His Sweet Revenge Behind The Screen

The first time my online boyfriend asked for a video call, I was having a severe allergic reaction. My face was swollen like a bloated balloon, hideous beyond words. Yet his expression didn't change. He even crinkled his handsome eyes, comforting me gently: ["It's okay, baby. You don't have to explain."] ["I'm not superficial. I love you no matter what you look like."] To prove his sincerity, his enthusiasm skyrocketed. Every message was filled with longing to meet in person: ["Baby, I can't wait to see you."] Giddy with sweetness, I took an earlier train to surprise him. Until I sat down and came across a viral forum post: [What does sweet revenge feel like?] [Two months ago, to get back at an annoying mage who camped my bush 9 times in a game, I made an alt account to pretend to be her online boyfriend. Now I'm planning to ghost her at the station and break her heart into pieces.] The comments exploded. Some thought he was trolling, others called him an asshole. The OP didn't care: [You guys have no idea how disgusting she looks.] [We clicked really well, and I almost felt guilty enough to come clean. But the second I saw her ugly face on video, I snapped back to reality. Dodged a bullet. Punishing a monster like her is practically a public service.] [She claimed she was having an allergic reaction during the call, then sent me two staged photos afterward, claiming they were her.] [Picked top-tier celebrity photos too. Fake as hell.] 01 The post continued: [Just thinking about her excitedly taking the train to see me right now makes me laugh out loud.] [Not only ugly, but brainless too.] [Countdown to the breakup revenge trap!] My fingertips trembled as my brain completely short-circuited. When I first clicked on the thread, I tried to stay calm, telling myself not to jump to conclusions. But the details were too specific. I loved playing that fire mage, hiding in the bushes to ambush enemies all day. I met Gavin through that exact game right after graduation. The timing, the IP location... it all matched. He might as well have written my name on it. 02 Gavin's gaming skills were average at best, but he had an undeniable charm. His voice was smooth and laced with a lazy smile, and he was insanely generous. Within two days of playing together, he showered me with legendary limited skins like they were free. Spending so much time together, my teenage heart couldn't help fluttering. I naturally said yes when he confessed. My parents were easygoing about most things, but strict about dating. No relationships before college. So this was my very first romance... an online mystery box. Curious, I checked his pinned social media profile and realized I had pulled an ultra-rare SSR card. Luxury sports cars, expensive watches, and a face that could debut in Hollywood tomorrow. He exuded the effortless aura of a wealthy heir. My best friend, Riley, spent half an hour studying his pictures. Her offhand comment ended up being a terrifying prophecy: "Does a rich guy like this really need to online date? Feels kinda like a pig-butchering scam." She glanced at me, then sighed. "Whatever, a gorgeous girl like you is online dating him too. Strange world." Riley nudged me, whispering, "So, how far have you guys gotten? Has he seen what you look like?" I thought about it. "He never asked, and I never sent photos." My profile was set to private, filled with gaming screenshots. My last selfie was from New Year's Eve. After making it official, Gavin was attentive and sweet, but he never pressed for photos, seemingly unbothered by looks. Riley sat up straight, scrutinizing his selfies again. "What if he's using fake pictures? Girl, you should do a video call to verify. Better to inspect the goods now than get catfished in person." I agreed. So I scheduled a video call with Gavin for that evening, and he accepted without hesitation. 03 For our first virtual date, I spent the entire afternoon getting ready, checking my makeup in the mirror again and again, trembling with nerves. To calm down, I ate a slice of peach pastry from the bakery downstairs. I didn't realize it contained actual peach puree. I was terribly allergic to peaches. Dizzy and flushed, I passed out on my bed. When the ringing woke me up, I groggily picked up the call. On screen was a striking, fair-skinned guy. Exactly like his photos, with a sharp nose and a confident, dimpled smirk. Meanwhile, in the small preview box... My face was swollen like a giant steamed bun. My eyelids were puffed shut into slits, and my lips looked like two overcooked sausages. Hideous didn't even cover it. I quickly turned the camera away, stammering an apology. "I'm... I'm so sorry! I had an allergic reaction tonight, I look awful." He paused for half a second. Then his eyes crinkled warmly, his smile deepening. "It's okay, baby. You don't have to explain." "I don't care about looks. I love you no matter what you look like." Those words instantly melted my embarrassment, flooding my chest with warmth. Later, terrified he'd misunderstand, I picked two of my best selfies and sent them over. After a long silence, he sent back a helpless voice note: [Baby, don't have appearance anxiety. In my heart, you'll always be the cutest.] I didn't catch the underlying weirdness back then. I thought I had stumbled upon the ultimate dream boyfriend. Only now did the truth hit me... He thought I stole someone else's pictures to catfish him. That helpless tone, if I listened closely, was dripping with subtle mockery. 04 The forum post was exploding with comments. Some were egging him on, while others criticized his cruelty. My phone buzzed with a message. Baby: [Are you almost here?] Suppressing the bitter ache in my chest, I took a deep breath. Me: [Yeah.] I was about to forward the thread to confront him when his next messages flew in: [Then congratulations, you made the trip for nothing.] [Remember that match on May 26th at 11:15 PM? I'm the guy you ambushed 9 times in the bush. You ruined my whole night.] [I only dated you to play you for a fool, got it?] [We're done, ugly.] [Bye-bye.] He blocked and deleted me instantly. The thread that had all but named me directly was deleted shortly after under mounting backlash, and the account was deactivated. The whole sequence was so lightning-fast I didn't even get a chance to type a single word back. I stared blankly at my phone. To say I wasn't hurt would be a lie. My first love, given with total sincerity, turned out to be a cruel, calculated game of revenge. 05 When the train pulled into the station, I dragged my suitcase out into the muggy heat. I was wearing a white sundress and heels, uncomfortable clothes I had put on specifically because Gavin promised to pick me up. The blazing sun beat down overhead. Looking up at the clear sky, silent tears spilled over my lashes. If I had known, I would have ambushed his hero nine more times in that game. I checked into a nearby hotel. Unable to contain my emotions, I texted Riley: [I broke up this morning.] Riley: [Wait, in the game? What rank?] [Why didn't you invite me?] Me: [No... Gavin dumped me. He blocked me everywhere...] A two-second silence followed before her video call rang. Her wide eyes stared at me through the screen. "Is he insane?!" Red-eyed, I summarized it bitterly: "He thinks I'm ugly." Riley went silent. "Calling YOUR face ugly? Is his brain..." She held up her phone displaying a frog slapping its own forehead. I poured my heart out to her between choked sobs. "I even applied to Summit University just to be in the same city as him. Orientation is in two days! Love really makes people stupid, ugh!" Riley cursed him until her voice cracked, pausing only to chug water. "Don't waste tears on a trash bag," she said sympathetically. "I just hit National rank with my jungler this week. I'll carry you through ranked matches and destroy everyone." 06 After spending two days locked in the hotel room gaming hard with Riley, the sting of heartbreak slowly faded away. I collected my thoughts, checked out of the hotel, and headed to Summit University for freshman registration. The upperclassmen at the gate were overly enthusiastic, grabbing my heavy suitcase while aggressively pitching campus SIM cards. The September sun was brutal. I pulled down my mask slightly, revealing my flushed cheeks. "Thanks, but I'm good." The guy's smooth sales pitch ground to a halt. His face turned redder than mine. "Oh, no need to buy anything! Helping cute freshmen is what upperclassmen are for! What dorm room are you in? I'll carry it up for you!" I gave him my room number. Someone behind us gasped. "Wait, I'm in that exact dorm! Want to walk together?" I turned to see a girl with blunt bangs, black-rimmed glasses, and a quiet demeanor. I offered her a friendly smile. "Sure!" She blinked, whispering under her breath, "Wow... you're so pretty." The four-person dorm had loft beds over desks. Bangs girl and I arrived last, but everyone got along quickly. The girl across from me invited us to join the official freshman group chat, where display names were set to [Name + Major]. I searched the roster, but couldn't find Gavin's name anywhere. I didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Good news: I wouldn't have to run into my toxic ex. Bad news: He had lied to me again. He probably didn't even go here, his promise to apply together was just hot air. Fortunately, Summit University was my dream school anyway, so I wasn't losing out. While I was lost in thought, the freshman chat suddenly erupted. Someone posted: [Looking for a girl near the East Gate today. If anyone knows her, please send me her contact info! Cash reward!] Attached was a photo. It was a candid shot of me. Just as I was about to reply, the sender retracted the picture: [Thanks, found her!] 07 The chat was alive with banter. [Which goddess caught Hunter's eye at first sight?] [He deleted it so fast I didn't even get a screenshot!] [Am I the only one wondering who got the cash reward? Hunter's bounty must be huge.] The poster's name was Hunter Cross. He replied to the thread: [She claimed it herself.] I blinked in confusion. I double-checked my phone; my message hadn't even been sent yet. Behind my bed curtain, excited whispers broke out among my roommates. "Hunter Cross is famous! Super handsome and filthy rich," said Fiona, who had been lurking in the group chat for days and knew all the campus gossip. "You're so lucky, Sierra! He actually asked for your info!" Sierra was the girl with the bangs. She gave a soft, shy smile. "Yeah, I added him." I realized then that the photo had caught both of us walking side by side. I was facing the camera, while she was slightly behind me on the left, partially blocked. So he was looking for her? I quietly erased the draft in my message box. Geez, could people at least blur out innocent bystanders? Almost embarrassed myself there. Fiona continued, a trace of doubt in her voice. "Wait, doesn't he already have a girlfriend? He used to talk in the main chat all the time about playing games with her." "They probably broke up," Sierra murmured quietly. Sierra quickly became the first person in our dorm to drop her single status. She started wearing skincare products and learning makeup, cluttering her desk with bottles and brushes. She loved coming over to chat with me about makeup and outfits. Looking at my wardrobe filled with basic tees and jeans, I hesitated. "Are you sure you want advice from me?" Lydia, another roommate, burst out laughing. "What's the point of asking Tracy? Her fashion style relies entirely on her face. She could wear a potato sack and look stunning." Sierra looked at my face, a complex flicker of envy crossing her eyes. "Must be nice." Fiona glanced over curiously. "Sierra, if you and Hunter are dating, why don't you guys go out on real dates?" Sierra pulled her hands back, her smile fading slightly. "No rush. Military training just ended, and my skin got tanned. I want to brighten my complexion before meeting him in person." "Makes sense," Fiona agreed. Since military training had just wrapped up, everyone was a little sunbaked. Except me, because I had an exemption from a minor surgery earlier that year. Fiona added, "So you guys are basically online dating right now? He must really like you, committing after just one glance." Sierra hesitated. "Well... we actually went to the same high school. But..." She offered a timid, self-conscious smile. "I used to be chubby and introverted back then. He probably didn't notice me." "Ah, I see!" Although they had made it official, they kept it private. Hunter showered the freshman group chat with digital cash rain to celebrate his new relationship. Lurking in the chat, my finger slipped, accidentally claiming one. My luck was abysmal. Out of a three-hundred-dollar pool, I scored four cents. A minute later, Hunter tagged me directly in the main group: [@Tracy Brooks: Pay it back.] Me: ??? 08 Tracy Brooks, Economics and Management. Hunter stared at the overly familiar name on his screen, his jaw clenching in annoyance. Just a few days ago, he had dumped this ugly girl. Now here she was, reappearing in his life like a bad penny. How could he have forgotten? Back when they were talking, they really had developed feelings, which was why they agreed to apply to the same university. Her major, her name, she had sent him screenshots of all of it. So he was 100% sure this Tracy Brooks was her. Since he had used the fake name "Gavin" online, she clearly hadn't made the connection yet. Judging by how clingy she was during their relationship, she was bound to be an annoying, desperate headache. A custom notification chimed. A message from Princess Sierra: [Why did you tag that girl in the group chat?] Hunter's scowl smoothed out, his eyes crinkled with a natural smile. [Nothing, baby.] He made up a quick excuse, then stared at the screen waiting for her reply. Hunter genuinely felt he and Sierra were fated. Tracy had stolen Sierra's photos to catfish him, only for him to run into the real girl on campus days later. The real girl was even prettier in person, standing there like a walking breath of fresh air. He had snapped the picture on impulse. Luckily, the moment he posted it, she reached out to him privately. Even luckier, she liked him back. Sierra sent back a cute kitten sticker: [I thought my roommate did something to upset you.] Hunter raised an eyebrow. Who would've guessed his ex and current girlfriend ended up in the same dorm? He typed back with a touch of malice: [She's your roommate? Is she really ugly?] Princess Sierra replied: [By my standards... pretty average.] He chuckled out loud. [Baby, you're so sweet.] His girlfriend was truly kindhearted. "Average" was a massive understatement. 09 Out of hundreds of people who claimed the cash gift, I was the only one tagged to return four cents. With zero context. I chalked it up to the unpredictable mood swings of rich snobs, annoyed as I transferred the four cents back. You'd think I stole four million from him. To blow off steam, I decided to go buy some iced watermelon downstairs. Sierra seemed in high spirits after chatting on her phone. Seeing me head out, she called after me, "Tracy, are you going to the back street? Could you grab me some fresh peaches?" "Can't do it. I'm allergic to peaches, my face swells up like a balloon." "Oh, I see," she replied thoughtfully, her tone light. "I'll go get them myself later then." The noon sun was blinding. I held up my UV umbrella, covering my upper body completely, only closing it once I stepped into the fruit shop. Instantly, I felt several pairs of eyes land on me. I touched my cheek, realizing I had forgotten my sun mask today. On my walk back carrying the watermelon, Fiona sent me a frantically typed message: [Girl! You're going viral on the campus forum!] She forwarded a post from the campus crush page featuring several candid shots of me. [HELP?! Who is this girl? Is an actress filming a movie on campus or something?!] The comment section was buzzing: [Is she a freshman? Military training just ended, but I never saw her. Her skin is glowing!] [Unbelievable beauty. Must be a freshman! Is she single? Please tell me she likes girls too!] [Even if she's taken, can I be her side piece? The more the merrier!] Among the flood of comments, one stood out like a sore thumb. Hunter Cross: [She's taken. Don't even dream about it.] Fiona, blunt as ever, found it bizarre and replied directly under his comment: [She's not taken. She's my roommate and she's very single.] 10 When I got back to the dorm, Sierra was the only one there. She had her back to me, typing furiously on her phone, seemingly deep in conversation. I put the watermelon away and rested for a bit before checking the forum comments. Hunter's comment had been deleted. Lurking bystanders were asking: [Why did Hunter delete his comment?] [So is the goddess single or not? Someone answer!] I found the whole thing ridiculous, especially Hunter's possessive tone. He made it sound like I was his property. And I didn't even know the guy. I asked Sierra what was up. Without looking up, she murmured softly, "Oh, I asked him about it. He said he mistook you for someone else." I remained skeptical. I kept feeling a strange vibe from Hunter toward me, hostility mixed with... possessiveness? I couldn't quite place it. But very soon, everything made sense. My ex-boyfriend pulled me out of his block list, sending a brief verification message: [It's Hunter.] 11 Hunter Cross... Sierra's boyfriend... was Gavin? I froze, processing the absurd revelation. So his name had been fake all along. My mind spun in circles. Setting everything else aside... how did he have the nerve to reach out to me first? With a heavy heart, I accepted his friend request and typed out a polite query: [Are you still alive?] Planning a scheme to dump me, trolling me in game, moving seamlessly to another girl... every single offense was unforgivable. I was being incredibly courteous by not using profanity. Then I changed his contact name. Douchebag: [Sierra is my girlfriend.] Me: [I know. Want me to award you a trophy?] Douchebag: [I know exactly what you're thinking. Heh, leading the room to isolate her, is that fun for you?] Me: [Spell it out clearly. Who am I isolating?] And what on earth was I supposedly thinking? Douchebag: [Tracy, you still can't let me go.] [You hate me because you still love me, so your head is filled with pitiful delusions.] Me: [I think you're having psychotic hallucinations.] When he dumped me, I was heartbroken, but once the initial sting passed, all that remained was fury at being played. I'd have to be brain-dead to still pine over him. And in his eyes, my character was so vile that just because of his involvement, I would automatically bully his girlfriend? What kind of delusional fan-fiction was he concocting? Still, I didn't mind pushing his buttons: [So what do you expect me to do? Whatever you demand, I'll do the exact opposite, because I owe you zero obedience.] Hunter sent back a voice note, lowering his tone to sound persuasive: "Tracy, I'll set you up with one of my wealthy friends, and we'll call it even, okay?" "Stop clinging to me, and stop causing trouble for Sierra." "Just pretend we never dated." Immediately following his voice note came a shared contact card. 12 The guy Hunter tried to set me up with was named Asher. I knew who he was. Sophomore year, frequent celebrity on the campus confession wall. Some praised his killer good looks; others envied his top-tier gaming skills. Rumor had it he was notoriously hard to pursue. I had no idea how Hunter convinced him to talk to me. After adding him, Asher got straight to the point: [Want to meet up? I don't like chatting with strangers online.] I had an ulterior motive for adding him. Before replying to him, I texted Riley: [Bestie, I have something to tell you.] Riley: [Hold on! Don't tell me it's about Gavin!] [If you utter words like love, miss, or can't forget, I will buy a flight ticket and beat you up myself.] I typed hesitantly: [Kind of related.] [He sent me a rebound guy as compensation. Seems like he's amazing at gaming. It's the start of the new ranked season, I was wondering if he could carry us.] Riley: [Send me his profile. Let me inspect.] I copied Asher's gaming ID to her. Two minutes later: Riley: [Profile APPROVED.] [He's a top-ranking Jungler! Girl, our ranked season is saved!] [I grant him permission to carry us.] So I agreed to meet Asher. 13 I rejected every location he suggested. Too far, too inconvenient. After I shut down his fifth idea, Asher sent a row of dots. In the end, he came down to my dorm building to find me. I had a bit of a procrastination habit, so by the time I walked downstairs, he had been waiting for a few minutes. From a distance, I caught sight of his dark hair and crisp white shirt. Up close, his face was striking, with sharp brows, refined features, and a clean jawline. He glanced at me, quickly looked away, then looked back again. It wasn't until I stood directly in front of him that he raised an eyebrow, his cold composure melting into an amused smirk. "You're Hunter's ex-girlfriend?" "My name is Tracy Brooks." He was a head taller than me, looking down with a thoughtful gaze. "You're different from what I imagined." "He actually let you go... whatever. Let me introduce myself properly." He extended his hand. "I'm Asher." Bit formal, I thought, but I shook his hand lightly. "Nice to meet you, Asher." We exchanged a few polite words before he suddenly shifted the topic: "Tracy, are you sure Hunter won't try to get back with you?" I found the question utterly baffling. "Of course not." "He has a girlfriend now, and besides, I don't like him." Asher smirked. "Right."