Chapter 9
Now, here I was, standing in front of Noah Carter and Elise Simmons, watching them side by side.
There was a kind of quiet harmony between them that was hard to ignore–the kind that only forms after years of familiarity, shared experiences, and mutual understanding.
They didn’t need to speak to communicate. A glance, a small gesture, was enough.
Compared to how things had been seven years ago, they looked even more composed now–more like the “ideal couple.”
Especially Elise.
The moment our eyes met, she gently lifted her hand and looped it through Noah’s arm.
Her smile was graceful, her tone perfectly warm: “Mint? You’re back? Why didn’t you tell us ahead of time?”
Whatever nervousness had flickered in her gaze a moment ago was gone.
In its place was something I recognized but no longer knew how to respond to–a polite smile laced with subtle defensiveness, a gentle tone layered with quiet declaration.
She carried herself as if she were now Noah’s rightful one.
I didn’t respond. I just looked at them silently.
Even though I had been abroad all these years, I hadn’t been completely cut off from the world.
News of Noah and Elise had reached me from time to time.
They went to Harvard together–same major, same research focus, even the same advisor.
From undergraduate to graduate school to their PhDs, they stayed side by side.
They co–authored academic papers, won young scholars‘ awards, and even represented the university at international
conferences.
Just like back in high school, when they had competed together and brought glory to the school.
The only difference was that back then, the person standing next to Noah had been me.
Now, the spotlight was still on him. His charm hadn’t faded.
But the person beside him had changed.
I’d even heard some say they were Harvard’s golden couple–talented, driven, perfectly matched.
Funny, those were the same words people used to describe me and Noah.
But once the city changed, the language changed, the time zone changed–once I was gone–the place that was once meant for me, was silently filled by someone else.
Suddenly, I remembered something Elise had said to me years ago:
Chapter 9
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“You’re just lucky. Born into a better family, happened to grow up with him.”
“But if this world were truly fair, the person standing by his side wouldn’t be you.”
At the time, I’d thought she was arrogant, short–sighted, and pushy.
I never imagined the reality would one day read like a script she had written herself.
I had once dismissed her words with a sneer.
But now,
even I had to admit-
She had won.
Chapter 9
