The Dress Swap That Exposed Her Perfect Lie Chapter 16

The Dress Swap That Exposed Her Perfect Lie Chapter 16

The day our scores came out was a huge surprise.

I got a score that blew past my own estimate by twenty points.

Zane was even happier than I was. He let out a massive breath. “All those prayers weren’t for nothing. So,

Hazel, will you go to the same university as me?”

I’d already done my research. His university had the strongest program for my major.

“Of course,” I said without hesitation.

Zane sprawled on my couch, visibly relaxing.

A second later, I looked up and saw Liam standing in my living room, no idea when he’d shown up.

He stared at his old spot, now occupied by someone else. His face went pale, and his whole body was trembling. But he didn’t dare fight with me anymore. He forced a smile. “Hazel, if you go there, we’ll be so far apart. Plus, coming home would be a pain in the ass.”

“It’s fine,” I said evenly. “Didn’t you hear? My parents retired. We’re all moving out there. Probably won’t be

coming back here much.”

Liam’s eyes went wide.

When he realized I wasn’t joking, he completely broke down.

He didn’t care that Zane and the kid were right there. His voice shook, almost pleading. “I was wrong. I was just… I’d never met a girl like Vera. She was so different from you. I got caught up in the novelty and I picked

her side.”

“No,” I said. “That’s part of it. But it’s not just that. You made fun of me over and over. You stomped all over

my confidence.”

“I genuinely started believing I wasn’t good enough-that I had to go out of my way to help people just to earn

their approval. I almost hated myself because of you.”

Liam’s eyes locked on my face. The light in them was splintering, fading.

He dropped his head, voice raw. “I, I didn’t think about it that deeply. There were so many times I thought you

looked beautiful. But I was a coward. So I fell back on the same cruel words. I said them to myself, too. I just

didn’t want to admit I’d already fallen for you.”

After that, Liam left in a daze. He didn’t reach out again. I didn’t see him before we moved.

Ethan, though, he showed up.

He wasn’t arrogant anymore. His eyes held a grief that wouldn’t fade. He’d lost weight. He asked tentatively, “I’ve been so uneasy. I regret everything. If I didn’t go to Northgate U, and went to your school instead, would you be happy to see me?”

“No,” I said flatly.

Ethan stood there for a long time, dazed, then nodded slowly. “I should’ve known. I’m sorry. I didn’t treasure

you.”

I didn’t think much of it back then.

But later, when school started, I heard people whispering that the valedictorian who could’ve gone to any top-tier university had followed me to Riverside University instead.

That was when I knew. Ethan had truly lost his mind.