The wind whispered through the trees. But her mother didn't answer.
Only the quiet grave kept her company.