Celine stood still, her posture stiff, and glared at Josh. “What’s going on?” Eva asked, her voice faltering.

Josh finally broke his silence. “Eva, there’s something you need to know…” he started, his voice oddly flat.

Eva’s heart clenched as she met his eyes. “What’s happening, Josh?” she whispered. Her breath caught as a horrible thought crossed her mind. “Josh and Celine are… No, I trust them both.”

Josh sighed, glancing at Celine before continuing. “Actually, me and Celine… we’re together.”

Eva blinked, not sure she had heard him correctly. Her whole world seemed to tilt.

“We love each other,” Josh added, pulling Celine toward him. The words hit Eva like a ton of bricks. Her chest tightened painfully, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not yet.

Her voice wavered as she fought to stay composed. “Josh, please… this has to be a mistake.”

“I like Celine more than you, Eva,” Josh said coldly. “Let’s break up.”

Eva’s legs felt weak, and the tears she had been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks. “You both are cheaters,” she sobbed, wiping her eyes. Her whole body trembled as the reality of their betrayal sunk in.

“How could you do this to me, Celine? You were my best friend!”

Celine scoffed, her voice laced with mockery. “Best friend? I never considered you my friend. You were just in the way.”

Eva’s breath hitched at the cruelty in Celine’s words. “Get lost,” Celine spat before turning her back on Eva.

Eva couldn’t take it anymore. She bolted from the spot, her legs carrying her as fast as they could. She ran until she reached the back of the campus, collapsing onto the ground near an old oak tree.

She pulled her knees to her chest, the tears coming harder now. “How could they both do this to me?” she whispered between sobs, her voice raw with pain. She had lost everything—her love, her best friend, and a part of herself she wasn’t sure she could get back.

The sound of footsteps startled her, and she looked up to see a shadowy figure standing near her. “Eva…”

The voice was unfamiliar yet oddly comforting. The figure stepped closer, and though she couldn’t see his face, there was something in his presence that felt safe.

“Don’t cry, Eva,” he said softly. “You still have your dream job. You still have your future.”

Eva sniffled, wiping her tears, her mind still whirling from the betrayal. “Who are you?” she asked quietly, her voice barely audible.

The figure hesitated for a moment before responding. “Just someone who knows what it’s like to be hurt.”

Eva took a deep breath, calming her sobs. The figure’s words touched her heart, offering a sliver of solace amidst her turmoil. She didn’t know what the future held, but at that moment, she felt just a little less alone.