Chapter 2

The next morning, Mia was jolted awake by messages from Liam. He had sent dozens of them, asking her when she was coming over. Her chest tightened with bitterness. Did he even realize how cruel he was? She sent him a short reply with trembling hands. "I'm not feeling well today. I'm not going over." It wasn't long before her parents came knocking on her door. "Mia, even if you're upset with Liam, now's not the time to act out. "Get dressed quickly and head to Liam's place. Don't you know how much this blind date means to him? He's liked that lady from the Chandra family for many years. He had asked your dad to help set them up when he heard she had returned." "That's right. The Chandra family's daughter took piano lessons from me back in the day. I had personally visited her and arranged this meeting. Everything from the gifts to the dinner was meticulously prepared. "You're being invited to help lighten the mood. She would feel less awkward with another girl her age around. Liam is serious about her this time. You two are so close, so how could you not help him out?" Mia didn't expect Liam to contact her parents after she refused to help him out. After hearing their heartfelt persuasion, she had no choice but to hold back her tears before freshening up and heading downstairs. The two families lived close by. Ten minutes later, she was standing outside the Clarke residence, opening the shoe cabinet by the entryway. It was completely empty. Her little bunny slippers were gone. Mia searched high and low before finally finding them in the trash can outside. Inside were not only her slippers but also her cup, toothbrush, towel, and pajamas… They all belonged to her. "Ms. Torres, these were thrown out by Mr. Clarke. Please wear shoe covers for now." Mia stared at the trash can in silence for a long while. The Torres and the Clarke families had been close for generations. She would drop by almost daily and often stayed over. Liam had even set up a room just for her and bought her a lot of daily necessities. He even filled it with things she liked, like those bunny-themed items. He used to tell her that the Clarke residence was her home, too, and she should make herself comfortable there. They had kept their relationship from their families. They would hug and kiss at the door, hold hands under the dining table, and make love in the study room. But now that Riley was back, he threw away all her belongings to avoid a misunderstanding with his crush. It took Mia a while to calm herself before slipping on the shoe covers and stepping inside. She saw Liam laughing and chatting with Riley as he peeled fruit for her when she walked in. He sat on the couch in a tailored satin suit, his hair carefully styled. There was a subtle scent of cologne on him as he exuded a polished restraint that made him alluring. No matter what he wore, the girls back in school used to say he was handsome. He would still look good even if he threw a sack over his head. No idol in the entertainment industry could compare if he dressed up. However, Liam had always been a free spirit. He was always dressed in simple tees and shirts, rarely bothering with fashion. It seemed like everyone tended to show off a little in front of someone they liked. The man who had tangled up with Mia in bed just last night now looked as if he didn't recognize her. He had barely glanced her way before focusing all her attention on Riley. They chatted about hobbies, the weather, work, jewelry brands, childhood memories, and school days. Mia watched as he eagerly kept the conversation going. She couldn't help but lower her eyes with a wry smile. It turned out that he could be proactive when he was in love. "It's funny how you were a year ahead of me in high school, and we would run into each other all the time even though we weren't in the same building. It must have been fate." Mia listened as Riley brought up the past. She looked at Liam's reddening ears and smiled silently. Was it fate? The truth was, Liam had orchestrated every encounter. Mia would silently follow him around back then, watching him exhaust every effort just to get closer to the girl he liked. Her heart would ache at the sight of that. She thought maybe her chance had finally come when Riley left the country. However, it seemed like Liam was the one who got what he wanted. Just as she was lost in thought, Mia suddenly heard the mention of her name. "I heard you were close with a childhood friend in high school. That must have been Ms. Torres, right?" Mia was slightly stunned. She looked up and met Riley's probing gaze. Liam's father, Thomas Clarke, and his mother, Mariana Cruz, chimed in cheerfully before she could answer, "They've indeed been inseparable since they were little. They were like two peas in a pod. We even joked about arranging a child marriage for them back then…" Liam's expression darkened. Before they could finish, he cut them off abruptly. "Dad, Mom, don't be ridiculous. I would fall for anyone, but it'll never be Mia." Mia lowered her gaze to hide the disappointment in her eyes as she forced a smile. "Same here. I would date anyone except for Liam." Liam's expression froze momentarily at her words before he regained his usual casual demeanor. He slung an arm over her shoulder and said casually, "Exactly! What we have between us is just pure friendship." The atmosphere in the living room felt noticeably lighter for a moment. Mia laughed along. She vaguely heard him quietly thank her, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. "Nice save. Thanks for helping me out." She said nothing and just silently stepped away, trying to put some distance between them. Helping him out? No, she was simply telling the truth.