13.29
Chapter 78
Sheldon’s heart leaped into his throat. At that moment, his only thought was: how would he explain everything to Briella if the videos were leaked?
He didn’t think of Lilia, felt no sense of triumphant revenge. His mind was consumed with damage control. In that split second, something he had been stubbornly denying became crystal clear. But before he could grasp it fully, the sound from the video interrupted his thoughts. “Hello, everyone. I’m Briella. I’m honored to receive this award. Winning this gold prize is one of the most significant moments of my life. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, I won’t be able to attend the award.”
On the screen, Briella wore a simple linen outfit, her makeup light and understated. Her long, wavy hair was casually pinned up with a paintbrush, exuding an effortless artistic charm. The video was short, only a minute long. It was just an acceptance speech. No drama, no mess. Sheldon finally exhaled, feeling the tension in his chest ease. Then, he overheard his friends whispering nearby.§
“Wait… why is Briella’s award speech in Sheldon’s private folder?“}
“The password is Lilia’s birthday, right? What kind of game is he playing?“}
“What a letdown. I thought we’d get to see Briella fall apart.”
A sudden “buzz” filled his head, like a mountain collapsing in his mind. Sheldon swayed, falling back into his chair. Briella’s video was clearly a recent recording. It had replaced the thousands of explicit videos silently stored in his private folder.
Sheldon recalled the day Briella asked to borrow his computer. He hadn’t found any evidence of her watching dramas afterward. So, she wasn’t watching dramas at all; she was deleting those videos! She had known all along.
No wonder she had been so depressed lately, like a soulless puppet. No wonder she wanted to burn everything in the villa, resisting his touch at every turn. Sheldon grabbed his phone, finally seeing Briella’s message. [Sheldon, this is the end.]}
Sheldon recognized every word. Yet, together, they made no sense to him. His hands trembled as he hurried to type a response. He wanted to explain. He wanted to plead innocence, but after typing for ages, he only managed to send the most pressing question. [Ella, why didn’t you attend the award?]}
The message failed to send. The red exclamation mark on the screen burned into his vision. Sheldon’s breath caught in his throat. He sat frozen, unable to move. His friends, noticing his strange reaction, leaned in to check his screen. Their voices rose in shock.
“Wait, what does she mean by this? Breaking up?“}
“No way! Sheldon, she actually blocked you? Wasn’t she head over heels for you?“}
“She can’t live without you, Sheldon. This is a stunt to get your attention.
Sheldon blinked slowly, his dazed eyes struggling to process their words. He nodded in agreement. “Yes, she loves me. She loves me the most.”
So, Briella must be joking. She was just mad, waiting for Sheldon to coax her. She wasn’t really breaking up with him. Snapping back to reality, Sheldon abandoned texting and called her instead. The automated voice answered, “The number you dialed is currently on another call. Please try again later.” “The number you dialed is out of service.” “The user you are trying to reach is busy.“}
Every message, different yet the same, pointed to one undeniable truth Briella had blocked his calls, too. Sheldon’s hand slowly dropped to his side, a dazed look in his eyes. Five years. They had fought before, but Briella had never blocked him. She once told him, “A fight is just a fight. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you. If I blocked you, what if something happened to you?“}
Didn’t she care about him anymore? Sheldon murmured to himself as if his soul had been stripped away. His friends, seeing his distress, rushed to comfort him. “Sheldon, don’t overthink it. This is just some childish move.”
“Even if she knows about the videos, she doesn’t know what they were for. It’s not as serious as you think.”
Sheldon’s eyes flickered with hope. Maybe they were right. Just as he was about to respond, a delivery man called out. “Excuse me, who’s Sheldon Gifford? I have a package for you from Miss Briella Jacquin.“}
His friends exchanged knowing glances, smirking. “See? What did we tell you? She wouldn’t actually break up with you.” ‘One minute she’s throwing a tantrum, the next she’s sending you stuff. She’s probably scared you’ll take her words seriously.“}
Sheldon, reassured by their words, relaxed a little. His tone softened, tinged with amusement and helplessness. “She’s such a child, playing these silly… The words caught in his throat as he opened the package and then, he froze.
Inside the package was a stack of documents and photos of Lilia. The documents revealed that her suicide had nothing to do with Briella.&
