Elio Novan has it all-wealth, power, and the success of YUI, the world's leading tech giant. But beneath the surface, his life is anything but perfect. Haunted by a tragic past and a betrayal that left him shattered, Elio has built walls around his...
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It's already been a week since I joined the leaders in DIAD, and honestly, it's been... quite fun! I've made some new friends and even feel less lonely, which is something I hadn't expected at all. Everything has been great-well, almost everything. There's one thing, or rather, one *person*, that's been gnawing at my happiness like an unwelcome pest.
Her name is Avena. She's one of the other ten leaders, and at first, I really liked her. She's charming, confident, and seems to know everyone. But then... she started doing things that really *irk* me. Things that made me a bit... jealous. Okay, a *lot* jealous. Let me rewind a bit and explain.
It was around lunch again, and this time, I decided to make my own lunch and bring it to YUI. Feya and I had agreed to eat with some of the other leaders in the main meeting room. It's pretty lively there, though there's a max of five leaders eating at a time, so it never feels too crowded.
Everything was going smoothly. The room was filled with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of utensils against plates. It was fun, lighthearted-just what I needed. That is, until I saw Elio walk in. He took his seat, the one that's apparently designated just for him, and I noticed something odd.
He wasn't eating.
I always prepare something for him to eat, but there he was, sitting at the table with nothing in front of him. My heart sank a little. *Has he already eaten?* I wondered. Or maybe he's just not hungry? I didn't know what to think, and it made me a bit uneasy.
Then, Avena decided to sit next to him.
At first, I didn't think much of it. But then, I saw her do something that made my blood boil-she was *feeding* Elio, like he was some kind of helpless child. My stomach twisted as I watched her, that bitch, leaning in close, holding a fork to his lips. And what's worse? He was eating it, right there in front of everyone, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"W-what's Avena doing...?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside me.
"Oh... s-she... always does that with Elio... since he never has any food with him..." Feya said, her tone calm as if she were talking about the weather.
"Never... h-has... anything to eat, huh..." I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper as I clenched my fists under the table.
From that moment, I couldn't stand the sight of her. I despised Avena. I don't know why it got to me so much-maybe because I could see that, to Elio, it was nothing. He seemed indifferent, like he was just going through the motions, not even really noticing Avena's attention. But it *hurt*. I felt like she was encroaching on something that was supposed to be mine and mine alone.
I decided that I had to talk to Elio about it. That evening, I was going to confront him.
The evening came, and as usual, Elio was late. Lately, he's been coming home... a bit tipsy, which worries me more than I'd like to admit. I wonder if it's stress, or if he's just trying to avoid something-maybe *me*. But tonight, I'm not going to let it slide. I need to get this off my chest.
