His Camera Loved My Best Friend Chapter 04

His Camera Loved My Best Friend Chapter 04

During my week-long business trip in Aster City, I was so busy I could barely eat once a day.

When the trip ended, I finally turned on my phone and saw nearly a hundred messages and missed calls.

All from Julian.

The newest one read:

“I can explain the photos.”

“Don’t decide something this big so easily, okay?”

I didn’t reply.

But I still saw Julian outside my apartment.

I walked over and was about to speak.

Julian shoved me hard.

My knee hit the ground so sharply that my vision went black.

But Julian acted as if he hadn’t seen it.

He threw one sentence at me.

“Vanessa is getting attacked online now. Are you happy?”

I picked up my phone.

Only then did I understand.

Last night, I had woken from crying and couldn’t tell dream from reality.

I had left one comment under Vanessa’s video.

“Do you know he’s my boyfriend?”

Because of that, people began suspecting Vanessa of knowingly getting between us.

Julian’s face was full of disappointment.

“Vanessa worked so hard to get out of foster care and get where she is.”

“Do you have to destroy her to be happy?”

“Or is this all because of one photo?”

“Do all of us have to be miserable because you are?”

His accusations came fast and vicious.

Like a dull steel ruler forced between the cracks of bone that had not healed.

The emotions I had been holding down finally broke.

“Do you know…”

My voice shook beyond recognition the moment I started.

“Do you know what these days have been like for me?”

Tears fell in heavy drops.

No matter how calm and rational I was during the day, every night, every moment between me, Julian, and Vanessa came flooding back.

Every frame was broken glass.

It stabbed into my lungs.

Even breathing hurt.

Countless times, I stood on the edge of the hotel balcony.

And thought:

Maybe that was it.

Julian didn’t care.

“Didn’t you cause this yourself?”

“If you hadn’t made a scene, would things be like this?”

“You’re unhappy, so you want everyone else unhappy too.”

Julian thought for a second.

Then he spoke word by word.

His voice was cold.

“With that personality, who could stand you?”

“No wonder your parents didn’t want you.”

When I heard that, I stood there as if I had fallen into ice.

Cold enough to suffocate.

Back then, Julian had asked me:

“Can you stop being so strong?”

“Otherwise, I always feel like you don’t need me.”

I told him:

“I’m an orphan.”

“I only have you.”

Julian had coaxed me again and again.

“I’m your first family.”

“I’ll always stay.”

That sentence became the oxygen I survived on.

Now Julian had shattered it with his own hands.

Then used it to defend Vanessa and attack me.

The doorbell rang.

Julian opened the door.

Vanessa stood there, her eyes red.

“Leah, if it makes you feel better, you can do anything to me.”

Julian pulled her into his arms, distressed.

His voice was gentle.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The door slammed shut.

The room fell quiet again.

So quiet that I couldn’t help thinking:

So a heart could break without making a single sound.

Julian moved fast.

He posted on X.

“Vanessa Quinn and I fell in love seven years ago today. We were each other’s first love.”

“As for someone else, she was only chasing attention and traffic.”

The photo was a Polaroid of him and Vanessa embracing.

The date was seven years ago today.

I remembered that day.

I had asked if he could spend our first anniversary with me.

He said he was busy and had no time.

The comments below had gone insane with support.

People immediately dug up my information.

They called me rotten, said I deserved to be unwanted.

I shut off my phone and hugged myself.

It’s fine.

Leah Brooks.

You still had work.

You could still get promoted.

You could still build yourself a home.

Then a sharp phone call rang.

“Come to the office.”