Oh how it felt to be wrapped around by a giant python that was sizing you up to make you its best meal of life?
That’s exactly how Ella felt as Esther rushed forward and hugged her.
"Oh my god, sis, are you fine?" Esther’s sweet voice didn’t match the python grip.
When her hug was not reciprocated, Esther stiffened and slowly let go, "Sis, are... are you angry at me?"
The two girls who followed Esther looked at Ella in disdain, ’’Esther has been concerned about you for two days now and this is how you treat her?!’’
The one who spoke up was Esther’s roommate, Violet. If Ella’s memory served her right, back in her previous life, this girl had quite a tragic end.
Esther had promised her fame and taken her to the entertainment industry, making her start her career as Esther’s body double.
When Esther bagged the lead position in a controversial film backed by a huge production, Violet remained her body double.
Except, the film was not well received by the audience due to the obscenities and nudity present in it. People labelled it as ’soft porn’ in the name of romance.
Esther was starting to be drowned by the hatred she received when the Mo Entertainment finally declared their statement—
An official apology for the wrong choice in film with a revelation that all the obscene scenes were performed by Esther’s body double.
And suddenly, the public found a place to direct all their anger and hatred.
After a few weeks of being harassed and outcasted by everyone everywhere, Violet committed suicide.
Why did Ella remember this instance? Because back then, Esther had come to the Eve Mansion to vent about it, whining about how some of the people were blaming her for this incident because she was the main actress, and how she had no control over what her agency declared.
How did Ella react? She sympathized with Esther blindly.
She did not have two brain cells left to join the dots and understand that how can Esther have no control over what the agency decided when she was fiance of the then CEO—Mo Jun?
Seeing that Violet was ignored by Ella, Esther leaned forward and hugged Ella’s shoulder, ’’Sis, please don’t be angry with me... These past few days, I didn’t know what to do... I was so worried about you even though you were in the wrong this time...’’
Esther weeped as she spoke and a huge crowd started gathering around them.
"I was in the wrong?"
Esther wiped her tears, ’’Sis, no matter how much you hate Ruby, how could you...?" She paused as if she could not bring herself to talk about it, ’’How could you... harm her?"
The crowd that had gathered around them started whispering amongst each other and Ella caught onto to highlight words like ’vile’, ’schemer’, ’bitch, ’shameless’ and whatnot along with the crux of the matter.
As it turned out, throughout the weekend, the university forums had blasted up with news that Ella kidnapped Ruby to get Max’s attention.
People condemned her, pointed their fingers at her and demanded to get her kicked out of the university.
As for why she had not received any news of this? That was because she had muted the forums when she was in the Eve mansion to cut some noise.
"Essie, Max came to meet me yesterday...’’
Esther was taken aback when she heard Ella’s words.
Of course, she knew that Max had gone to meet her in the Eve Mansion but she had never thought that Ella would reveal something in front of such a huge crowd without caring for her reputation.
Esther sobbed into her hands, but her nails dug into Ella’s shoulder a little too tightly.
Ella caught the twitch of a smirk when Esther turned to the crowd, tears still in her eyes.
As expected of a fool. Go ahead, ruin it all for yourself.
But when Ella opened her mouth, Esther’s face changed suddenly.
"Max said that you convinced him to meet me,’’ Ella sighed and looked at Esther with a little bit of disappointment like an elder sister, ’’I know you want him to be your brother-in-law badly but things between us have become a matter of the past. He already has a fiance now. It’s very improper for you to approach him and convince him to find me.’’
The crowd burst into whispers as some of them harshly criticized Esther.
"Didn’t Max already move on? He has a fiancee now, right?" a girl in the crowd frowned.
"Of course! Isn’t Esther overstepping?" another whispered.
Some felt like Ella’s words made a lot of sense, no matter what kind of a person she was.
How shameless was it to pester your sister’s ex to get back together with your sister when he already has a partner now?
"Is that true?" The person who stepped forward to speak was the other girl who was accompanying Esther.
Like Esther’s roommate Violet, Ella had an impression of this person as well. She was Mo Jun’s twin sister, Mo Lia.
Receiving the scrutinizing gazes from everyone, Esther’s body trembled and her grip on Ella’s hand tightened, ’’I didn’t... He reached out to me first. He was worried about Ruby... and he was just concerned that in your anger, you would do something to her...’’
’’What would I do to Ruby?" Ella innocently blinked, ’’Some time ago, I fell in the corridor and struggled to get up by myself. Essie, I am just a weak and helpless girl...’’
The two girls who were following Esther were a little speechless. Why would you look cocky while saying something like that?
The crowd was speechless. They had never seen anyone sacrificing themselves in order to state a point.
But when they looked at Ella, it was hard to deny her point.
Although she was hateful, but with an appearance of dumpling, she did not pass for the kind of a person who could go about tormenting others.
’’Sis, it’s not you who can harm Ruby but Max thought... Max thought you’d ask someone else...’’ Esther trailed off.
Gossips erupted around them.
People immediately recalled the rumors of Ella having some goon of a sugar daddy.
And then the leaked picture of Ella beside a man whose face was not visible.
Esther’s eyes filled with sadness but her lips quivered in an angle people couldn’t see.
That gossip had long been buried in the current fire about the university goddess being harmed.
Some people who had found Ella’s words believable before, fluctuated right away. Yes, with a backing, Ella could probably get back at Ruby...
However, how could Ella let things go Esther’s way so easily?
With a smile as sweet as syrup and twice as poisonous, Ella turned to the crowd.
A/N: Like the story? Please support it with your power stones, golden tickets and gifts. I will also appreciate it if you could take some time out to write a review~<3