"Yes, it was why I got this bruise. Their other girlfriends and boyfriends asked to meet with me, so I met with all of them yesterday. They asked me what I knew, and I showed them the videos and photos as well. They were all so angry and revealed they had also been lied to by the two. They then called Tricia and Tom there and broke up with them on the spot and left. The two were furious at me for revealing the truth. Tricia showed her true colors and cussed me a lot before slapping me. Haha," Denise laughed as if the slap was not painful.
"Are you sure you should be laughing. Your bruise hurts, right?" Lillian checked Denise's face again.
"It's alright. I feel satisfied because I slapped her back on both cheeks. Tom pulled me by the collar and hit me. It was where I got this bruise. But I hit him back many more times. His face was a mess. Haha. Just remembering their shocked faces when they saw all their lovers gathered was so funny," Denise had another laugh even when her bruise hurt. "I got revenge for you, so don't cry about them anymore, okay?"
"Thank you! I'm truly so glad I have you!" Lillian was teary-eyed as she hugged Denise. She may have lost two traitors, but here was one loyal and loving friend who even fought for her! "But you didn't have to get hurt like this. Let's go and have your face checked. It's my treat as thanks."
"Haha. Sure, sure. I don't want it to leave a lasting mark," Denise chuckled.
***
Despite her broken heart from her lover's betrayal and her friend's traitorous act, Lillian graduated with flying colors.
Meanwhile, Tricia and Tom did not because they could not finish their research paper. After all, they only passed the research proposal thanks to Lillian preparing it for them and Denise coaching them on how to present it. With both of them cutting off the two, and everyone else avoiding them, Tricia and Tom were stuck with each other.
It was quite a crazy tale. The rumors spread in the whole campus that Tricia and Tom were cheaters who also cheated on each other. It became a major rumor on the campus because their other 'lovers' popped up after the cheating they did on Lillian was revealed.
The truth spread like wildfire, and it was then that they learned some people already knew about the cheating before Lillian and Denise did, but did not know how to approach Lillian to inform her about it. Thus, people did not doubt Lillian and Denise's integrity.
Without them having to do anything more, Tom and Tricia were branded as cheaters as they deserved. Tricia became known as the poisonous fake white lotus, and Tom as a scumbag who pretended as a disciplined and celibate priest when he was in fact a fuckboy.
As for Lillian, her tears had dried up, and when it did, she no longer felt anything, regardless of what the two traitors said or did to still try to throw shade over her.
Lillian focused on her future instead. Before graduation, she had already floated her resume to as many employers as she could in another town. She was set on living elsewhere to completely move on from the two traitors.
Denise also did the same because she no longer wanted to be associated with or bothered by the two and all the drama their cheating created.
While people made a racket about the incident, Lillian and Denise focused on applying for work to as many prospective companies as they could. Both of them got accepted to work before they even graduated. Thus, upon graduation, after celebrating a bit, they moved to another town, leaving everything that had happened here behind.
Meanwhile, Tricia and Tom transferred schools in the hopes that the rumors about their actions would not follow them, but they still did. And without Lillian and Denise to help them, it took them additional years before graduating from college.
***
Time quickly passed by, and it had been years since then.
Initially, Lillian became a typical office worker. She got promoted within a month, and her next job assignment included having to travel a lot in various places, so the cheating incident gradually left her mind.
As the years went by, Lillian worked her way up the ladder and built a stable career through her hard work.
However, after that cheating incident, Lillian was never what she once was. Being occupied and busy all the time had become her life. No, she had always been busy, but it became even worse since that time.
As if leaving no time to think or feel, while working, she also studied like a psycho. Thus, at 26, Lillian had earned two master's degrees and a PHD.
Lillian had gained experience in various fields and visited various places, but some things truly scar one for life. She was a fully grown lady now. Yet, she only buried herself with work, as if afraid of what relationships could do to her.
For the past years, things had been peaceful for Lillian. However, the past seemed to finally catch up to her and began making a mess of her life again.
"I heard she cheated on her ex-boyfriend and twisted the story."
"I heard she was the one who got cheated on because she thinks she's some kind of very valuable treasure."
"I heard it was because she's too focused on achievements."
"Indeed. Look, she's going on another business trip to get another promotion. She's too hungry for power and attention."
"She's such a pretentious b*tch! She must think she's above everyone else because she gets promoted so quickly."
"I heard she got cheated on by her ex because she's too much."
"Look at her all dressed up like she's the CEO of the company instead of an employee!"
"Indeed! Even if her position is high she should not over shadow the CEO. Everyone who tried to pursue her gave up because she's too stuck-up on her high horse."
People had all sorts of comments about her in her current corporate job. Some had heard rumors about the fiasco when she was in college, and connected it to why she was still single and only focused on work.
In some rumors, she was branded the cheater; in others, it was Tom and Tricia who were branded as the cheaters they were. However, Lillian was always pointed out to be at fault for the cheating.
It was quite infuriating for something from so long ago to come up now and create annoying rumors about her and make things difficult.
They even commented on the way she dresses when it was the CEO who required it because she's in a high position. Rather, all employees in the company were required to dress formally and neatly.