Chapter 28

Bruce and I eventually parted on bad terms. But this time, I wasn't as anxious. Though Bruce was known for his ruthless and decisive nature, Cindy had become his weak spot. After a dreamless night, I woke up to several unread messages on my phone. They were from Lilian. We had become friends at Douglas' birthday party. "Nancy, are you really dating Douglas?" she asked, eager for gossip. It seemed that she had seen the post too. I repeated the same explanation I had given Cindy the previous day to Lilian, and asked, "Could you help me clear things up with our classmates?" Lilian was pretty nice about it and agreed right away. But I was still worried about how this would affect Douglas, so I called him. "Is this the reason you called me so early in the morning?" Douglas asked nonchalantly. "Nancy, do you really think I'm that petty?" "Douglas, I..." "Besides, it's an honor to be rumored to be with you," he interrupted. His voice was warm and comforting, like the midday sun in a