Never Loved Forever

Chapter 9

Rain was still falling outside the window, drop by drop. The dormitory was busy on this weekend afternoon, as Wendy tried her best to dress up Skyler.

Today was Skyler's birthday. Skyler said that because she was born in the rainy season, it would rain on her birthday every year. Unexpectedly, this year was no exception. But she happened to love rainy days.

Recently, Jason had spent several days persuading the entire class to organize a party for Skyler in his own villa, just to give her a surprise. Chris and Wendy were also on the invitation list. Because of this, Wendy insisted on making Skyler the center of attention today.

After being busy for a long time, Wendy finally blew a whistle and praised, "I knew our Skyler would look beautiful when dressed up. Right, Chris?"

"Yeah..." Chris looked up when his name was called, staring at Skyler absentmindedly, and replied vaguely. He didn't dare to keep his gaze on Skyler, afraid that if he looked at her a few more times, he would regret not making an effort and letting her go to someone else.

"Go and see if Jason's car has arrived," Wendy said to Chris, who was still lost in thought. Unable to help herself, she sighed softly and reminded him, "Stop thinking about it, she's not yours anymore."

Skyler, dressed in a pink evening gown, was carefully looked after by Jason, with a servant holding an umbrella beside her. Chris and Wendy stood behind her, smiling at her.

Skyler carefully held the hem of her dress, feeling a slight sweat in her palms. She raised her head in awe and opened her mouth, looking at the building in front of her. What a big house! Three years ago, she hid under the apple tree and cried, secretly watching Joshua step out of the car surrounded by a group of bodyguards. She knew he was a rich young master, but she never expected him to be so wealthy. This was the first time she had seen such a mansion.

Everything made Skyler feel like she was in a princess's dream. She dared not move, afraid that she would wake up.

"Fool, be careful not to let the rain get in your mouth," Jason said, looking at the girl in his arms, unable to resist teasing her. "Let's go, everyone is waiting."

With that, he held her hand and walked towards the villa, the smile never leaving his face.

After entering the room, the scene that appeared before their eyes surprised not only Skyler, but also Wendy and Chris.

The room was filled with lively voices and laughter, colorful balloons were everywhere, and in the center stood a three-story tall cake.

"Chris, don't you feel like their smiles are somewhat ironic?" Wendy hoped that she was just overthinking, and that she should laugh ignorantly like the i***t Skyler next to her, but no matter how she looked at it, those smiles seemed like they were mocking.

"I feel the same way." This time, even Chris couldn't deny it.

Wendy and Chris exchanged glances, but didn't think too much of it. They accompanied Skyler as they walked towards the cake. It wasn't until they saw the glaring words on the cake that they realized what the irony was all about.

On the pure white cake, neatly written were the words "Eleasya, Happy Birthday".

...

Skyler woke up abruptly. She forced herself to swallow the bitterness and made sure that she only showed happiness in Jason's eyes, for this glorious happiness belonged to Eleasya.

"I have a gift for you." Jason turned his head and took out a necklace from his pocket, placing it around Skyler's neck with his own hands.

The silver chain held a heart-shaped pendant, a seemingly ordinary item, but it caused a sharp pain in Skyler's eyes. Everyone was too far away to see, but she could see clearly - the pendant was embedded with a photo of Jason and Eleasya.

That smile... it was so dazzling.

"Don't you like it?" Jason asked softly, looking uneasy as he noticed her sudden change in expression.

Skyler vigorously shook her head, desperately trying to swallow her tears: "I really like it. As long as it's from Jason, no matter what it is, I'll like it."

"Fool." Jason lovingly stroked her beautiful short hair, his eyes filled with affection, not hiding anything. He was actually afraid that she wouldn't like everything he had prepared in such a rush.

This girl had always said that he didn't value her, but he actually valued her a lot. He valued her to the point of being afraid of losing her, which is why he didn't dare to possess her.

The party was lively, and everyone was enjoying themselves. Even Jason, who used to be cool and aloof, had blended in with everyone. What a great atmosphere.

Skyler stood by the window alone, looking at the rain outside. Why did she, who loved the rainy season so much, feel particularly uncomfortable today?

"Skyler." After observing from afar for a long time, Chris couldn't help but approach and call out, "Let me see that necklace."

He wouldn't ignore the look on Skyler's face just now when she saw that necklace, a smile that was uglier than crying.

"Don't worry, it's nothing special..."

Before she finished speaking, Achen took the initiative and impulsively picked up the pendant hanging from her chest.

In an instant, a burst of fire burst out of his eyes, as if wanting to burn away all the falsehoods.

"I'll help you take it off." Without hesitation, he prepared to take action. How could he tolerate Skyler being treated like this? She was a girl worthy of being cherished by others, why did she have to live in the shadow of others?

Before Skyler could resist, a commotion suddenly sounded outside the door. After exchanging curious glances, the two of them walked towards the source of the noise to find out what was going on.

Beside the door, a middle-aged couple stood, their faces serious, with no trace of the passage of time on their well-maintained faces. The dignified woman, upon seeing Skyler approaching, lost control of her emotions for a moment, her face pale, pointing at her and looking at Jason without caring about her image as she shouted, "You better take a good look, she's not Eleasya, she's Skyler, the girl you should never get close to."

Skyler furrowed her brows in confusion, looking at Jason with a bewildered expression.

Strange, why would she know her own name?

Meanwhile, Jason just stood against the wall, saying nothing, his gaze cold and no longer gentle.

"Jason, cut ties with her immediately. I can't let this girl, this disaster, come into contact with my son again." This time, even the middle-aged man spoke, his expression stern.

"Did you hear what your dad said... she's a disaster, a disaster that will ruin our Tang family..."

The noise echoed in Skyler's ears, it was chaotic. She stupidly looked at the scene in front of her, darkness closing in, almost making her lose her balance, but luckily Achen held her up.

Her head hurt, it started again, the headache that had plagued her for so many years, the first time it was so severe.

Amidst the clamor, she watched as the woman who should be Tang's mother walked towards her step by step, unfounded hatred in her eyes, as if she wanted to devour her.

Suddenly, she reached out and forcefully ripped off the necklace that Skyler had just put on her neck, throwing it out of the window.

Skyler stared in horror as the necklace floated steadily towards the outside and fell into the swimming pool. She wanted to reach out and save it, but she was too late.

That was Jason and Eleasya's memory... it couldn't be lost like this...

Under everyone's gaze, everyone held their breath and watched, only Jason omitted any hesitation and walked into the rain, crazily jumping into the pool. In the pouring rain, he desperately searched for the necklace, diving down and resurfacing again and again, making people's hearts ache.

At this moment, Skyler finally understood that tonight's rain was destined to be melancholic, destined to be different from the usual tranquility.

In the bustling street, people come and go. A girl stands at the crossroads, lost and aimless, searching with an anxious look in her eyes. Until she sees a boy in a white outfit not far away, turning his head, smiling as he walks towards her with an ice cream in hand.

"I thought you lost me..." The joy of being found again fills her heart, and the girl smiles foolishly as tears stream down her face.

"Silly, even if I lost you, I would definitely find you again." The boy hands her the ice cream, naturally embracing her petite body, and continues, "No matter the ends of the earth, the mountains or the seas, I will always find you."

...

Just as he had said, he lost Eleasya now, and he searches relentlessly, regardless of the ends of the earth, the mountains or the seas.

But what about Skyler? She suddenly became an outsider.

Watching foolishly, surrounded by chaos, Tang Mama's voice continues, and Wei Yang's arrogance makes Skyler suddenly understand that there is a kind of love called never letting go, as long as the person who accompanies him at this moment is herself.

Coming back to her senses, Skyler ignores Chris's obstruction and jumps into the pool as well. Since she is still by Joshua's side three years later, she must endure the joys and sorrows with him!

No one remembers how long it has been, and Skyler can no longer distinguish whether the liquid on her face is tears, rainwater, or the icy water in the pool. She just accompanies Jason, diving into the water time and time again, searching, until Jason's laughter comes, happily pulling her out of the pool and standing by the shore.

Under the washing of the rain, he tries hard to open his eyes, raises the necklace in his hand, flaunting it in front of Skyler.

"Look, I found it." He reaches out, haphazardly wiping away the rainwater from his face. "Let me put it on for you."

"Get out of here, right now! Zhou, find someone to take this girl away!" Tang Mama's roar comes again.

This time, even she runs into the rain and shouts at Skyler. Too many words are drowned out by the noise, and Skyler can only watch as she constantly bites her lip, trying hard to hear those inexplicable words, but in vain.

After a moment of chaos, when Skyler comes back to her senses again, she finds herself outside the dormitory building. Only Ah Chen and Wendy steadfastly accompany her.

How ironic, the bell rings, and Cinderella's dream is shattered.

Perhaps Tang Mama was right, she is not Eleasya, she cannot replace Eleasya, she is just Skyler.

The Skyler who left the small town foolishly three years ago to chase her dreams in California for the sake of a promise. At this moment, she feels exhausted, unprecedented exhaustion. In the end, she couldn't endure sacrificing herself again and again to accompany Jason's memories.

"Skyler..." Chris can't help but call softly, his heart filled with intense pain.

"You talk to her, I'll go back first and prepare a hot towel for her, or she might catch a cold." Wendy tactfully speaks up, giving Chris enough opportunity, secretly hoping that Skyler can occasionally let go of her stubbornness and see the people around her.

Chris nods, watching Wendy quickly leave, then leads Skyler to the entrance of the dormitory building, staring at her absentmindedly.

To still be so strong despite this kind of mess, is the Jason from three years ago really that important to her? Important enough to cause such harm to herself.

"A-Chen, I'm so tired..." Finally, Skyler speaks up, but her words are enough to break her own heart and Chris's heart together.

"Give up. You are not her, and those stories between them have nothing to do with you. You know very well that no matter how good he is to you, it's all because of his longing for Eleasya. Although it may not be fair between two people, it shouldn't be too unfair. The one who loves him now and keeps doing stupid things for him is Skyler, not Eleasya!" Chris shouted, full of anger.

"But..." Skyler sobbed, choked up, still stubbornly holding on. "But I've persisted for three years, I can't let go. Joshua said that once you've held hands, you can't let go..."

"Then use Skyler's identity to hold on, let him see the person in front of him clearly! If you're tired, if you're exhausted, then turn around. And... Ah Chen will always support you. Whenever you speak up, I can be by your side, even if it means helping you forget Jason."

This time, Skyler woke up. She looked up at Chris, puzzled. For the first time, she seriously examined him. He was different from before, no longer wearing Joshua's smile from three years ago. His eyes only held determination and no regrets, which scared her.

She shook her head, stepping back step by step, then fled back to the dormitory like escaping. Everything that happened today was too much for Skyler to handle, too chaotic to make sense of, so she could only escape.

Fortunately, there was still Wendy. That was the only thing Skyler could be grateful for. When she returned to the dormitory, Wendy had already prepared hot water for her. After washing away her exhaustion, she clung to Wendy like a child, insisting on squeezing onto the same bed.

Wendy had no choice but to agree. Ah, who let her have such bad luck, encountering a friend like this.

"Wendy, are you asleep?" It was late at night, the rain outside continued to fall, and after tossing and turning for a long time, Skyler finally gave up her naive idea of forcing herself to sleep and weakly spoke up.

"No." Wendy turned her head, looking at her, and said worriedly, "I'll chat with you."

"Ah Chen... he said something strange to me just now..." After hesitating for a while, Skyler decided to rely on Wendy to help her sort out her thoughts.

That i***t finally said it, Wendy sighed. "It's not strange, it's something he has been suppressing for a long time. You're just a bit slow and haven't noticed it all along."

"Indeed, I'm really slow. Wendy, what should I do?" She admitted her belated realization.

"Can you let go of Jason?"

Can she let go of Jason... After hearing this, Skyler fell silent and kept asking herself in her heart. If she could let go, would she still be here?

This night at the Tang family was even more chaotic.

After Skyler left, Tang's mother's emotions still couldn't calm down. Looking at her stubborn son in front of her, she couldn't hold back anymore.

Ignoring Tang's father's obstruction, she suddenly stepped forward, raised her hand, and slapped him hard, shouting, "Jason, wake up. Look clearly at that girl, she is not Eleasya. Eleasya is already dead. No matter who you provoke, you are not allowed to associate with this girl."

"It's none of your business!" After a moment of stunned silence, Jason left without even looking back, leaving behind these heart-wrenching words.

Tang's mother stared at her own hand in a daze. She actually hit her son, the son she had always wanted to shower with love... All of this was because of that girl named Skyler. Since she appeared in their world three years ago, there hasn't been a peaceful moment in the Tang family!

Lost in her thoughts, she collapsed onto the sofa, picked up a photo beside her, and tears flooded her eyes. Tang's father shook his head helplessly, his eyes also filled with tears. He could only hold his wife silently, comforting her without words.

"It's all in the past, that nightmare is over. Hopefully, it won't happen again..."

He repeated these words over and over again, his voice sounding particularly old, even filled with heart-wrenching pain.

Meanwhile, Jason leaned against the stairs, silently listening to every word his parents said, his eyes gradually clouded with hurt. Memories from three years ago slowly resurfaced, as if his parents had deliberately hidden too much from him.