Chapter 4

02 years ago

Ririna’s heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. The person she adored, the one she had always put on a pedestal, never saw her for who she truly was. She had devoted herself to their friendship, always careful to tread lightly, to support him unconditionally, and to bury her own feelings deep inside.

Every moment spent together was a mix of joy and pain—she cherished their laughter, their late-night talks, and the comfort of knowing he was there. But in the quiet moments, the weight of unspoken love pressed down on her. She felt invisible, as if her sacrifices went unnoticed, and it hurt even more to realize that her love was unreturned.

Ririna wanted nothing more than to be valued in the same way she valued him. The thought of losing him was unbearable, but holding on to a one-sided affection felt like a slow, suffocating agony. With each passing day, she grappled with the bittersweet reality that her greatest friendship was also her greatest heartache. The trust she placed in him felt like a double-edged sword, and she found herself at a crossroads: to continue hiding her heart or to risk it all for the chance of being seen.

When the truth finally emerged, it was like a storm tearing through Ririna’s carefully constructed world. The revelation hit her with a force she hadn’t anticipated, shattering the illusion she had clung to for so long. All the moments they shared, the laughter, the late-night conversations—everything suddenly felt tainted by the realization that he had concealed something so significant from her.

The despair coursing through her was overwhelming. She had sacrificed her own feelings, dimmed her light to fit into the shadows of his life, and yet he had hidden the very thing that defined their connection. It was a betrayal that cut deep, leaving her feeling more alone than ever.

Ririna had always known she was an admirer from a distance, a fan in a world where he was the star. She had convinced herself that their friendship was enough, that just having him in her life—however one-sided it might be—was a blessing. But the truth was a bitter pill to swallow. She realized that while she had placed him on a pedestal, he had never truly seen her.

The gap between their worlds, which she had tried to ignore, yawned wider with each passing moment. She had believed that love could bridge any divide, yet here she stood, broken and disillusioned. The person she had longed for, the one she had devoted herself to, had never valued her in the same way. And in that painful clarity, Ririna understood that she had been holding on to a fantasy.

Now, faced with the harsh reality of their friendship, she felt the need to reevaluate everything. Could she continue to be in his life, knowing the truth? Could she let go of the dreams she had built around him? It was a choice she never wanted to make, but she knew she had to prioritize her own heart. In the end, the love she had for him deserved to be matched with respect and honesty—a standard he had failed to meet. With a heavy heart, Ririna began to think about what it would mean to truly let go.

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