Chapter 13

After the video was released, a commotion waved through social media.
Because the video was complete and clear—I was the victim.
Soon, Simon also stood up for me and admitted that when he was with Cecilia, he did have a romantic relationship with me.
In other words, Cecilia was the other woman replacing the main girlfriend, and now she's trying to shift the blame.
Her reputation plummeted, and she lost her contracts for film and commercial endorsements.
As for Simon's company, their stock price plummeted.
He didn't care about the market at all and called me in the middle of the night, saying, "Diana, how else do you want to vent? Or would you rather give me back everything I did to you back then?"
I chuckled, "Forget it."
"I feel dirty now to even talk to you."
He seemed completely unconcerned about my sarcasm.
The next day at the research institute, my supervisor told me that the funding for the biological project I was leading had doubled, thanks to Simon's private sponsorship.
I was about to refuse, and he winked at me.
"Since its funding, you have complete control over how it's used. Besides, it's Mr. Turner's support for our research project, unrelated to personal emotions."
Crafty old fox.
I smiled and accepted his proposal.
Simon started coming in his car every day, waiting at the door of the research institute, but I ignored him and didn't care.
That afternoon, he even brought some of his old friends.
A few well-dressed men stood at the door and bowed to me, apologizing.
These past few days, there have been mistakes in the experimental data, and I was already in a bad mood.
The curious glances from colleagues and passersby made me feel even more embarrassed.
I couldn't hold back my anger anymore, "Simon, do you have a problem?"
He looked at me awkwardly, "Diana, I just want to apologize for those past actions."
"No need."
I looked at him expressionlessly, "I have my own life and work now. Just don't disturb me anymore. And take care of Cecilia and your relationship issues yourselves."
Simon didn't really like me.
It was just that I fell into the sea in front of him and survived.
That became his obsession, as if proving something.
Just like Cecilia back then.
I swept my gaze over him and his friends, and suddenly said, "Do you remember? Initially, I went to the bar to pick you up and your friend stopped me, insisting that I perform my research project."
"I heard from Professor Steven that you donated funds to the project I am currently studying."
"Well then, you are welcome to bring your friends to the laboratory for a visit, to see how I record data and advance the project."
After eight years, their mocking remarks from before were finally returned to them.
Simon looked at me in agony, his eyelashes trembling, almost unable to speak.
At dusk, the glow of twilight gradually faded.
The autumn wind blew, swirling leaves falling between us.
Facing each other, Simon and I were no longer in the humble and pleading posture from before.
He took a deep breath and asked me with some difficulty, "If from the beginning when we first met, I had treated you with equal respect, lending you money without any conditions, and not intervening in your graduate studies, would it have been possible for you to fall in love with me?"
Without hesitation, I said, "I would have been extremely grateful and would have repaid the money as soon as possible, and in the future, I would offer help wherever I could."
As for seeking someone to love me.
That was never an option in my life.