In Nancy's mansion…
"Thug! Thug!" Amber exclaimed while cooking a meal in the kitchen.
Nancy was taking juice cartons from the refrigerator beside the stove, where Amber was standing.
When the call ended, Nancy asked with a calm but slightly proud tone,
"Who was that person, Amber?"
"No one," she replied.
Nancy puffed her cheeks at Amber in annoyance and left for the living room.
Amber took the dishes to the breakfast table and called out,
"Nancy! Dear Nancy! Come have breakfast, dear!"
Nancy stayed silent and didn't respond.
"Come on! Your sister might come today to spend time with you. If she sees you like this, she won't be able to play with you, and she'll scold you for skipping breakfast."
Still, Nancy didn't say a word. Her silence was rude and cold.
Amber sighed and walked to her, settling beside her on the sofa, where Nancy was curled up with her arms wrapped around her knees.
"Oh, dear. Don't be sad. That was really nothing," she tried to comfort her.
"Liar! You and Sister Ari… all liars! I've never had a single truthful person around me!" Nancy cried out.
She continued, "Do you know why? Why I never get such people?"
"Why?" Amber asked, her voice calm but blank.
"Because I'm a fool! Just because I like superheroes and lack some common sense, everyone thinks I'm stupid. But I know what you were talking about."
Amber was surprised but teased her a bit, "Oh? What do you think you know, dear Nancy?"
Everyone considered Nancy to be a fool, but now she seemed serious.
With determined eyes, Nancy said,
"You were talking to a guy. Caroline's boyfriend. Caroline must have been your good friend, and that guy used you to break up with her. But… how did they patch up? That's what I don't get."
Amber, caught off guard, tried to explain,
"That guy must've seduced her again with his sweet but lying words. That's probably how they patched up. And as for double dating—I don't want to be anyone's scapegoat again, not unknowingly."
"Ooo!" Nancy looked at her, eyes wide in shock.
Amber took a deep breath.
"He was her boyfriend. After a year in their relationship, he got a crush on me. But I didn't like him, and as Caroline's best friend, I never even considered anything romantic with him, even though he's… well, very handsome."
She paused, voice lower now.
"He was like a friend to me. Our group used to fight like kids sometimes. One day, he invited both of us—Caroline and me—to his house for a party. I got there early and waited outside the gate for her. He saw me from the upper room window and came to bring me inside."
Amber looked down, ashamed.
"He told me she'd be late, busy studying, but asked us to start without her. Then he brought out wine. We drank. I got drunk. So did he. That's when he confessed his feelings… I had no idea he felt that way."
Nancy remained quiet, listening intently.
Amber continued, her voice trembling,
"He tried to kiss me. I pushed him away. I tried to escape, but he wouldn't stop. He was like a wild animal. Then Caroline entered the room."
Amber wiped her tears.
"Her face… was full of shock. She said, 'Oh dear! Never expected this from my bestie and my boyfriend. You two always fought over everything. And now? Peace made through drunken desire?'"
She paused again, overwhelmed.
"He jumped off me in shock, and I tried to explain, 'It's not what you think, Caroline… Please, understand.'
But she mocked, 'Of course I understand, Ms. Amber Dubois. Or should I say, Mrs. Amber Aguado?!'"
Amber clenched her fists.
"And then… he suddenly said, 'Yes, you're right, Ms. Dubois. Now that you got your answer, leave. We're busy.'"
Nancy gasped slightly.
"She picked up a photo frame from the table and threw it at him—but it missed. Then she ran off in tears. I wanted to run after her, explain everything. But he pulled me back and… he continued. I cried and he… he just enjoyed it."
Amber broke into tears again.
"Later, when he finally passed out on the sofa, I escaped. I tried to call Caroline… again and again. She never picked up. Not even once. Not even to scold me."
Nancy slowly wrapped her arms around Amber.
"Oh god… This world is worse than I imagined. No superheroes… just monsters. And reality is far darker than I ever believed."