**Chapter 1**
In the final minute before the application deadline, I switched my choice from Westwood University to Eastwood University.
As soon as it was done, a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. I leaned back in my chair, my gaze accidentally falling on the trio photo on my desk.
In the picture, the three of us stood in front of Westwood University’s gates. I was playfully sticking out my tongue, flanked by Seraphina Whitfield on my left and Blair Montgomery on my right.
Seraphina’s cool, clear eyes were fixed on me, a fond smile playing on her lips.
Blair, always a bit careless, leaned casually on my shoulder, my chin resting on the top of her head as I looked at her.
I chuckled to myself, a bitter laugh, and tore off the slightly yellowed sticky note pasted on the photo.
It read: “Asher, Seraphina, and Blair are going to Westwood University together!”
The resolute strokes were still clear, even after all this time.
Without a second thought, I shredded the sticky note and tossed it into the trash.
“Seraphina, Blair, this time, I won’t be joining you.”
“From now on, we go our separate ways.”
*Ding-dong.*
My phone, resting on the desk, suddenly chimed.
I picked it up and saw a new message in the SnapChat group chat titled “Asher and His Two Childhood Sweethearts Who’ll Spoil Him Forever.”
It was supposed to be a group chat for three, but now there were four people in it.
Three weeks ago, Jasper Thorne had posted a message in the group.
“Yay! I checked my scores, I’m definitely in Westwood! So excited! I’ll get to be classmates with Seraphina, Blair, and Asher again! Please go easy on me~”
Though he said “Asher,” the names he tagged were only Seraphina and Blair.
Seraphina replied instantly: “Whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you in a heartbeat.”
Blair followed up: “Me too! On the first day of school, the whole campus will know you’re under my protection, princess!”
I scoffed, scrolling down the screen.
Two weeks ago, Seraphina and Blair had been posting again.
Today, Seraphina had bought a luxurious laptop and tagged Jasper.
“This is a welcome gift for school. Did you get it? I’ll teach you if you don’t know how to use it.”
The next day, Blair bought the latest model phone.
“Jasper, your phone is too old. Use this brand-new one I got you.”
Jasper was incredibly touched, sending several crying emojis in the group: “Your gifts are too precious; I don’t deserve them.”
Both girls, almost in unison, sent the same message: “You’re wonderful, you deserve everything.”
After that, they excitedly discussed throwing a celebration party for Jasper.
From start to finish, I hadn’t said a single word.
No one had bothered to talk to me either.
I was supposedly an important member of this group, yet I felt like an outsider.
Today, Jasper was flooding the chat with a stack of photos.
Seraphina and Blair were doting on him like he was the center of the universe, surrounding him at the party.
It was a grand celebration; gift boxes were piled high like small mountains. Jasper in the photos was smiling sweetly, like a beloved prince.
After posting the photos, he specifically tagged me in the group.
“Asher, are you really not coming? Seraphina and Blair threw such a magnificent party for me, I’m so happy!”
I initially didn’t want to reply, until I saw the tuxedo he was wearing and the jewelry on his ears.
My face hardened as I typed back: “Jasper, where did you get those clothes and jewelry?”
Within seconds, Jasper sent a voice message.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you! I didn’t have a tuxedo, and I remembered you must have a lot, so I went into your closet while you weren’t home and picked out a tuxedo and some jewelry.”
His husky voice carried a hint of laughter, and I could hear cheerful congratulations in the background.
I felt a surge of fury. “How did you know my house code?! Taking things without asking is stealing, don’t you understand that?!”
My message hadn’t even been sent for a second before Seraphina and Blair’s messages flooded the screen, defending Jasper.
“Asher, you’re not usually so petty. It’s just some clothes and jewelry. I’ll pay you back if it’s such a big deal.”
“Exactly, why are you saying such harsh things? Jasper would never steal! He only went into your house because he thinks of you as a good friend.”
“We’re all going to Westwood together, we’ll be classmates. Why make such a fuss? Just let him have it.”
…
Their messages, one after another, were full of accusations directed at me. Then, each of them transferred money, claiming it was to compensate me for my “losses.”
My chest heaved with rage, and the glaring group name on my phone screen felt like it was mocking me.
Seraphina, Blair, and I had been childhood sweethearts, growing up together.
At three, when we first met, they both clung to little me, unwilling to let go, as if they wanted to take me home and raise me themselves.
At six, I loved a certain brand of yogurt, so Seraphina bought out every single yogurt on the street for me. Blair even had her family buy the entire factory, just so it could supply only me in the future.
At thirteen, when the Hartley family home caught fire and my parents were away on a business trip, I was trapped inside. Everyone else was too scared to go in, but young Seraphina and Blair rushed in without hesitation. To this day, they still bear the burn scars on their chests.
At fifteen, I suffered from severe stomach pain. Seraphina immediately skipped her Olympic competition and rushed back overnight. Blair, frantic, took me to doctors and lovingly pressed her hand to my stomach, looking utterly heartbroken.
All these years, they had always been by my side, one on each arm, like two loyal queens, forbidding any other girl from getting close to me.
On my seventeenth birthday, both of them confessed their feelings to me.
I couldn’t choose, nor did I want to date prematurely. Just as I was about to steel myself and refuse, they immediately grabbed my hands, stopping me from saying anything. They even humbly asked for some time to consider, promising that I could give them my answer on the first day of university.
Not wanting to hurt anyone, I reluctantly agreed.
I thought I would figure out my feelings during this time, until Jasper appeared.
Jasper was one of the impoverished students sponsored by the Hartley family. Because of his excellent grades, he was able to transfer to my high school.
He used the excuse of thanking me to slowly get closer.
At first, I felt sorry for him and often looked after him.
He said he couldn’t afford meals, so I often used my meal card to buy him food.
He said he couldn’t keep up with his studies, so I sacrificed my own time to tutor him.
He said he had no friends, so I introduced him to Seraphina and Blair.
But I never expected that in just three months, Jasper would meticulously, step by step, replace me.
Incidents similar to today’s had occurred countless times over the past year.
The group chat was still relentlessly trying to convince me. Watching them defend Jasper and blame me with every single word, I let out a bitter laugh.
Seeing that phrase, “All four of us are going to Westwood University,” I typed a few words: “Only you three.”
I paused for a moment, then deleted it.
I accepted their transfers, then tagged Jasper: “Fine, they’re yours.”
Not just the clothes and jewelry, but these two childhood sweethearts too. I’m giving them all to you.
**Chapter 2**
After replying, I immediately changed the front door code.
Then, I started clearing out every memory of Seraphina and Blair from my house.
I packed away many ornaments and plush toys from the shelves, tossing them into a box.
Before I knew it, the box was overflowing.
As I carried the box downstairs to throw it in the trash, I coincidentally ran into Seraphina and Blair, who were returning from the party.
They spotted the two veils in the trash almost immediately.
When we were kids playing house, they both fought over who would be my bride, almost coming to blows. In the end, I had to buy them both veils, and only then did the tension between them ease, though they still declared that when we married, the other’s veil would have to be thrown away.
At that time, I just blinked my eyes: “How do you know I’ll marry one of you when I grow up?”
They both instantly exploded, insisting I had to choose one of them.
Now, seeing me throw away not just the veils, but everything related to them, they rushed forward.
Blair, with her outgoing personality, grabbed my hand tightly, incredulous: “Why are you throwing away the things we gave you? Are you still mad about what happened earlier? Yes, we did tell Jasper your house code, but aren’t you guys friends? We thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to tell him. Even if he took your stuff, we already transferred the money, and you accepted it, didn’t you…?”
Seraphina, usually cool and reserved, spoke with a slight tremor in her voice, “Asher, it’s just a small thing. If you’re upset, fine, but why throw things away? Do you have to be so extreme?”
I’m being extreme by throwing away *their* things? And *they* feel hurt?
What if I told them I’d secretly changed my university application, just to get away from them forever?
Wouldn’t that drive them insane?
“I’m not mad. These things just got moldy, so of course, I’m throwing them away.”
I spoke calmly, my eyes as placid as still water as I looked at them.
“You’re really not mad anymore?” they asked in unison.
I shook my head. “No.”
After all, these two would have nothing to do with me anymore. What was there to be angry about?
Hearing this, Blair immediately let out a sigh of relief.
Seraphina’s brow also relaxed slightly. “If they got moldy, it’s good to throw them out. We’ll buy you new ones later.”
I didn’t say anything, just hummed in acknowledgment, and turned to leave indifferently.
Watching my retreating back, Blair still sensed something was off.
She knew I was saying one thing but thinking another. She impatiently ruffled her hair, then exchanged a glance with Seraphina, tossing her chin dismissively:
“Should we go mollify him?”
Seraphina’s eyes were downcast, the depth of her thoughts unreadable.
“You go,” she said, her voice chillingly calm.
Blair took a step, then hesitated, as if recalling something. “Never mind. He has to make a choice on the first day of school anyway. If he’s still mad, we’ll explain the Jasper situation then.”
“Hm.” Seraphina nodded, and they each went home.
For several days, Seraphina and Blair didn’t come looking for me.
Through Jasper’s constant SnapChat stories, I knew they had been accompanying him through his post-graduation bucket list.
Amusement parks they’d never visited, planetariums they were curious about, the Great Wall only seen in books…
They took Jasper to experience each one.
I scrolled through them, even finding myself in the mood to hit “like.”
Then, one day, I received my acceptance letter from Eastwood University.
Just as I put away the letter, Seraphina and Blair knocked on my door together.
“Asher, our acceptance letters arrived! Did yours? Let’s go pick them up together.”
My expression was distant, my usually gentle eyes now filled with indifference. “No need, mine already arrived.”
I moved to close the door.
Seraphina quickly caught it with her hand. “Wait, I booked a private room. Let’s have dinner together to celebrate.”
Blair also blocked the door, adding, “After dinner, we can go shopping for school supplies together.”
I didn’t want to go, but they wouldn’t leave, nor would they let me close the door.
Left with no choice, I nodded in agreement.
I followed them into a hotpot restaurant. The spicy aroma stung my nostrils, and I instinctively rubbed my nose, my eyes tearing up slightly.
At the reserved table, Jasper was already adding ingredients to the pot.
“You’re finally here! The broth’s been boiling, I’ve been waiting for you guys forever!”
Seeing Jasper, I instinctively frowned.
Blair quickly explained, “Asher, Jasper said he also needed to buy supplies, so we invited him along.”
Seraphina, however, carefully observed my expression, then added, “We’ll be classmates from now on, so we just thought we should look after him.”
No matter how much more they explained, I no longer cared to listen.
I just wanted to finish dinner and shopping quickly, then go home.
But sitting at the table, I couldn’t eat a single bite.
The spicy hotpot was alarmingly full of chilies. Jasper enjoyed it, but I’d had a sensitive stomach since childhood and couldn’t handle spicy food.
After forcing down a few mouthfuls, my stomach burned with a fiery pain.
I called a waiter to order a few more dishes, but Jasper snatched the menu from my hand and ordered several even spicier ones. Seraphina and Blair watched him with fond smiles, completely forgetting that I couldn’t eat spicy food.
At this point, I could see that Jasper was doing it on purpose.
I didn’t resist like before. I was tired of the game where my two childhood sweethearts would defend Jasper and criticize me.
So I just quietly drank plain water, not saying a word.
**Chapter 3**
When we went to the mall to buy essential school items, I browsed the winter wear section, picking out several thick clothes.
Seraphina noticed and reminded me, “Westwood University is in this city, the weather is always mild. You won’t need these heavy clothes, you don’t have to buy them.”
Westwood University?
I wasn’t going to Westwood.
I didn’t explain, simply brushing her off: “Hm, I know. These clothes look nice, I can wear them when I travel.”
Seraphina frowned slightly, her lips parted, but she still didn’t say anything.
On the way back, Jasper hesitated for a long time before tugging on Blair and Seraphina’s sleeves.
“Blair, Seraphina, can I, like, not go home?”
He bit his lip, his eyes, slightly downcast, glistening with tears. “The crime rate in my neighborhood, the low-income area, has been really bad lately. I’m always so scared and on edge whenever I go back.”
As he spoke, he looked up at Blair and Seraphina pleadingly.
“Of course, you can! Come stay at my place! I have so many spare rooms, pick any one you like!”
Blair, soft-hearted, promised generously.
Seraphina also gently hummed, “You can stay at my place for a while too. It’s very safe.”
Jasper’s face instantly broke into a wide smile, profusely thanking them, then subtly glancing at me.
“Thank you both so much, you’re so good to me! I’ve never lived in such a nice house before!”
I leaned against the car window, ignoring them, my gaze aimlessly fixed on the distant scenery.
It didn’t matter where Jasper stayed; it had nothing to do with me.
The next morning, I received a call from my parents.
“Asher, are you really sure you don’t want to go to Westwood? Eastwood is better, but didn’t you, Seraphina, and Blair promise to go to the same school? Those two girls have clung to you since childhood; they can’t stand you being gone for an hour. If they knew you switched schools, wouldn’t they go crazy?”
I forced a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “That’s their problem, not mine. I did want to go to Westwood because of our promise, but Eastwood has a major I prefer. This is my life; I’ll make my own choices.”
Hearing this, my parents didn’t try to persuade me further, only nagging with concern: “Since that’s the case, take good care of yourself at home alone for now. We’ll be back to keep you company once our business trip is over.”
“Oh, and the welcome gift your dad and I bought for you arrived. Remember to pick it up!”
“Okay, thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom.”
I hung up, smiling, then opened my phone to find a text message from the courier ten minutes earlier, confirming delivery.
[Your package has been left at the door. Please sign for it.]
I quickly got up to open the door, only to find nothing there.
Just as I was about to call the courier, utterly confused, Jasper suddenly emerged from Seraphina’s house, holding something in his hand and waving it. “Asher, are you looking for this?”
What he was waving was, unmistakably, a violin.
“I saw a package at your door, so I helped you open it. Is this from your parents? What a beautiful violin! I really wish I had one. Can you give it to me?”
He spoke, his eyes sparkling as he caressed the violin, refusing to let go.
I had never met anyone with such a lack of boundaries; for a moment, I almost thought I’d misheard him.
“Didn’t anyone teach you not to open other people’s packages without permission? If you like it so much, why don’t you buy one yourself?”
Hearing this, Jasper’s eyes instantly reddened, and he choked out, “You… you know my family can’t afford it. Why would you humiliate me like that?”
I had no time for Jasper’s theatrics, and no desire to argue further. I simply reached out to take the violin.
But Jasper clung to it stubbornly, clearly loving it, refusing to let go.
In the struggle, I’m not sure who let go first, but the beautifully polished violin fell to the ground with a dull thud.
A hideous crack spread across its perfect body, impossible to ignore!
**Chapter 4**
I couldn’t hold back my anger any longer. “Jasper!”
Hearing the commotion, Seraphina quickly stepped out.
Blair, next door, also rushed out immediately.
And the first thing they saw when they came out was Jasper’s tear-streaked face.
They both ran to him. “What happened? You were fine a minute ago. Who bullied you?”
He sniffled, his voice thick with tears: “It’s not Asher’s fault. I accidentally dropped the new violin myself. It’s natural to be sad. He just got angry at me and pushed me when I suddenly appeared, but I’m not mad. As long as he’s happy, I’m willing to endure anything.”
*I* dropped the violin?
*I* got angry at Jasper to vent and pushed him?!
Every word Jasper said made sense on its own, but put together, only two words echoed in my mind.
Ridiculous!
Utterly ridiculous!
I thought Jasper was just manipulative, but I never expected him to be so morally corrupt, capable of twisting black into white. Before I could even speak, Blair’s face darkened, and she immediately reprimanded me: “Asher Hartley, you can’t just throw a fit like a spoiled rich kid! Apologize to Jasper!”
Seraphina also coldly chimed in: “Asher, you’ve gone too far. Apologize now!”
My temples throbbed with fury, and I struggled to control my emotions: “Me apologize? Seraphina, Blair, there’s a security camera in this hallway. Do you want to see what really happened?”
Hearing this, Jasper immediately panicked and cried even harder.
“Seraphina, Blair, don’t blame Asher. I’m really fine. If you stand up for me like this, I won’t be able to be friends with Asher anymore.”
At his words, Seraphina immediately pulled out a tissue and gently wiped away his tears, patting his back.
“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. Don’t cry, sweetie.”
Blair glared at me coldly: “Look at what you did, and then look at what Jasper did! The difference between class and trash is instantly clear!”
With that, the two of them, shielding the crying Jasper, turned and left without looking back.
Watching their backs, I felt a knot of suffocating frustration in my chest.
I could only tell myself, over and over again.
Soon.
Soon, I wouldn’t have to see these three people anymore, and they would be completely out of my life.
Three days later, it was the pre-arranged class reunion.
As soon as I arrived, many classmates curiously looked behind me, then their eyes filled with disappointment.
“Asher, why aren’t the two campus queens here? Aren’t they always wherever you are?”
“Yeah, I heard you all got into Westwood. On the first day of school, you have to choose between Seraphina and Blair. Have you decided who you’re going to pick?”
Before I could answer, a few classmates who usually targeted me quickly chimed in:
“Choose who? Does Asher Hartley even have a choice anymore? Seraphina and Blair prefer Jasper now. Why are you even asking him? Haven’t you figured it out?”
The group burst into laughter, waiting to see my reaction.
They expected me to get angry, but to their surprise, I didn’t say a word, didn’t even spare them a glance.
The group, feeling snubbed, was about to continue their taunts when the private room door opened. Seraphina and Blair entered, one on each side, like two grand queens guarding Jasper.
The group quickly looked at me and started laughing again.
“Now that the ‘queens’ don’t like him anymore, I don’t know what he still has to be so arrogant about.”
“That’s not arrogance, that’s a stray dog, hahahaha… Look at him… he looks like a dog.”
The class president wiped his sweaty forehead and quickly smoothed things over: “Everyone’s here, let’s start the party!”
At the party, everyone was chattering noisily.
Seraphina carefully took off her jacket and draped it over Jasper. “The AC is strong here, wear something warm.”
Blair sat with a rebellious swagger, deftly playing with a fruit knife.
With a few swift movements, the fruit peels neatly dropped into the trash can.
Soon, a bowl of cut fruit appeared in front of Jasper.
She lazily said, “Eat more fruit, drink less alcohol.”
They attended to Jasper with extreme care.
Mindful of the last incident, they didn’t even glance in my direction.
I sat in a corner, calmly eating some fruit, my expression utterly indifferent.
Midway through, someone started a game of Truth or Dare. I didn’t want to participate, but I was forcibly pulled into the game.
After a few rounds, I lost.
“Alright, alright, it’s my turn to share a secret!”
A secret?
I chuckled inwardly, my gaze sweeping past Seraphina and Blair.
Then I said flatly, “My secret is – on the first day of school, I’m going to throw away two things.
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