When the Most Loved Becomes the Most Hated

That night marked the first time he had ever set foot in my home.

After gently putting Mia to sleep, he turned to me with an earnest expression. "Madeline, I like you. I also understand why you've been avoiding me. Don't worry. I won't push you into sex until you're ready. It's too much for you to make a living alone. I feel for you, and I want to be here to protect you."

After a moment's contemplation, I responded, "Then you have to study hard and get into college. Only then will I consider being your girlfriend."

His eyes brightened immediately. "Okay, it's a deal."

A moment later, he lowered his head, slightly embarrassed. "But my grades are poor, so you'll have to help me with my studies."

I agreed.

Though the journey was arduous, we found moments of sweetness within it.

His academic performance gradually improved, and even his teachers took notice and praised his progress.

Ryan was becoming increasingly familiar with me.

We made a pact to apply for the Skyford University together.

Mia was overjoyed, remarking, "Finally, Madeline found someone she could lean on."

However, in the second semester of our senior year, a transfer student named Elena Smith joined Ryan's class.

She became his deskmate.

Elena was delicate, and even a loud word from Ryan would make her eyes well up with tears.

Ryan often complained to me, "God must have sent Elena to torture me, seeing how well I was doing."

I would sometimes tease him, "It's because you always look so fierce; who wouldn't be afraid of you?"

Gradually, Ryan stopped complaining.

Whenever he mentioned her, a smile would always play at the corners of his mouth. "Elena is so adorably silly. How can there be such a girl?"

My heart began to sink.

I asked, "Ryan, are you in love with her?"

He ruffled my hair playfully. "How could that be? She's just my deskmate."

Yet, Ryan continued to fight for her, even carrying her to the hospital in the rain when she fell ill.

On my birthday, he left me to watch Elena's artistic performance.

No matter the time or circumstance, Ryan would rush to Elena's side for the slightest issue.

I endured this repeatedly, but when I saw him saving up to buy skincare products for Elena, I finally snapped.

I confronted him, tearing into my gentle facade with harsh words.

We parted ways bitterly.

The little affection I had left for Ryan turned to ash with Mia's death.

I murmured, "Ryan, I no longer cared for you."

Unexpectedly, the next day, he returned to my house.

This time, he arrived with Elena and several of his close friends in tow.

They arrived in a large group as if ready for a fight.

Ryan surveyed my room with a sullen expression.

"Madeline, why haven't you cleaned up the house yet? Are you really going to argue with me?"

I pulled him outside without hesitation. "What exactly do you want?"

Ryan inquired calmly, "Where's Mia?"

It was then that he remembered Mia.

I pointed to the coffin in the room and hoarsely said, "Mia is in there."

Ryan's eyes filled with a chilling disbelief. "Madeline, stop lying to me and call your sister out!"

I retorted angrily, "Ryan, what are you implying?"

He continued to shake me and shouted, "Don't you know what this means? Elena's file bag is missing! You took your sister to steal it, and you even beat her! That file concerns her future! You must want to ruin her, don't you?"