My Fairytale Was A Cruel Lie

nd. She thought about the countless times Cayden had "helped" her pick out an outfit for a date with Gage, subtly steering her toward something less flattering. She remembered the t

had wasted enough time and tears on Gage Barton and Cayden Padilla. They had taken her love

laze over. But for Aracely, the intricate data sets and economic models were a sanctuary. They were logical. They followed rules. They couldn't lie or betray her. This thesis wasn't just an

est lecturer was Professor Eldridge Patterson. He was young for a full professor, with a quiet intensity that commanded the room more effe

ey had no need for ostentation. Eldridge Patterson possessed an easy confidence that Gage could only

ce fell. Students shuffled their feet and avoided his gaze. Aracely' s heart began to pound. S

, she rais

r Patterson said, his eyes f

laid out her reasoning. When she finished, the hall was silent for a beat, and then t

ll fixed on her, "is exactly

er chest that had nothing to do with shame or anger. It was the fee

rew, chapter by chapter, becoming a formidable piece of academic work. It was

ere burning from staring at the screen for hours. She packed up most of her things but left her laptop, logged in and

her screen. Everything seemed normal. But when she moved the mouse

ood ra

, and writing-gone. Vanished. She checked the backups. The cloud save. The external h

er future used to be. And she knew, with a certainty that s