She Became His World by Turning Me Into the Villain novel Chapter 4

**TITLE: Married by Mistake, Loved by Fate — by L. Winters**

**Chapter 4**

I was utterly stunned. The words that had just escaped Ethan’s lips felt like daggers piercing through the fragile fabric of my heart.

He seemed to realize the gravity of his mistake almost immediately, his hand shooting out to grasp my sleeve as if he could physically pull me back from the brink of despair.

“Nora… that’s not what I meant,” he pleaded, his eyes wide with a mixture of regret and confusion.

But I was well beyond the point of listening; my feet were already pounding against the pavement as I raced home, each step fueled by a whirlwind of hurt and betrayal. Once inside, I locked myself in my room, the walls closing in around me as I let the tears flow freely, soaking my pillow and leaving me gasping for breath in the depths of my sorrow.

From that moment on, I cut off all communication with Ethan. It was as if I had buried myself in the pages of my books, seeking solace in the fictional worlds they offered. I was desperate to escape the reality that had become so unbearable.

I recalled the early days of high school when I had confidently declared to Ethan that I was determined to attend the same college as he would. But now, all I yearned for was to be as far away from him as possible, to erase the memories that haunted me.

For the entirety of our senior year’s second semester, I maintained a stony silence around Ethan, my heart a fortress of resentment.

Finally, after the SATs had come and gone, Ethan sought me out, appearing at my door with a bouquet of delicate forget-me-nots, their vibrant blue petals a stark contrast to the darkness swirling in my heart.

“Nora, I know I crossed a line,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

“I still don’t want to lose you,” he continued, desperation lacing his words. “Forget-me-nots for you—please don’t turn your back on me.”

He made a vow that he would protect me from any harm that might come my way, promising that from that day forth, I would always be his priority.

Eventually, my heart began to thaw, and we made a pact to ensure our futures intertwined in the same city.

When the time came to apply for colleges, we sat side by side, our fingers hovering over the keyboard, as we filled out applications for schools in New York City. He applied to Columbia University, a dream I had always admired from afar, while I chose an art college nearby, hoping to nurture my creative spirit.

In those moments, I allowed myself to feel a flicker of hope, imagining a future where our happiness would be intertwined forever.

But fate had other plans. I had forgotten to log out of my college application account on Ethan’s laptop.

It wasn’t until the acceptance letters rolled in, revealing a disheartening truth—that I hadn’t been accepted anywhere—that I realized someone had infiltrated my account and altered my applications without my knowledge.

All of my safety schools had been replaced with reach schools, far beyond the grasp of my academic scores, leaving me with a dismal outcome of zero acceptances.

There was only one person who could have orchestrated such a betrayal—Summer.

She had also filled out her college choices at Ethan’s place, having the same access to his laptop as I did.

**Chapter 4**

In a fit of rage, I stormed up to her, my mind racing with disbelief, and slapped her across the face right in front of Ethan.

The same Ethan who had vowed to protect me, who had sworn he would never let anyone hurt me again, yanked my sleeve, bewilderment etched across his features. “Are you out of your mind? You really think Summer is to blame just because you didn’t get into any schools?”

He conveniently overlooked the fact that I had filled out my college list sitting right beside him, with absolutely no motivation to sabotage my own future.

I pointed an accusatory finger at Summer, unleashing a torrent of accusations, but Ethan merely dismissed me as irrational.

In the end, he turned his back on me, walking away with Summer, leaving me shattered and alone, crumbling into a heap on the floor.

In a single, devastating day, I lost both my hopes for the future and the person I had loved so deeply.

Later, I would learn that Summer had confessed her feelings to Ethan on that very same day.

The following morning, instead of receiving an apology from Ethan, I was met with a voice message from Summer.

In the recording, her voice trembled as she sobbed, “Ethan, I swear I didn’t do anything like that. Do you trust me?”

Ethan’s response was swift. “I know,” he replied, his voice steady.

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