Chapter 3

The air went quiet for a beat.

Chloe pressed her fingers to her red lips and let out a coy little giggle.

"I was going to get you hair clips, but I figured you wouldn't really have a use for them."

"This seemed much more fitting. Just give your head a little buff now and then—you'll shine even brighter on camera."

The whole party erupted in piercing laughter.

Ethan shook his head with a helpless, indulgent smile and tapped Chloe lightly on the head.

"You're something else. Only you would come up with that."

I stood there, hollow, unmoving.

It wasn't until they sensed something was off and the laughter began to stiffen that I finally spoke.

"Had your fun?"

"Good. Then enjoy the rest of the party yourselves."

"I'm tired. I'm going back to the room."

I turned and left before any of them could react.

Back in the hotel room, I lay on the bed and realized my eyes already burned with a raw, stinging ache.

The room was quiet. Nothing but the low drone of the air conditioner.

I stared at the ceiling, replaying the same images over and over—strangers' phones aimed at my bare head after Chloe snatched off my wig, the laughter ringing through the party.

Ethan didn't come back until well past midnight.

He reeked of alcohol and still had a grin on his face.

He sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch my head. I turned away.

He blinked, then sighed, softening his tone.

"Mia, still upset?"

He didn't wait for an answer before continuing on his own.

"That's just who Chloe is—she's playful, she doesn't mean any harm. She put a lot of effort into planning that party, all because she wanted to make you happy."

His voice gradually took on a note of reproach.

"And what did you do? You stormed out in front of everyone. Do you know how embarrassing that was for her?"

I finally opened my eyes and stared at him hard.

"What about me?"

"Did it ever cross your mind that *I* might be embarrassed?"

Ethan frowned, looking exasperated.

"She was trying to surprise you, to cheer you up."

"You're just too sensitive. You always assume everyone's out to get you. Stop thinking the worst of people."

"Surprise me?"

"*I'm* the one who's too sensitive?"

I scoffed, but my voice wouldn't stop shaking.

"So surprising me means ripping open my wounds in front of the whole world, over and over? If you were the one who was bald, would you be fine with someone doing this to you? You're not me—what gives you the right to be forgiving on my behalf?"

Ethan's face went completely dark.

His lips parted as if to say something, but a knock at the door cut him off.

"Ethan, Mia—are you guys asleep?"

It was Chloe's voice, tentative and cautious.

Ethan shot me a look and went to open the door.

Chloe stood in the doorway wearing a thin nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders, looking every bit the fragile damsel.

The moment she stepped inside, she grabbed my hand, voice trembling on the verge of tears.

"Mia, I'm sorry. I know I went too far today."

"But I really didn't mean it. I just wanted to make you happy."

She sniffled, looked up at me with pleading eyes.

"Mia, I have a favor to ask."

"I signed a deal to do a livestream endorsement for a shampoo brand. It goes live tomorrow. Could you… help me out?"

I stared at her, a bad feeling crawling up my spine.

"Help you how?"

Chloe lowered her head. A smile flickered across her lips, quick as a flash, before her expression slid back into that wounded look.

"So here's the thing. You know I'm a model—my figure and my hair have always been my biggest assets."

"The brand's concept for the livestream is to have me walk the runway on camera and show off my hair."

"And you'd stand in the background—as a bald contrast—to make the difference more striking."

"The visual impact would be amazing for the stream."

I wrenched my hand free, my voice turning cold.

"And if I don't want to?"