Chapter 2: # The Subtle Deterioration of Friendship
1105 Words
The morning sun shone gently through the sheer curtains and onto Olivia's bedroom. She woke up slowly, a smile unconsciously curving on her lips as the pleasant encounter with Evelyn from the previous day came to her mind. After a simple wash, she carefully selected a light pink professional suit and tied her hair into a neat bun, ready to face the challenges of a new day at work.
The busy morning at the magazine office passed in a flash. Just as Olivia finished a tense topic planning meeting, a notification sound came from her mobile phone. She swiped the screen and saw a message from Evelyn: "Dear, I found an amazing dessert shop near your place. I brought you a little surprise. Are you at home?" Olivia felt a warm feeling in her heart and quickly replied, "I'm at the magazine office, but I'll be off work soon. Wait for me to get back."
After work, Olivia hurried home. As soon as she opened the front door, she saw Evelyn standing in the living room with a big smile, holding a box of delicate pastries in her hand. "Dear, you're back! I bought these especially for you. Have a taste." Evelyn said as she walked forward. Olivia gratefully took it and pulled Evelyn to sit on the sofa.
"How was your day?" Evelyn asked with concern.
"Work was a bit busy, but it went smoothly. What about you?" Olivia said as she opened the pastry box, and a sweet aroma wafted out.
"I went to a painting class in the morning, and in the afternoon I just thought of coming to see you. By the way, I saw a book about fashion history in the bookstore and thought you might be interested, so I bought it." Evelyn took a book out of her handbag and handed it to Olivia.
Olivia took it in surprise. "Wow, you're so thoughtful. I was just looking for some materials in this area recently."
The two of them ate the pastries while sharing their lives. Evelyn seemingly casually asked, "Working at the magazine, you must get to meet a lot of big-name stars and designers, right?"
Olivia nodded with a smile. "Well, there are some cooperation opportunities. But the main focus of the work is still on the planning and editing of the magazine content."
"Are there any particularly interesting cooperation experiences?" Evelyn's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Olivia fell into memory. "Once we cooperated with an internationally renowned designer for a cover shoot. He had extremely high requirements for details, from the model's makeup to every fold of the clothing, everything had to be adjusted repeatedly. Although the process was very tiring, the final result was amazing."
Evelyn listened attentively, interjecting a few words of praise from time to time. Then, she shifted the topic to Olivia's social life. "You're so excellent. There must be no shortage of suitors around you, right?"
Olivia shook her head slightly. "I'm too busy with work to think about relationship problems. And in the fashion circle, many relationships are quite complicated. It's hard to meet someone sincere."
Evelyn gently held Olivia's hand. "Don't worry. You're so nice. You will definitely meet the right person. I'll always be by your side."
Olivia felt a rush of emotion. "It's so nice to have you as a friend."
At this moment, Evelyn's mobile phone rang. She glanced at the screen, and her expression changed slightly. She got up and walked aside to answer the call. Olivia vaguely heard that Evelyn's voice was a bit excited on the phone, but couldn't make out the specific content.
After hanging up the phone, Evelyn came back to the sofa and forced a smile on her face. "Sorry, a friend has an urgent matter and needs me. I might have to leave now."
Olivia was a bit worried. "Are you okay? If you need any help, just let me know."
Evelyn shook her head. "It's okay. It's just some small trouble. I'll handle it. Well, I'll go first. I'll come to see you another day."
After Evelyn left, Olivia always felt that there was something wrong with her expression. But she thought maybe it was just the matter of her friend that was bothering her, so she didn't pay too much attention.
A few days later, Evelyn visited again. This time she brought a limited-edition fashion magazine. The cover of the magazine was a model that Olivia had always admired. "I searched for a long time to find this magazine. I knew you would like it." Evelyn said proudly.
Olivia took it excitedly. "You're amazing! This is a very rare edition."
The two of them sat in the living room, flipping through the magazine and discussing the fashion spreads and trend trends inside. Evelyn suddenly said, "I'm thinking about redecorating my room recently. Do you have any good suggestions?"
Olivia thought for a while. "You can first decide on a theme, like a simple modern style or a retro romantic style, and then choose furniture and decorations according to the theme. Which style do you like?"
Evelyn's eyes flickered. "I'm not sure yet. I think your room is decorated very well. I want to refer to your style. Can you show me around your bedroom?"
Olivia stood up without hesitation. "Sure."
Walking into the bedroom, Evelyn's eyes quickly scanned every corner of the room. She saw various cosmetics and jewelry placed on the dressing table, fashionable clothes hanging in the wardrobe, and a few fashion magazines and a personal diary beside the bed. Evelyn's eyes lingered on the diary for a moment, and a desire to pry arose in her heart.
"Your bedroom really has a great style. Every detail is well taken care of." Evelyn praised.
Olivia said with a smile, "Thank you. I pay more attention to the quality of life, so I spent some effort on decorating the room."
After visiting the bedroom, the two of them went back to the living room to continue chatting. Evelyn, as usual, asked about Olivia's work and life situation, and also revealed some of her "little troubles" to win Olivia's sympathy and trust.
However, Olivia didn't notice that behind Evelyn's seemingly friendly appearance, a conspiracy was quietly being planned. Her every visit, observation, and inquiry were all to understand Olivia's life more deeply and find weaknesses that could be exploited. And that diary beside the bed had become Evelyn's next target. She was waiting for the right opportunity to open it and explore more secrets of Olivia, so as to drag her step by step into the carefully designed trap.
- Writer
