Good things never come in twos, but bad things do.

-December 29, 2024 | 12:00 p.m. Apartment 301, St. James Town – Toronto, Ontario-

“And that’s exactly what happened, Jay. The more I think about it, the more I’m sure he was just a scammer” Sophia said, struggling to keep her cool while venting to her best friend—who was basically the brother she never wanted.

At twenty-eight, Jay was a single father whose rocky relationship history had left him raising a three-year-old son alone. With his sharp facial features, society would have deemed him handsome if he’d only invest a little in himself. He had the same brown hair and eyes as Sophia, despite the fact that they weren’t siblings.

“Are you still dwelling on this? He’s clearly a scammer. Why else would he offer that much money for a contract?” Jay replied, taking a sip of his coffee. He had the exact same unimpressed expression as Sophia’s; the way they spoke and reacted was so similar, probably due to their long relationship.

“I know, right! But at the same time, what would he even do with my signature? It’s not like I’m some billionaire from the Financial District. I live in a tiny apartment in a neighborhood that would make him piss his pants, I swear.” She sighed dramatically. “Besides, I’m always in debt.”

“Wait, why are you in debt? What happened?” He looked puzzled, but as soon as he made eye contact with her, he realized she was in serious trouble. “Sophia?”

“My laptop got hacked.”

That was all she said, and Jay gasped as if she’d just told him he was adopted.

“Save the drama for a second, because it gets crazier,” she continued. “The hacker wanted five thousand dollars to give me my files back.”

“Wait... what if that creep is actually the hacker? What if he wanted you to suffer so you’d be desperate enough to take his money?” Jay’s theory was plausible, but Sophia shook her head.

“I don’t think so. It was my first day at the new restaurant and he was a regular.”

Jay didn't even bother responding with words; he just launched a sofa pillow directly at her face.

“By any chance, are you an idiot?” he asked with a fake, sugary-sweet smile. “If your theory was right, why didn’t he offer this 'deal' to the owner? He’s clearly targeting you.” He gestured wildly with his hands to drive the point home.

“But the owner said he’d had a fight on the phone with his dad the day before, so he might have just—” Jay cut her off by chucking the rest of the pillows at her.

“While I’m still asking nicely, please get out of my house.” He pointed toward the door, maintaining that same terrifyingly polite smile.

Sophia looked offended. “I was leaving anyway; I have to get to campus.” She stood up and gathered her things. “Should I stop by the daycare to pick up Alex?”

“Just leave.” His smile widened.

She gave a stiff nod, turning toward the door before he could actually kick her out. “Just so you know, you’re pathetic,” she shot back over her shoulder before vanishing from sight.

“You have no idea how pathetic I am” Jay murmured to himself.

-29 December 2024| 1:00 p.m. University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts & Science Ontario, Canada-

As soon as Sophia arrived, she had to rehearse the part she had revised the night before. Although Sophia didn’t plan to act—aspiring to be a director instead—she had to play the female lead for this rehearsal to improve the script.

“Why? I did everything for you. I gave up my dreams just so you could achieve yours. I starved myself so you could eat well. I never complained… but watching you become the person you always wanted made me so happy that I forgot how painful my life was… but you… you—”

She took a few steps closer to the male lead. Her steps were slow, as if she were struggling to breathe. When she reached him, she placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at him with teary eyes. “You betrayed me? Me? The love of your life?” The tears in her eyes were so real that anyone watching would believe she wasn’t acting.

“You called the police and pretended not to know me when I was the victim. I didn’t kill him… you know damn well.” She hit his shoulder a few times with weak, exhausted blows, but he remained silent.

“Answer me!” she screamed, gathering every ounce of energy to shout at him before shoving him away. He stumbled and fell hard to the ground.

“Cut! What do you think? Was I convincing?”

As if nothing had happened, Sophia wiped her tears while the rest of the group remained frozen, still caught in the intensity of the scene.

“I almost thought you really were his girlfriend,” Anna said, clapping proudly. The rest of the group quickly followed suit.

“C’mon, I’m not that good,” Sophia giggled shyly, rubbing the back of her head to hide her embarrassment.

“What about me?” A voice cut through, completely ruining the moment. The male lead—the director’s son—was still on the floor. He had stood there without saying a single word and still managed to get hit.

“Great act, Larry! I’ve never seen an emotional performance like that before,” one of his friends—his ‘guard dogs’—shouted. He had to overreact, or Larry might stop hanging out with him.

Sophia looked at Anna and laughed silently so the bastard wouldn’t notice. Deciding she needed a break, she retreated to the farthest corner with Anna.

“I don’t think I can continue with the second scene because—” she suddenly lowered her voice to a whisper, “my laptop was hacked.”

“What?!” Anna shrieked, making everyone turn. Sophia gave a nervous smile to the room.

“How did it get hacked?” Anna hissed, lowering her voice before they got into more trouble.

“Ransomware or something. The point is, I have to pay five thousand to get my files back.” Sophia leaned her back against the wall, defeated.

“Even if you had the money, I doubt a hacker would actually give the files back,” Anna said with concern. “Don’t you think it might be Larry?”

“Larry? Why would he do it? He knows damn well that if I lose those files, his graduation project is ruined, too. Plus, I think—” Sophia hesitated. She wasn’t ready to mention the guy from the restaurant yet. She sighed deeply. “Whatever.”

“Have you settled things with your mom yet?” Anna asked, her voice softening. “Maybe she can help you out with the money or something.”

“Girl, I haven’t even seen her since yesterday,” Sophia replied, her tone turning sharp with frustration. Then, she paused as the realization hit her. “Wait… why didn’t she come home last night?”

“Maybe she just stayed late at the bar?” Anna suggested, trying to ease Sophia’s sudden worry.

“She never does that.” Sophia’s heart sank. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, only to realize the battery was completely dead. She scrambled to find her charger, her hands shaking slightly as she plugged it into a nearby outlet.

As soon as the screen flickered to life, a wave of dread washed over her. Before she could even check her messages, the phone began to vibrate. It was a call from her mother’s coworker.

“Thank God you finally answered!” the woman exclaimed the moment Sophia picked up. “I’ve been trying to reach you since yesterday. Your mom got into a fight with a customer—she hit him over the head. You need to get to the hospital; she has to pay his medical fees immediately, or he’s going to press charges.”

-29 December 2024 |3:00 p.m. St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada-

“Is your mom okay?” jay asked the moment he saw Sophia. “Anna didn’t explain anything.”

He lived nearby and never hesitated when Sophia needed help, whether she asked for it or not. This time, he had brought his son with him, having no chance to drop the boy off elsewhere. The worry on his face deepened when he noticed Sophia sitting in the waiting area, her shoulders slumped, her eyes fixed on nothing.

“Her mom hit a customer. On the head. She had to cover his medical bills, or he’d report her to the police.” Anna answered on her behalf.

Jay frowned. “How much?” He paused. “And why did she hit him?”

Sophia lifted her gaze. Her smile was strained, almost apologetic. “Another five thousand. I don’t understand how a head injury costs that much, but I do know one thing.” She inhaled slowly. “I’m fucked.”

Alex, who had been quietly observing, tilted his head. “Jay-Jay? What does ‘fucked’ mean?”

Jay crouched down, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders. His voice remained perfectly calm. “It’s a word only Sophia is allowed to use. If you copy it, you’ll be in trouble.” Alex nodded, satisfied.

“Why did you come?” Jennifer’s voice, Sophia’s mom, snapped through the air. Everyone turned. She didn’t look at Jay, her attention was locked on Sophia “I told you to mind your own business or are you worried I’ll end up in jail?”

Sophia stood. Anger sharpened her voice “Is that really all you have to say after hitting an innocent man? Why are you like this?”

Jennifer raised an eyebrow, unimpressed “Innocent?” Her voice rose. “Do you have any idea what he did to me?”

Sophia took a step forward, her hands clenched, but Jay moved quickly, positioning himself between them. He guided Jennifer away before the argument could spiral further, leaving Anna with Alex in the waiting room.

“I shouldn’t have come,” Sophia muttered, already walking away. “Maybe she wants to rot in prison. At least then she wouldn’t have to see my face.”

-Sophia’s POV-

I wasn’t sure when I decided to leave, only that my body moved before my mind could catch up. I walked until the hospital was behind me and the street opened up. The cold hit me immediately; I’d left my jacket on the chair inside. Typical. I stood there, hands tucked into my sleeves, wishing for a cigarette.

That’s when I noticed him.

He stood a short distance away, perfectly still, like he belonged somewhere else entirely. A black suit. A neatly tied tie. Black hair, medium-length, styled with careful precision. I couldn’t make out his face clearly, but something about him felt deliberate—controlled.

Another man rushed toward him, clearly searching for him. He looked ordinary, dressed casually.

“I almost thought you went back home,” the second man said, breathless and close to tears.

I didn’t know why I was suddenly interested in their conversation. Maybe I just needed a distraction. I stepped closer and leaned against a nearby pole.

Damn it. He was extremely attractive. He had dark blue eyes and two moles on his left cheek and —why did I feel like I’d seen him somewhere before?

“I agreed to come to this stupid meeting because you insisted,” the man in the suit said coldly, “but I never agreed to stay until the end.”

Two things clicked at once. This must be his manager, and I’d definitely heard that voice before.

“Ray, please,” the other man begged. “I know you don’t want to work with Director David, but you have to. If your relationship with him stays bad, he’ll spread rumors everywhere. Even if your father is the CEO, your reputation won’t survive it.”

Ray rolled his eyes.

So his name was Ray. An actor named Ray…

Wait. Ray Wong? That famous Chinese-Canadian actor?

Was I hallucinating? Were they really talking about David, Larry’s father? What kind of metaverse crossover was I witnessing?

“David doesn’t have the authority to touch me,” Ray said. “And that’s not even why I refused the role.” His jaw tightened. “I told him I’m on hiatus. He ignored it and dragged me into this while I was dealing with my own shit.”

“You’ve been on hiatus a lot lately,” the manager joked weakly. “People are wondering if you secretly got married.”

Ray didn’t flinch. “Stop talking nonsense. Just tell him I had a bad stomachache and was about to shit myself.” He patted the manager’s shoulder and walked off.

The poor manager was left standing there, looking like he’d seen a ghost. I couldn’t help but laugh; his bewildered expression was a perfect mirror for my own life lately. Ray had been my favorite child actor when I was young—probably the reason I wanted to become a director in the first place. I hadn’t watched any of his recent projects because I’d been so busy with high school and college, but he must be twenty-six now, if I’m not mistaken. I remembered him being four years older than me.

"Who stole your thoughts, Miss Warner?”

Jay’s voice pulled me back to reality. I felt the weight of my jacket as he draped it over my shoulders.

“Hey Jay, remember Ray Wong?” I asked. I didn’t realize how wide I was smiling until Jay gave me a look of pure judgment.

“Are we really back in the middle school fangirl phase?” He rolled his eyes, leaning against the cold metal of the pole beside me.

“It’s not a phase, I just remembered him” I lied, though the curiosity was itching at me. “Have you seen what he looks like now?”

“The question is how to avoid seeing him. He’s everywhere, Ads, dramas, movies—you can’t turn on a screen without seeing his face.” He sounded genuinely annoyed. He’d always been a bit protective, and my interest in a celebrity was clearly low on his list of priorities.

“Guess I’m the only one in the dark then” I muttered with a dry laugh.

“Enough about the actor. We need to talk about your mom.” Jay’s tone shifted, becoming grave. “She was a victim, Sophia. That man wouldn’t take no for an answer. He tried to force her to leave with him, and she hit him with a vase to get away. She didn’t want you to know because she didn’t want you carrying her debts.”

The brief escape into nostalgia vanished, replaced by the crushing weight of my reality. Of course it was self-defense. It always was with her, but the “how” didn’t change the “how much.”

“It’s always the same,” I sighed, resting my heavy head on Jay’s shoulder. “Miscommunication. If she just spoke to me like a human being, I’d be there for her. But… ugh. Forget it.”

“So,” Jay asked quietly, “do you have a plan?”

I nodded against his shoulder, the silence between us heavy with the secret I was keeping. I did have a plan. I was going to call the man from the restaurant and take the deal before my two days were up. And if I had my way, no one would ever find out I was getting married.

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