Third Person's POV
"Will you not plead for your mother?"
Patricia called out as Sunny grabbed her bag and rose to leave.
Sunny's grip on her bag tightened. She bit her lip and said, "I'm ashamed to beg for her. If she's wrong, then she is."
"Good, you're a sensible child. Take care." Patricia appreciated Sunny's stubborn yet reasonable nature.
Sunny left the building in a daze, hailed a taxi, and, wearing a mask that concealed her eyes brimming with sorrow and despair, tears slid down her cheeks.
The beautiful future Leo had painted for her yesterday might have been nothing but a dream.
Now, with the dream shattered, it was time for the curtain to fall. Sunny decided to leave—this city, this country, seemed to hold no place for her anymore.
At that moment, her phone rang.
Seeing Moira's name, she answered.
Moira's anxious voice immediately came through, "Sunny, have you seen the news? Your and Olivia's past have been exposed. People are cursing you left and right."
Sunny's heart skipped a beat. In a hushed tone, she said, "Moira, I need to see you. Can you come out?"
"Sure, let's meet at the café opposite your old neighborhood," Moira agreed without hesitation.
"Alright." Sunny hung up, quickly glancing at her phone. As expected, online criticism was overwhelming, making her the latest hot topic.
"So soon?" Sunny thought with a bitter smile. She'd anticipated this exposure but not this swiftly—she had no time to spare.
Her phone rang again. Seeing Leo's name, she answered softly.
"Hey."
"Someone leaked this. It's bad for your reputation. Avoid the internet for the next few days," Leo's annoyed voice came through, clearly worried she'd be hurt.
"I will. I plan to rest for a few days," Sunny said gently.
"How are you now?" Leo asked, finding her sudden compliance oddly endearing but relieved she was being cooperative.
"I'm out running errands. You focus on work," Sunny replied with her usual softness.
"Okay. I might not see you for a few days. Take care of yourself," Leo instructed.
"I will. Don't worry about me," Sunny said with a forced lightness, hanging up.
Tears welled up again, her heart torn between selfish desire and rational resignation.
Part of her thought one should be selfish in love—pursue what and whom one desires, heedless of others' gazes.
But even if she fought for it, what then?
The chaos and unresolved grudges would persist.
Even married to Leo, the past would remain a festering wound.
Sunny knew the adage "short pain, long gain." She realized it was time to let go.
Patricia's warning was the final straw.
She felt she had no face left to fight or courage to accept Leo's kindness. Though heart-wrenching, she knew she must sever ties.
In a single night, she grew up—from an innocent girl to a woman forced to confront reality with calm and reason.
At the café, Sunny took a sip of water and looked up at Moira, who had raised her from childhood. With forced calm, she said, "Moira, I'm leaving."
"Leaving? Where to?" Moira's face paled as she clutched Sunny's hand anxiously. "Where are you going?"
"Moira, don't worry. I'm not going to do anything foolish. I might be moving abroad. Life here is chaotic, and with all the online vitriol, I'm scared. I need to lie low overseas for a while," Sunny explained with a wry smile, not wanting to alarm Moira.
"Alright, if that's what you want, I support you. But promise me you won't do anything rash!" Moira's greatest fear was that Sunny might harm herself.
"Of course not. Life is precious, and I'm not crazy," Sunny said with self-mockery.
"Has Leo agreed to your plan?" Moira pressed urgently.
This question struck a chord in Sunny's heart. She lowered her head, fell silent for a moment, then raised her eyes, resolute. "Moira, this is what I'm asking of you. Don't tell him I'm leaving. I'm planning to slip away quietly."
"What?" Moira was stunned. The idea of Sunny leaving without a word alarmed her. "Has Leo said something to you? Are you breaking up?"