The Manipulated Villainess

"Hey, Aston! Do you really plan to lock yourself in your apartment for the whole day?" Liam Ryu narrowed his eyes at his friend who was curling in the bed. It was already 2 in the afternoon yet it seemed like the actor had no intention to get up.

Liam sighed at his friend's stubbornness. He was always this stubborn ever since they were a kid. Both their fathers were a police officer and they also used to live in the same neighbourhood. As such, they knew each other quite well. Though they had lost touch for more than a decade after Aston's family broke apart, their friendship was still good like before.

"Get up. Samuel is coming too. He wants us to hang out altogether." Liam said to Aston again.

Aston abruptly get up and sat on his bed. "Don't let him come here. He won't stop bugging me once he reach here." He scowled.

"Too late. He said that he's almost here." Liam's lips curved into a menacing smile, much to the actor's dismay.

Aston glanced at his phone which he considered the root to his current condition. That cruel woman didn't answer his call and she even switched off her phone! He truly wished to hear her voice but she won't let him. That's why he doesn't feel like doing anything today. All he wanted was to be alone.

"Why did you come here? Are you really a detective? How come you have so much free time?" He frowned as he glanced at Liam with a grumpy face. This detective was already a headache, but even Samuel was planning to rob his peaceful day! His celebrity friend was always a noisy one.

"How dare you say that! I take half a day off because I'm worried about you. You didn't even tell me that you are discharged. Do you even consider me as a friend?" Liam scoffed. He couldn't feel at ease after he informed Aston news about his sister. Besides, he was very curious about that woman from yesterday.

Did his friend finally found the right woman for him? It was the first time he witnessed his friend being all anxious for a woman!

"It's too sudden. I don't know it beforehand either." Aston's frowned when he saw his friend's displeased face. He finally gets off from his bed. "Fine. I will hang out with you tonight. But no noisy place. That's it." He firmly stated his condition.

Liam's face instantly brightened up at his response. "Okay! Deal!"

* * *

In the Gold Porcelain Museum, Leon was standing before one of his work which was displayed. It seemed like his gaze was fixated on the enchanting porcelain in front of him yet it wasn't. All his mind was on the conversation he had with his fiancee in the morning.

Standing still for a few minutes with every scene of the morning replayed in his head, he finally muttered, "What had I done?"

After waiting for 2 long years, did he really ruined everything just like that?! He couldn't believe that he let jealousy got the best of him.

Did he just make her hate him more? He never wants such a thing to happen. He was okay with staying quietly by her side for the rest of his life, no confession or being emotional. As long as she could be beside him, he won't ask for anything else including her heart! He knows that love was a dangerous thing for her.

His original plan was to live that way for his whole life but when another man entered the scene and shake up her life, he lost control. He couldn't stomach the idea of her loving another man! He understands her situation. So it's fine even if she didn't love him back, as long as she didn't love anyone else.

Leon narrowed his eyes and covered his eyes with his left palm. There's no way to undo what he had done. What happened already happened with no way of turning back! When he was helplessly regretting over his action, he heard a voice which almost made him startled.

"Is something wrong?" Shara came and stood beside him. She glanced at the porcelain and observed it. "I don't think there is a fault in the porcelain." She said to Leon with a little laughter.

Withdrawing his palm from his eyes at once, Leon quickly turned to his right where Shara was standing. Then a faint smile appeared on his face. "There isn't. I think the problem is me."

"Why? Did you get into trouble again?" She still remembered how she always struggled to cover up for him during their school days. Be it at school or home, she was always the one who covered up his mistakes.

Leon nodded his head. "It's a real mess this time." 

"Do you want me to cover up for you again?" Shara asked with a playful smile. Whenever she brought up how much of a troublemaker he used to be, the potter never admits it. He always feigned ignorance!

Leon chuckled when he heard her. She truly loves to brag about it. That's why he always acted like he didn't remember. The truth was that he still knew it clearly but he didn't want to give her the pleasure! He shook his head and replied, "I don't think you won't be able to do it this time. It's a big problem and that put me in big trouble."

"I think you underestimate me." Shara jokingly said to Leon. "What is it this time?"

Leon turned to the right and looked at his best friend of more than a decade right in the eyes. "I lose control and then confessed to her. What will happen?"

Though the unexpected news shook her to the core, Shara couldn't show it. Secretly squeezing her dress, she faked a smile. "Are you crazy? Why did you do that?" She tried her best to sound normal so that he won't doubt her.

Leon sighed and stood opposite to the porcelain again. "I was always good at self-control but... that actor makes me insecure. I think I'm afraid that she would choose him." He glanced at Shara and his face become more serious. "Shara, she said that she likes him but she won't accept him. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

If she was that woman, that's what Shara thought. If she was the one who owned his heart, she won't ever need anything else!

She even wondered why life was so complicated.

He was the only guy she ever wanted and having his heart would mean a world for her. Yet he was easily rejected by the only woman who ever owned his heart!

Did that woman even know his worth? Maybe not. The fact that she fell for another man was the proof.

Hiding the pain caused by her broken heart, Shara forced a playful smile and looked at Leon. "Let's have a drink tonight. I think I have to comfort my broken-hearted friend."