From Cocoon to Butterfly: Meeting the Beautiful Self

I told him my sister’s name is Zoey. She was their perfect gem, carrying all their hopes and dreams. As for me, it seemed like my parents never really paid attention to me, like they never had any expectations for my future."

Edward gently tapped my head. "Celina, you bring so much joy to others, don't you realize that? Just knowing you has been a great joy.

"You have to live a great life and become an amazing person. Let those people see you thriving, and that will be the best revenge on those who don’t love you.

"When the little stream winds through all the twists and turns and finally flows into the sea, that’s when you see its true worth. What I mean is, you need to recognize your own value."

However, after working hard for an entire year, I still couldn’t get into Starlight High School.

On the day of the entrance exam, Zoey insisted on having mango jam and even spread a layer on my toast.

I had never eaten mangoes before, so I had no idea I was allergic. But I wasn’t feeling great and only had a little bit before heading to the exam.

In the exam room, my hands broke out in rashes. Even as clueless as I was, I figured out where Zoey’s evil smile that morning had come from.

Though I quickly went to the hospital for allergy meds at noon, they made me dizzy. The language exam in the morning was already over and couldn’t be changed, and I wasn’t clear-headed for the math exam in the afternoon. In the end, I missed getting into Starlight High School by two points.

And after that, I never saw Edward again.

After college, I landed a job at a well-known company, just as I’d always hoped.

But on September 21st, while I was meeting with a client, I saw Edward’s name on the list.

When I realized he was from the same small town as me and lived near Starlight High School, I was over the moon. It felt like fate was finally bringing that spark of hope back into my life.

But when I asked about his father, Edward’s expression changed.

He told me his father had passed away. I stupidly assumed that losing his dad had pushed him away from a police career and shaped him into who he had become.

What I missed was that his appearance had changed from what I remembered, and he had once been so determined to become a police officer, no matter how hard it was.

When I told him Zoey was my sister and showed him a photo of us, Edward was so excited, like he’d found something he thought he’d lost. I thought he was remembering our past together.

So, everything seemed to fall into place. We became a couple, dated for three years, introduced our families, and started planning our wedding.

But then, the twist. Edward turned out to be Zoey’s secret admirer.

Zoey told me they had been classmates since middle school and were still in the same class in high school. Edward had been in love with her for over ten years. My sister, who struggled with her grades, went to a private high school, which meant this Edward was not the one I thought I knew.

I realized then that I had mistaken someone for Edward.

I had always thought people change over time, so I made excuses for Edward's neglect and coldness towards me over the past three years. I told myself people's personalities could shift. When he pressured me to work on projects for him, I figured it wasn't his strength. Even when he showed me disdain and dislike, I chose to ignore it.