When He Finally Loved the Stand-in of His First Love

“Can you change the punishment?I…”

The screen lit up and Wendy couldn’t stop it.The camera had already clearly captured her pinned profile picture—the exact same profile picture as the one on Madison’s phone,Michael’s profile picture.

The whole audience was stunned!

The comments went blank for a few seconds,then scrolled wildly.

[Is Wendy crazy?Who the hell does she think she is?!]

[You’re such a shrew?Have some shame!]

The atmosphere froze and everyone’s expressions varied.Joan gritted her teeth and tried to smooth things over.“Wendy,this...is just a bump in your profile picture,right?”

Wendy stared at the moon emoji on the note.She hadn’t had time to change it and now it had become glaring evidence.

“I’ve never heard that Miss Presley and Mr.Greenwood have a personal relationship?”

The female host,who was close to Madison,folded her arms and sneered,“Is it idol worship,or is she trying to compete with Madison?”

Madison immediately faced the camera,her eyes red,looking aggrieved but“magnanimous”.“Everyone,please don’t be like that!Michael is so outstanding,it’s normal to like him...I don’t mind.”

She knew Wendy wouldn’t really defend herself and this“rescue”was actually adding fuel to the fire.

“Just call according to the rules!”

“If it’s Mr.Greenwood,she’ll get a good slap in the face!”

Wendy’s heart was in turmoil and her eyelashes trembled unconsciously.She wasn’t sure if Michael would answer and since she was about to leave,she didn’t want to be involved in this performance.

“Let me help you call!”Seeing that she didn’t move,Madison’s eyes flashed with a fierce look.She snatched the phone away and pressed the dial button.

The long busy tone was particularly piercing in the silence,once,twice…until it automatically hung up,leaving no one to answer.

“Didn’t you hear it?Try again.”

Madison smiled and dialed again,but the result was the same.

Compared to the call that had just been answered instantly,this cold silence practically nailed Wendy to the pillar of shame.

“It seems Michael doesn’t like answering unfamiliar calls,”Madison said,her tone drawn out,sympathetic.“Wendy,don’t do such embarrassing things next time.”

Wendy tried to speak,but was silenced by the guests’disdainful or indifferent glances.Even the previously kind Bridget shook her head.

“Since you know Madison’s close relationship with Mr.Greenwood,you should have some sense of propriety.”

The comments were now out of control,with terms like“Wendy is shameless”and“18th-tier shameless girl loves to scam people”instantly becoming trending searches.

The game ended abruptly.Wendy returned to her room like a zombie.The bed reeked of mold and there was no hot water in the bathroom.

She looked at herself in the mirror,her face pale.Tears welled up in her eyes as the phone rang.

Michael finally called her back,with his usual gentleness.“Is there something you need?I was busy.”

How could he have the nerve to say he was busy?

In a matter of minutes,his beloved’s ringtone was a call,but hers was a disturbance.

Wendy raised her head and smiled,but tears silently wet her cheeks.

“I regret this,”she whispered into the phone and hung up without waiting for Michael’s response.

What she regretted most was falling in love with him.

An agonizing night passed and the next morning,the negative comments still lingered.

The recording session had concluded and when she left,no one offered to say goodbye.Only her whispered“thank you for your hard work”faded into the wind.The van slowly drove away.Wendy leaned against the window,exhausted,when she suddenly realized something was amiss.

The country road was quiet,but a gray van was following them from behind.

The phone vibrated and her agent sent a real-time screenshot:

Michael(V):[Image]The soup was almost overcooked.

Madison(V):/Happy,my favorite flavor,I’ll try it when I get back!

Then came a panicked voice.“Madison’s fans are trying to block you!Quickly,have the driver drive onto the main road—”

Before she could finish her sentence,the car’s body shook violently with a“bang!”,instantly hitting Wendy’s forehead and causing a splitting headache.

Followed by the sound of footsteps,several young men with menacing looks roughly yanked the car door open!

“Bitch!You’ve caused Madison so much grief.We need to help her vent her anger!”

“How dare you covet Mr.Greenwood?You’re such an overconfident,shameless bitch!”

In the chaos,punches and kicks rained down.Wendy’s world was drowned in pain and curses and her consciousness felt like sinking into icy waters,slowly falling towards an endless abyss.