Chapter 25
“But… but… we haven’t had contact in over ten years. Are you sure it’s me your like, or is it just the memories you’ve built up in your mind?” Maddie’s voice was hesitant, filled with doubt. She had only recently met Andrew and though they had spent a few days together, her past with Rico lingered in her thoughts. Eighteen years with no real results had made her skeptical of what Andrew’s feelings for her truly were. Was it genuine affection, or simply the idea of what she represented?
Andrew’s expression softened as he reached out, taking her hand gently in his.
“Maddie, I understand why you‘ re uncertain. To you, we might feel like strangers. But in my heart, we’ve known each other far longer. In fact, I’ve been there all along, just… not in the way you think.”
Maddie blinked, her brows furrowing in
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confusion. “What do you mean?”
Andrew gave her a reassuring smile, the kind that made her feel like maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t a stranger after all.
“We’ve been online friends for years, actually.”
“Online friends?” Maddie repeated, her voice a little more incredulous. “I had no idea.”
Andrew nodded, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. “You can say that. But I suppose the more accurate way to put it is that I’ve been a huge fan of your writing. My screen name was ‘One, Two, Three, Wooden Man.‘ ”
The words hit Maddie like a lightning bolt. She blinked, her mouth hanging open in surprise. “Wait… you? It was you?”
She couldn’t believe it. Back in her senior year of college, when her novel had gained massive traction and even won one of the biggest rewards she’d ever received, she
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had noticed a mysterious user with that exact screen name. Curious, she had checked his profile only to find that it was empty–just a name, “One, Two, Three, Wooden Man.”
Yet, this user had been incredibly generous with his support. Not only did he hype her up daily, rewarding her with lavish gifts, but he had also started a fan group for her. Whenever anyone criticized her writing, he’d defend her passionately.
Maddie had often privately chatted with him, expressing her gratitude. Each time, he offered encouragement, gently guiding her to write what she felt was right, not just what was expected.
At the time, she had imagined him as a warm, older sister figure–a fan who simply admired her work. Never in her wildest
dreams had she expected that this “big sister” was actually Andrew.
A wave of emotions flooded her chest as
the realization settled in. While she had
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been pretending to be Rico‘ s fan online, Rico had done the same for her. All those moments of support, all those kind words… they had come from him.
“You-” Maddie‘ s voice trembled with disbelief. “You really liked me… all this time?”
Andrew nodded, a shy smile tugging at his lips. “Yes, Maddie. I’ve liked you for a long time. I read your latest finished novel and I saw your struggles, your worries. Even though both our families want us to be together, I don’t want to force you into something you‘ re not ready for. You‘ ve been through so much already and I can’t stand the thought of you being upset over anything. If you don’t want to accept me, I won’t push. I just want to be there for
you.
Maddie s heart ached. Her doubts, her uncertainty, seemed to melt away with his words. This wasn’t some fleeting infatuation–Andrew had been there for
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her from the very beginning, through every chapter, every word of her journey.
For the first time, she truly felt that
maybe… just maybe… she was worthy of being loved.
“I like you, too,” she whispered, her face flushing as she averted her gaze to the floor. “Maybe… maybe we can try? I think… I think it would be unfair not to give us a chance.”
Andrew’s eyes widened in surprise, his voice barely a breath. “You mean…?”
Maddie smiled softly, nodding. “Uh–huh. Let’s try.”
Andrew’s face lit up with joy and for a moment, the room seemed to fade around them. The years of waiting, the uncertainty, the distance–all of it felt like it had been worth it, just for this moment.
“Thank you, Maddie,” he said, his voice full of gratitude. “I‘ ll prove myself to you, I promise. One step at a time, I’ll be
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here.”
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Meanwhile, across the room, Jane was standing quietly, her eyes flickering between the two of them. She had been quietly observing the unfolding scene, her anxiety mounting as she tried to make sense of everything.
“Mr. Emma” Jane began cautiously, glancing at Emma. “I… I really didn’t know Rico would act like this. If I had known, I would have never brought him to the company.”
Emma turned his steely gaze on her, his lips curling into a thin smile. “Really? Wasn‘ t it you who put Maddie’s photos from the orphanage on the internet and stirred the fans to cyberbully her?”
Jane felt her stomach drop as the words hit her like a slap. Emma knew everything.
Her face turned pale and she stammered, trying to defend herself. “I–I didn‘ t
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know at the time that Maddie was your sister. I was just caught up in the moment, trying to use the romance for publicity… I didn’t think it would hurt her. If Maddie
is angry with me, I’ll apologize. I didn’t mean to-”
Emma’s gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a cold, dangerous whisper.
“The name ‘Maddie‘… is not one you. deserve to say.”
Jane’s blood ran cold. Emma’s words were a direct shot at her and for the first time, she realized the true depth of the situation. It wasn’t just business anymore–it was personal. She had crossed a line and she
wasn’t sure if she could ever redeem
herself.
The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating.
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