Favo Novel
Chapter 176
Chapter 176
Chapter 176 All Over
The lively bonfire came to an end, and the tourists gathered for a group photo before returning to the bus and heading back.
Meanwhile, a black car continued to follow them on the way back.
They arrived back at the hotel at four in the morning.
None of the three of them felt sleepy. As they recalled memories of the northern lights and looked through the photos they took, they chatted joyfully, and their excitement grew.
Charlie picked a few photos and posted them on her Instagram.
In the past, when rumors about Imogen and Troy’s relationship first began circulating, Charlie had spoken up for Imogen and faced a lot of criticism from netizens.
But when Troy clarified the situation, and the narrative turned around, Charlie gained more. followers for her loyalty to her friend.
Of course, there were those who liked to criticize had claimed that Charlie and Imogen weren’t really friends and that Charlie was just using Imogen to gain public recognition. Charlie didn’t pay attention to those comments.
She had mentioned her travel plans on Instagram when she decided to go on the trip, and many fans shared their experiences below her posts.
When leaving Oslo, she shared her traveling experiences in Oslo on Instagram, coupled with carefully edited photos.
That time around, she posted a grid of nine pictures.
The eight surrounding photos were all photos of landscapes and the northern lights, while the center one was a group photo of the three of them under the northern lights.
The comments began to pour in.
Some praised the beauty of the northern lights, some shared their travel experiences, and some were filled with envy.
Among the amicable comments, Charlie suddenly noticed something grating.
[The woman standing on the left in the middle photo must be Ms. Forbes, right? She’s quite cunning. You defended her on the internet and faced all the backlash while she stayed quiet in the background. She’s probably just using you and never saw you as a friend. These rich people are all shrewd.]
Charlie contemplated responding and confronting the commenter, but after some thought, she decided to delete the comment instead.
However, Imogen still saw the comment before Charlie managed to delete it.
The three of them stayed up chatting until five in the morning.
In the darkness, Imogen lay in bed with her eyes closed, carefully reflecting on herself.
She wondered how Charlie mustered the courage to stand up to the keyboard warriors on Instagram. Fearless was she in the face of all those critics against her in the comments and the
even more derogatory private messages people sent her. Imogen wondered why she couldn’t be like Charlie.
Deep down, she knew she wasn’t as strong as she appeared.
Many a time, her calm appearance was but a façade she worked hard to maintain.
29
She feared that Troy would look down on her, knowing that he disliked people who wallow in self– pity.
Back when she was accused of being a third wheel, even if she couldn’t make a post on Instagram, she could have held a press conference or done a live stream to clear her name.
However, she did neither.
Troy made her suffer, but despite the sadness and frustration she felt, she always swallowed her grievances and never rebelled.
Over the years, she had been chasing Troy’s footsteps, seeking his approval, and it had become her habit.
She was used to pleasing him, so even when insulted, she didn’t dare complain in front of Henry, fearing his displeasure and disdain.
Even when wronged, she didn’t dare clarify herself without his approval, worried he’d get angry and hate her even more.
Imogen had to thank her two friends. Without them, it would have been hard for her to break free.
During those years of loving Troy, she lost so much of herself.
After
ab that, she wanted to be herself again, considering her own feelings without worrying
about what others thought of her and holding back.
After tossing and turning in bed, Imogen got up in the middle of the night and logged into her Instagram account, the one she hadn’t used ever since being cyberbullied. She posted an update.
It’s all over.]
The post was accompanied by a photo of her divorce papers.
In an instant, hundreds of comments flooded the comments section, and the post was quickly gaining traction.
Internet users had already speculated about Troy’s infidelity, and the post seemed to have confirmed their suspicions. The comments section was filled with people sympathizing with and supporting Imogen, berating Troy as trash, and even attacking the woman who Troy had presumably cheated with.
But for Imogen, none of it mattered anymore.
The moment she made the post, she heaved a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted off
her chest.
She no longer had to worry about displeasing Troy, and she would no longer affect him. She switched off the screen of her phone, closed her eyes, and quickly drifted into sleep. Little did she know, just a wall away, Troy lay in bed, unable to sleep.
Eventually, he took out one of Imogen’s garments from his luggage and held it close to him. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
Ever since being discharged, he had moved back into the master bedroom. Only by lying on the large bed where Imogen spent her nights and taking in her lingering scent could he fall asleep.
Yet not long after, his sleep was interrupted by the ringing of his phone.
Lane had called to remind him to check the trending topics on Instagram.
Opening the app, he saw the top keyword on the list was. [Troy and Imogen divorced.]
He clicked on it and found a recent post from Imogen.
His heart felt like it had been struck hard, a dull ache spreading within him.
“Is she so eager to sever our ties and escape me? Could it be that she’s really interested in that Erik?” He wondered.
He gripped the bedsheets, restraining the urge to go knock on Imogen’s door, a dark look in his
eyes.
At one in the afternoon, Imogen woke up when Charlie and Alex were still fast asleep.
After checking the time, she decided not to wake them. Daylight was fading, and there wasn’t much time left for exploring anyway.
While she freshened up, Charlie and Alex got up in their respective rooms.
By the time they headed out after eating, it was already three o’clock in the afternoon, and the sky was dimming.
As they stepped out, Imogen spotted Yann nearby.
He had just closed the door to the room next to theirs, seemingly about to head out.
Seeing them, he nodded at Imogen and remarked, “Are you staying here too?” Despite their unexpected encounter, his eyes showed no surprise.
“Are you staying here too? Quite a coincidence. Heading out?” Imogen asked. Yann gestured toward the adjacent room. “Yes, I’m going out with “Wishing you a great time.”
“Same to you.”
my friend.”
After that brief exchange, Charlie, Alex, and Imogen wandered around the city, exploring Tromso’s museums, aquarium, library, pedestrian street, and the Arctic Cathedral.
The uniquely shaped Arctic Cathedral had a triangular front, looking stunning against the night sky. Charlie captured numerous beautiful photos.
By six o’clock in the evening, they found a restaurant and began their meal.
Halfway through, Charlie suddenly swore and pushed her phone toward Imogen. “Imogen, take a look at this.”
Puzzled, Imogen glanced at the screen, which displayed Charlie’s Instagram feed. Troy had created a personal Instagram account, gaining millions of followers in just twelve hours. The badge next to his account name meant he had his account verified.
He had posted just once, seemingly in response to Imogen. [A long, winding road lay ahead of me, but I will reach my destination one day.]
Charlie took back her phone, exclaiming, “Could he mean that he doesn’t want to let go? This is getting on my nerves.”
Imogen shook her head. “Maybe he is referring to him and Sarah?”
“Who cares? As long as you stand your ground, Imogen.” Alex said.
“I understand.”
Not far away, Troy sat in a hidden corner, overhearing Imogen’s resolute response. He clenched his fist, feeling a sharp pain in his chest.
She had no lingering attachment.