Chapter 3

Shen Jiu's grip on her phone tightened as she scrolled through the endless stream of comments, her mind spinning. The betrayal wasn't just about Tianyi leaving her—it was about how he had used her.Deliberately.Calculatedly.Her fingers curled into a fist as she thought back to everything. The late-night practices. The way he had insisted on learning her choreography down to the smallest details. How he had pushed to perfect every move, every transition, every expression—only for him to turn around and perform with someone else.Had she been nothing more than a stepping stone for him?A bitter laugh almost escaped her lips.And then another thought crept in, unsettling and insidious.Was he even the person who had sent her those anonymous letters?Her heart clenched painfully.

She had believed it was him. She had trusted it was him.

The entire foundation of their relationship had started with those letters—the beautifully written confessions left on her desk every morning, the heartfelt words that had made her heart race.For twenty-seven days, she had read them, feeling something stir within her, something new, something she had never considered before.And on her birthday, when she finally responded, it was Zheng Tianyi who had stepped forward. Zheng Tianyi who had claimed those words as his own.But had he been lying all along?Shen Jiu felt the weight of nausea settle in her stomach. If it was all a lie—if those words had never truly been his—then what had she even been to him? A convenience? A way to learn her dance style? A temporary trophy?Shen Jiu swallowed hard, her mind racing. She had never fallen for Zheng Tianyi—not in the way people assumed. She had only tried to be with him because she had felt the sincerity of those letters.Love had never been a serious topic for her. She had always been indifferent to it, never one to get swept up in fairytales or grand romantic gestures. But those letters… those words had touched something deep within her, something she hadn't known existed.They had been heartfelt, raw, filled with emotions she had never experienced before. And for the first time, she had wondered—what if?What if she gave it a chance?What if she tried to understand what it meant to love someone?She hadn't loved him. She had only wanted to repay the sincerity she thought he had shown her. She had taken a step into the unknown, trying to explore something new.But now, as she stood in the middle of the corridor, drowning in whispers and stares, a sickening realization clawed at her chest.What if it had all been a lie?What if Zheng Tianyi had never written those letters? What if he had only claimed them because it was convenient? Because it was an easy way to get close to her? To use her?Her hands trembled as she replayed every moment, every word, every interaction. The way he had effortlessly stepped into the role of the anonymous admirer, the way he had smiled when she had finally acknowledged his feelings, the way he had acted so certain—as if he had always been waiting for her to say yes.Had he ever truly meant a single word? Or had she been nothing more than an opportunity?

Shen Jiu felt something inside her crack.

If those letters weren't his… then whose were they?

Yun Xi, sensing the shift in Jiu's expression, grabbed her wrist. "Hey. What's wrong?"Shen Jiu couldn't even answer.

Because if Zheng Tianyi hadn't written those letters, then who had?

-Shen Jiu stared at the screen, her heart pounding."I had never written those letters."The words glared back at her, cold and emotionless, yet they brought her an unexpected sense of relief.So, it had all been a lie.Zheng Tianyi had never truly liked her. He had never been sincere. He had only used her to learn her dance, to improve himself, to gain an advantage in the competition. The realization should have hurt more, but strangely, it didn't. If anything, it made things clearer.Without hesitation, she blocked his number again.Crying over someone she had only dated for two months? That was stupidity. She had been caught up in emotions that weren't even hers to begin with. She hadn't loved him. She had only tried to reciprocate what she thought was sincerity. But now that the truth was out, she felt nothing but indifference.What truly mattered was the dance competition.It had always been about that. It had always been about her passion, her hard work, her dedication. Tianyi might have left, but that didn't mean she would back down. If anything, she would make sure to stand on that stage, alone, and prove that she didn't need him. She would dance, not for him, not for revenge, but for herself.Shen Jiu took a deep breath, brushing away any remnants of doubt. The competition had resumed. And this time, she would take the stage and show him exactly what he had underestimated.