The rest of Wednesday and Thursday went by more quickly than she liked and before she knew it, Lucy was once again standing in front of the room for her second modelling session.

Just like the other day, she was wearing plain underwear. Thank Mavis she did not have to be nude. She would never be able to live it down otherwise. It wasn't as though Darius had never seen her without her clothes on. She did lose her V-card to him after all. However, the idea of exposing herself in front of him again after he had torn her heart asunder made her want to strangle herself, then strangle him, and finally rip into something with a very sharp knife.

Lucy's lips quirked up in the corner. She already had a very good idea of what she would loveto rip into.

When she recalled the day he returned with the letter, Lucy wanted to retch.

She still could not believe the gall of that man. He had walked… Scratch that. He had strutted into the building wearing the most pompous smile as he declared his victory. And her? Well, she had been so incredibly foolish as to congratulate him for it, even going so far as to throw him a grand celebration with all their friends.

Oh, the nerve of that asshole!

The day she discovered the truth, that paper transformed from a symbol of mutual pride to the physical embodiment of his betrayal.

Lucy closed her eyes, imagining what she would do now if given a chance to turn back time.

As soon as Darius came through those doors, she would walk up to him, smiling lovingly as always… And then snatch the A4 envelope right out of his thieving hand.

Bewilderment would flit across his face, and he'd ask what the matter was. His tone would be nails-on-the-chalkboard grating. It would be the same asinine tone he affected whenever he thought she was being childish.

She hated him for using it – it made her feel weak and inferior. But she hated herself even more for allowing him to use it.

This time, however, she would force herself to listen to every, single, word, for that would make what came next ever the more satisfying.

She imagined herself undoing the thin grey twine sealing the envelope and letting the narrow flap fall open.

Lucy would reach in and with two fingers, pull the paper out in a gentle, almost reverent manner. The brown envelope, now emptied and useless, would drop to the floor with a soft 'Thwak'.

The all-important letter would be pinched between four fingers. The high-quality sheet voluminous, and its gold gilded borders slightly rough against her finger pads.

And then, right in front of all their loved ones and friends, Lucy Heartfilia would rip his scholarship acceptance letter right down the middle.

Shredding sounds would tear into the air as the fibres gave way one at a time. Lucy would smile maliciously every second of the way, her gaze never leaving him, as she ripped those halves into halves, and then those halves into halves again.

Just imagining the abject horror melting into the green flecks of his irises, and his tanned skin blanching to the colour of a cooked chicken made a smug chuckle part her lips.

Her eyelids lifted now, dragging her painfully back into reality. Lucy heaved a depressing sigh. What was the point of imagining it now? All it did was give her a moment's solace.

When the truth came out, she had been terribly hurt. But even while wallowing in her misery, she had been blinded by love and as such, even promised not to report him to the dean.

How the intelligent blonde had not realised sooner that her ex was Grade-A toxic was beyond her. Eventually, she did, but her blindness had already created the perfect recipe for the worst heartbreak.

The only revenge Lucy could get was to break up with him. But that did not change a thing. The scholarship, along with the internship opportunity it came with, was now all his.

Well, that was years ago now. Best not to dwell on those suffocating memories. Lucy turned the doorknob and entered the room. Everyone had already gathered despite it being early. The teacher was also sitting at her desk consulting with a few students.

Upon seeing Lucy enter, she suggested, "Shall we start early then, everyone?"

Lucy nearly smiled. The faster this began, the faster it would be over. Then, she would be able to properly evict the accursed man from her mind.

But the funny thing is, things don't always go according to plan.

Darius Fairheart was waiting for her in front of the classroom just like the previous week. The only saving grace was that she figured he might pull a stunt like that again, so she had already schooled her expression into a cold sneer.

"Lulu-"

"Fuck off."

"Lulu, just five minutes. That much is acceptable, don't you think?" he sighed, cutting her path off again. "For old time's sake."

Lucy mercilessly stomped on his foot. For good measure, she ground the chunky heel into the top of his foot. Pain seized him and she savoured the sight of him hopping around comically on his uninjured leg.

"You lost whatever 'old time's sake' concessions with your little act of thievery, Fairheart. So much for your name. See you never again, asshole."

She had barely taken three steps when his next words brought her to a screeching halt.

"I can set up a meeting for you and Professor Crosby!"

"Make this quick," Lucy gritted out as soon as she dropped her satchel onto the table noisily. Curious eyes glanced her way, but she didn't give the onlookers a second of her time. As much as she detested being in her ex's company, her curiosity had been stoked to a burning flame.

"It's been a long day and I'm exhausted," he replied, turning towards the counter. "Can I at least get some coffee?"

He jumped when she suddenly grabbed his bag strap and yanked him back down onto his seat. "There is nothing more exhausting for me than having to deal with you. Start now."

The man cast her a look of exasperation, but he did not follow up with a retort. "As you know, my scholarship came with an internship with Professor Crosby-"

"A scholarship you stole from me, you mean," she cut in dryly. "And an internship that should have been mine."

His brows narrowed and Darius snapped back, "You were never going to submit that portfolio, Lucy. It was just going to languish away in the darkness because you were too scared to send it in. I just gave it a chance to be appreciated."

Lucy chuckled and gave him a slow clap. "I guess more congratulations are due then, for your admirable show of benevolence."

For a moment, the man looked like he was going to start yelling. Instead, he sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, alright? I really didn't think you were going to find out."

She stamped down the urge to smack his head with her metal tumbler.

"Even if I didn't find out, it doesn't mean you could plagiarise my ideas," she bit out. "Besides, you knew I was going to find out when you invited me to that exhibition. For Mavis' sake, Darius, you displayed one of my creations in the middle of the gallery. Front. And. Centre! What, did you think I was blind or that I had amnesia?!"

"I-"

"Forget it. This is a waste of my time. I'm leaving."

His arm shot out and Lucy instantly shook off his grip.

"Lucy, wait! I really do want to make it up to you. As I mentioned, I got to intern with Professor Crosby, and we've been in touch ever since."

"Whoo-pee."

"Let me explain, please," he beseeched. Lucy arched a brow. The tone and his expression screamed sincerity and contrition, but she had fallen for his lies way too many times to take them at face value.

"You have one minute."

"In three months, Professor Crosby will be holding another exhibition right here in Magnolia City. Before that, she wants me to introduce her to some talented artists. If they're chosen, they will get a chance to have their own section in her gallery."

At this point, Darius touched her arm gently.

"Lucy, I gave her your name. Yours was the first and the only name I gave her."

"…What?"

"That means you're a shoo-in for that exhibition spot. I know that you know exactly just how influential Nikayla Crosby is. The world will be your oyster even if you only have one painting in her gallery, and she's promising a whole wall!"

That announcement floored her. The blonde would have collapsed had she not found the seat in time. Darius leaned in almost immediately and grabbed her slack hand. Despite the unnerving tingles shooting up her skin, Lucy had no strength to flick his hand off.

In an emphatic voice, he continued, "Lucy, please. I can't tell you how much I regret losing you the way I did. The guilt burns a hole in my chest whenever I think about the day we broke up. Please let me make it up to you."

His words sliced through the fog in her mind. Clarity sharpened her gaze and Lucy jolted.

"You fu- Are you trading this offer for me? Darius, if you think I'd be willing to reconsider our rela-"

"Absolutely not," he stated firmly. The man sat upright and raised his palms in defence. "I know that you will not take me back. This is just what I want to do to redeem myself in your eyes. As a person. As a friend."

Lucy had not known what to say. In the end, she just thanked him for the announcement and left. Neither did he try to stop her. Instead, he gave her a name card and added, "Please think about it, Lucy. If you're willing to accept this opportunity, call me."

The blonde lay on her bed, her head pounding from the revelation of the evening.

Logic told her that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Her heart told her to burn his name card.

The whole reason she poured her heart and soul into that portfolio was Nikayla Crosby. The woman was a genius at using shadows to create magic on canvas, and she was one of Lucy's role models throughout her life as an artist.

The day she left home for good, she had deposited her bags in her dorm and zipped off to the National Gallery of Modern Art. There, Lucy Hearfilia found solace in being surrounded by beautiful colours and inspiring patterns.

It was also there that she had seen one of Crosby's works for the first time. And in that exact moment, Lucy had known that this woman would play a crucial role in the blonde's own career. And that was why Darius' underhanded move plunged a very sharp, very serrated knife into her chest.

If what he said was true, that the two of them had stayed in contact, accepting this opportunity would most likely mean she would have to deal with that snake.

She did not want anything to do with him for one minute, let alone three months.

But…

"Oh hell. What do I do now?"

This chapter came pouring out fast. I've been waiting to do the reveal for a while meaning to churn it out yesterday but I was drained.

It was originally going to be some love/cheating plot, but… Meh. That's kind of cliched now. Hope you all enjoyed this new twist.

Sam.