As he looked at her concerned face, he patted her hand again.

“Heh. It’s fine. Not even the Grenier family could predict my popularity or the growth I’ve experienced. As long as I don’t do anything too wild, they really can't affect my life, and I don’t need them any longer.

We do our own thing and try not to intersect too often. I rarely go back to family functions, even though they try to use my name all the time. Thankfully, I am at Platinum Entertainment, so the interference is minimal, and the agency lets me do my own thing for the most part.

Plus, Shawn has been a really big help from the moment we debuted. He’s just an all-around good guy who tries to support me and encourages me to make music and do things how I want. Don’t be deceived by his friendly face, though; that man will go to war for whoever he calls a friend, and it was nice to meet another person like that in my life.”

Apart from you.

He didn’t say the last part out loud as he looked at her pitying expression.

Clearing his throat, he quickly changed the subject.

“But enough of my life story; you wanted to know about yourself, right? We grew up together. Lived close to each other and were friends until we lost contact.”

As he stopped there, trying to formulate his words, she stared at him expectantly.

“More details, please? My family? Friends? Sports? Extra-curriculars? What else?” Valentina prodded him for more details as she ate, curious about the picture he was painting of a past she didn’t know.

“There’s really nothing to it. Your family was your parents, and you had a younger brother who was doted heavily on. You were a loner and really quiet and a little depressed. I was probably your only friend since you never even said a word in class. You didn’t like attention, never dressed up, frequently got bullied by your classmates, and spent time either in school, at your part-time job, or at home doing chores. The few times you were free, we would hang out and you watched me sing songs I wrote at karaoke bars. You were constantly sick. I really thought you were going to die young, honestly, between your weak body, coughing up blood constantly, and passing out randomly.”

Oop. She thought that her body’s sickness was something given to her by the system, but it seemed that the original body was just as sick, if not worse.

And the past of the original Valentina sounded just like hers. Although she wasn’t sickly, because she was an orphan in a poor orphanage, she had to work as soon as she was able to make money for her extra necessities as it wasn’t provided.

Extra workbooks, supplies for school, tutoring costs, and even things like sanitary towels and new clothing. She had to provide them for herself since there wasn’t a lot of money to go around for all the orphans.

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Although it wasn’t as bad as the original Valentina, she had run her body ragged trying to do all that and put herself through school. Once she had finally graduated with a job, before she could really make it in life, she had died from overwork.

It was a sad life, honestly, and what made it worse was that the original Valentina actually had parents who were her blood parents, yet they made her live the same way.

If she ever met those people, she would be sure to give them a piece of her mind.

“When did I meet the Salazars?” she asked, pivoting to the topic that she actually wanted to know.

Rio gave her a sad look before sighing.

“As I remember it, you found out about your true parents in high school due to a serious medical issue that happened where you almost died. Your…’father’ took a paternity test to determine if you were his because he had always been suspicious since you didn’t look like him and were so sick constantly. Naturally, it came out that you weren’t his child, and they almost divorced, but then your ‘mother’ took a maternity test, and they found out you weren’t related to her either. Then, they began searching and contacting the hospital and eventually contacted the Salazars to discuss adoption and swapping children.

A couple of months later, the adoption process into the Salazar family was formalized. You were a bit secretive about it, but I remember that whenever you had to spend time at the Salazar house before you fully lived over there, you always came back miserable.

After graduation, you and I lost contact as you planned on going overseas for university. I was honestly surprised to see you enter the entertainment industry since you were so shy growing up. It was why I didn't really say anything to you when you showed up for the job. I was a bit shocked to see you, and you seemed hell-bent on pretending you didn’t know me.”

“Hmm. What about my adoptive parents?”

“It’s better that you don’t know about those wicked people who would force a sickly child to work for her medicine money and support the family while she was supposed to be getting an education.” Rio grimaced before continuing to eat, forcibly ignoring the memories of a family who shamed their daughter for being sick.

Making a note of his words, Valentina changed the subject back to herself. After all, she didn't know those people so it didn't affect her one way or the other.

“Interesting. So, you and I were close? Bffs if you will? I guess the story we’re spinning for the media isn’t a lie then. You’re like my brother.”

“One, don’t call me that. I don’t want to be your brother, so let’s stick with friends. Secondly, you were a pretty girl who coughed up blood, had an easy-to-bully gloomy personality, and was poor. Unfortunately, even though I was the most handsome person in our school, I had to be friends with a loser like you and help you defend yourself. I’ll have you know you really brought down my credibility.”

Hearing his teasing tone, Valentina rolled her eyes before stuffing an entire tomato into his mouth with her chopsticks.

“If anyone was the loser, I’m sure it was you. Anyway, tell me how we grew up. What did we used to do? How did we spend our time? Did I have any other friends? Anything you can remember.”

“I will, but first, answer some questions for me. After all, you’ve been giving me the third degree.”

“Go for it.”

“What's with you and Kaiser Grayson? How did you end up living there? Are the two of you dating?”

Hearing the blunt questions, Valentina could only stare at him with a stumped expression.

Why was this question coming up now? Weren’t they just happily reminiscing about their shared traumatic childhood? How did the subject suddenly switch?

Authors Note: 4 Chapters until the fight with the one at home. Valentina is slowly digging a deeper pit for herself 😈