185: When love and hate collide II

When love and hate collide II

Paula and Heaven became friends after that incident until they reached high school. They were always together and Paula would regularly sleep over in Heaven's place. Heaven wasn't rich, but they live a comfortable life, unlike Paula's family, who could barely get by every day.  2

The two girls had gotten so close that Heaven's father had treated Paula as his daughter as well. Heaven's mother was nowhere to be found. According to Heaven, her mother died when she was still young because of an illness, leaving her and her father.

Everything was great and all until they became juniors. 

Despite their deep friendship, Paula noticed that people treated them differently. Heaven was popular in school because of her beauty and approachable aura; she was also an honor roll student and a part of the student government. 

Meanwhile, Paula was just… a student. 

Although she was beautiful, with Heaven on her side most of the time, she never stood out. Paula also struggled to keep up good grades while Heaven just made it look too easy. Heaven offered help and Paula took it, not knowing it would worsen her insecurity. 

Other students' unpleasant comments caused Paula to feel uneasy. Even though Paula had done nothing, these students just assumed and judged her friendship with Heaven just because Heaven always chose to be with Paula. 

Paula did her best to ignore all these comments.

She did her best not to see Heaven in such light, but alas, due to the uncertainty of her future, while Heaven was being vouched by an agency, the seed of inferiority continuously grew into a thorny vine, crawling around her heart and soul, causing cracks on this beautiful friendship.

And because of that, everything that Heaven did was wrong in Paula's eyes. 

How could life be so unfair? How could it be so cruel?

Paula had two parents while Heaven only had one parent, and yet, Heaven was happier than her. They would cram together, studying tirelessly, but why was Heaven's grade much better than hers? They wore the same uniform and Paula had an even better hairstyle than Heaven's normal straight hair, which she usually let down, but why was everyone just curious about what shampoo Heaven used?

Paula was better at sports. Perhaps that was the only area she was confident in that she was better than Heaven. However, no one had taken notice and only cheered for Heaven. 

Wasn't Paula also kind? She didn't mistreat anyone. If anything, she was being extra kind and understanding to everyone. Still, some students would talk about her behind her back and makeup stories about her. 

Paula was also pretty and had all the qualities Heaven had… but why was the only guy she liked since she entered high school confessing to Heaven? She also had the same dream as Heaven, but the entertainment agency was only inviting Heaven.

All these unanswered questions ate Paula from the inside. She couldn't understand and she still had to pretend that Heaven's company didn't make her sick to her stomach. She could've distanced herself, but she couldn't. 

The more Paula stuck around Heaven, the more she realized life was unfair. 

Of course, she still loved Heaven. Deep in her heart, she wouldn't let others hurt Heaven, no matter what. However, she hated Heaven just as intensely. Thus, she wanted to steal at least one thing from Heaven. Be it career, fame, or even love. 

It didn't matter to Paula which one she would get for as long as she could have at least one thing that Heaven owned. This was almost her life's goal. A love and hate collision that was pushing her to madness.

[PRESENT TIME]

Paula stood in front of the flower bed in the resort's garden, staring at them with a sullen look. Just now, she received a notice that her scenes wouldn't be taken because of the lack of time. Although Director Guan apologized, it still left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

"Because of lack of time…" she whispered to herself. "Of course. They wasted hours and hours on taking a minor role scene, sacrificing mine without any regard."

She balled her hand into a tight fist, enraged. For the past five years since Heaven's hiatus, Paula finally felt important and needed. People prioritized her needs and did their best to please her. 

Her life for the past five years had always been what she wanted, and that was because Heaven was out of the picture. Watching Heaven fall to the pits of depression was just a cherry on top. While Paula had lived the best of her life, Heaven was stuck in her room with nothing. 

But now, Heaven just got a stupid minor role, and things felt like they were back to how it was. People were disregarding her again like an old, used toy because their favorite doll was back. 

"Why?" Paula clenched her teeth as a thin layer of tears coated her eyes. "Why did she come back to my life? Why can't she just kill herself and disappear from my life?"

Wasn't Heaven supposed to be paralyzed by her depression? How come she magically turned better and now ruining what Paula worked so hard for? Why? Just why?

"That is some dark shit you are spewing."

Paula flinched as her eyes went wide when a man's voice came from behind her. She held her breath for a moment, turning around to see who heard her spewing such things. Much to her surprise, the person her eyes fell on was someone she didn't know.

"Who are you?" she asked warily, assessing the man from head to toe. 'Is he part of the production staff?'

Paula studied the man and by the expensive suit he was wearing, she could tell he wasn't from the production nor the staff of the resort. 

The man's lips slowly curled until his smile reached his eyes. "The owner of this resort. I just came to check since I've been a fan of Heaven Liu, but now that I saw you, I think you're much better. Prettier, sexier, and maybe smarter? How could they not realize that, right?"

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