Chapter 6

The crying grew louder, turning into unabashed wailing, full of deep injustice.

"...Why...why would she break up with me just like that...we were fine this afternoon...we were supposed to meet tomorrow, boohoohoo..."

"...Waaah...my love is dead..."

"...Sis, you're so heartless..."

He cried like a lost child, rambling incoherently, his voice filled with the sadness and confusion of being abandoned.

His sobs drifted into my ears, gnawing at my conscience. He sounded utterly pathetic.

I couldn't resist. I quietly walked over. The balcony door next door was also open. I cautiously peeked around.

I saw Jaxon with his back to me, sitting on the floor, head buried in his knees, his shoulders shaking.

"Um..." I hesitated, speaking softly.

He flinched violently, turning his head as if startled. Under the dim light, his eyes were red and swollen, streaks of tears still on his face.

His silver hair seemed dull.

He looked disheveled and miserable, completely lacking the arrogant swagger he'd had earlier today.

"What are you doing here?" He frowned, wiping his face, trying to maintain his composure, but his thick nasal voice betrayed him.

"I... I heard noises, so I came to check." I felt a little awkward. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" His tone was stiff, laced with pique, but he couldn't help but let out a choked sob. "

Just got dumped, no need for you to care!"

I sighed, trying to comfort him.

"Maybe, maybe your girlfriend… she had a reason? Or… maybe she's actually a bad person? Not good enough for you?"

I didn't even know what nonsense I was spewing.

Jaxon glared at me, his eyes red, like a cat with its tail stepped on.

"You're not allowed to say bad things about her! She's the best person in the world, she's not bad, she's gentle and cute, and she even sends me—"

He abruptly stopped, his face flushed. He stuck out his neck and yelled,

"Anyway, she's the best! You don't know anything! You're a cold-blooded bitch! Go away!"

His words stunned me, especially that "cold-blooded bitch."

My guilt vanished instantly. A surge of anger made me blurt out,

"I'm a cold-blooded bitch? If I were a cold-blooded bitch, I shouldn't have broken up with you. I should have just played you like a dog!"

The moment the words left my mouth, the room fell into a dead silence.

Jaxon stared at me blankly, as if he hadn't quite grasped the meaning of my words. I realized what I'd said and wanted to bite off my own tongue.

Before he could react, I turned to run back to my room.

But my movement was too quick, and the tie of my robe was loose. As I turned, the tie caught on the balcony door handle—

*Swish!*

My robe fell to the floor, without warning, pooling around my feet. Revealing the incredibly familiar, sexy red bikini underneath.

Time seemed to stop. I froze, my mind blank.

Jaxon's gaze slowly drifted from my face, down to my body, to that swimsuit… His eyes instantly widened, his mouth slightly agape, big enough to fit an egg.

His expression shifted from shock, to bewilderment, to disbelief, then to sudden realization, finally settling into extreme horror and absurdity.

He raised a trembling hand, pointing at me, his voice a hoarse, distorted whisper: "Is… is that you?!"

Busted.

Social suicide.

I was *so* screwed!

While he was still frozen in shock, I snatched up my robe and *whooshed* back into my room. I slammed the balcony door shut, even fumbling to lock it.

My back pressed tightly against the cold door panel, I could hear my heart pounding like a drum, about to leap out of my throat.

The adjacent balcony was utterly silent. After a long while, a faint, disbelieving whisper drifted over:

"...Damn."