Lost Me Gained Regret

Summer just couldn't shake off the urge to head back to Vista Town to catch up with Bella.

But paparazzi, they're like bloodhounds sniffing out fresh news.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

There was no guarantee she could sneak out of the hotel unnoticed.

For now, she was stuck waiting.

"I'm starving. Run out and grab me something to eat, will you?" she snapped.

Gwen swallowed her pride and nodded, though her hand barely touched the doorknob when a sudden knock made her jump.

Summer was spooked too, quickly ducking out of sight, signaling Gwen to check who it was.

Peering through the peephole, Gwen saw a man in a security uniform, but she didn't make a sound, letting him knock.

"What's with the silence?" Summer hissed, impatient.

Gwen barely had time to hush her.

The man outside ceased knocking, raising his voice instead, "Hello, hotel security here. We've had complaints about noise from this floor. Could you please open the door?"

It was a sensitive moment.

Assistants might not have the savvy of a manager, but they knew enough to be on alert, especially serving stars.

"Please apologize to the person downstairs for us. We admit it was our fault, and it won't happen again," Gwen managed to reply, her voice steady.

But the supposed security guard persisted, clearly aiming to get the door opened.

Gwen called his bluff, "You're not security, you're a journalist. Keep this up, and I'm calling the cops."

Caught, the man outside beat a hasty retreat, already plotting his next move.

Today was his golden opportunity to score a scoop on Bella's daughter, a story potentially worth its weight in gold.

Seeing him go, Gwen sighed in relief, yet Summer's gratitude was nowhere to be found. "How could a journalist even get up here? Can't you handle anything right?"

Summer lived in Bella's shadow,

depending on her for resources, public relations, and more. But with Bella unreachable, what could an assistant do besides preventing a direct media frenzy?

Before Gwen could muster a response, her phone buzzed.

Assistants had their ownwork, often sharing the less glamorous sides of their jobs. Today, the chatter was all about Summer.

"Still waiting on Summer hand and foot?"

"Just saw. She's not even Bella's real daughter."

"All that talk about 'my mom this, my mom that,' turns out she's nothing."

"I always thought Ms. Taylor was too good. How could her daughter lag so far behind? Turns out, she wasn't hers."

"A swan doesn't give birth to a crow."

From shock to calm, Gwen processed the news.

"Are you ignoring me now?"

Summer's voice cut through her

thoughts, dripping with regret

not

choosing Bella's assistant instead.

"You can't do anything right!"

"If you hadn't messed up with that camera last time, asking those idiotic questions, none of this would've happened!"

"I wouldn't be the laughing stock of the inte..."

"I quit!"

"What?" Summer's outburst was

abruptly cut off, her anger flaring up. "You begged to be my assistant, and you want to quit at a time like this!"

"And this mess is all your fault, all because of your stupidity."

Gwen realized arguing was pointless. Summer, with her head high, thinking she was above everyone because she was Bella's daughter.

"Maybe you should check the trending news. Fancy yourself a princess when you're squatting in someone else's nest? Idiot!"

With those words, Gwen felt a rush of liberation. She left, leaving Summer with nothing but her upright silhouette.