Chapter 1277: Yes, Lily’s plan was starting to spiral out of control.

"She knows I like someone, after all."

This time, Max completely froze, his pupils dilating. His breathing slowed slightly as realization dawned on him.

So, Lily wasn’t lying when she said Ginnie had been in unrequited love, huh?

Not that Max had doubted Lily’s claims, but he hadn’t fully trusted them either. Still, he had considered the possibility—there was no harm in believing it.

"I never thought someone like you would like someone," he laughed awkwardly, trying to silence the flood of questions in his mind. "Is this person a man?"

Ginnie frowned, glancing at him briefly before setting her gaze back on the window. "I might find wearing a dress uncomfortable, but I’m not into women."

"Ahh..." Max rocked his head slightly, clearing his throat. "Is that so?"

A heavy silence settled between them. Ginnie remained still, gathering the strength to give him directions to her place. But being in the car wasn’t helping—it was making her dizzier by the second.

Max, meanwhile, tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, trying to find the right words to ask without sounding too nosy.

"So." After a prolonged silence, his voice sliced through the thickening air. "You liked a man?"

Ginnie cast him a look. "Why are you asking?"

"To keep you awake?" he blurted out. "You still haven’t told me your address."

"It’s Block 3..." Ginnie mumbled her address in one breath before huffing. "And yes, I liked a boy."

"A boy?"

"He was just a boy back then," she murmured, studying him through her partially open eyes before looking away. "Somehow, we grew up, and now he’s a man."

Max gripped the steering wheel tighter. Another confirmation. Another piece of Lily’s claim falling into place.

Ginnie had been in love with Hugo for years.

"That—" he paused to clear his throat. "That’s surprising."

Ginnie laughed. "Is it?"

"After knowing you, I never really saw you as a woman," he teased. "I thought you were a guy all this time."

Ginnie went quiet for a second before a soft laugh escaped her. "I guess you did."

"So, tell me about this guy you liked," he urged, keeping his tone calm, though curiosity gnawed at him. Even though he was dying to know what the hell she saw in Hugo that made her love him for so long.

"Hmmm..." she hummed, jogging her memory. "It’s been a long time, so I don’t remember everything exactly."

Slowly, the corner of her lips curled up. "But I do remember his eyes blazing with passion for basketball. Whenever he played, it was like nothing else mattered. Watching him was inspiring—it made me want to know more about the game."

"You could say it’s because of him that I truly fell in love with basketball," she continued with a light chuckle. "If not for him, for the way he poured so much love into the sport, I wouldn’t have realized how fun basketball really was."

Max pressed his lips into a thin line, his grip on the wheel growing firmer. For some reason, listening to her talk about the guy who had stolen her heart felt like a mistake. Every word was like a bullet, each one striking deeper than the last.

Didn’t he love basketball too?

But he had to admit—Hugo was a force on the court. If Hugo had pursued a professional career, he would have been incredibly successful.

"Sadly, he didn’t pursue basketball," Ginnie added, her words sealing the deal.

Max was too focused on what she’d said earlier to connect the dots. After all, Hugo hadn’t pursued basketball either. He had joined the military after high school, though he still played occasionally with former teammates.

A soft sigh left Ginnie’s lips. "It’s really a shame," she muttered. "I’m sure he would have been amazing in the pro league, but he chose a different path. Even so... I was glad to see him play seriously not too long ago."

Not too long ago?

Max furrowed his brows, trying to recall when Hugo had last played. What was she talking about? Then it hit him.

The fan club reunion.

And yet, Max never considered that the person she was talking about could be him.

Ginnie chuckled. "He’s still as passionate as ever," she mused. "And he’s still happiest when he’s playing."

Max remained silent.

"But well, that’s all there is to it," she shrugged indifferently, closing her eyes. "Tell me when we get there—I’m counting on you tonight, Max."

Max didn’t respond. Instead, he drove even slower, his mind replaying every word she had said.

’I shouldn’t have asked,’he thought bitterly, his chest tightening.

When he stopped at a red light, he turned to her. She was curled up in the passenger seat, facing the window.

He shouldn’t have asked because now, he felt sorry for her.

"Why... didn’t you tell him your feelings?" The question slipped out before he could stop himself.

Ginnie, eyes closed but still conscious, let out a quiet, bitter laugh. "He’s good-looking and comes from a good family. Back then, he had so many admirers—beautiful girls from prominent families. I was just... me. Ginnie."

And she had been certain that if she confessed, she’d simply be another name on the list of girls he had turned down.

Ginnie wasn’t a pessimist, but she understood reality. Growing up among the elite, she knew that friendships were one thing—but relationships were an entirely different game.

Even Lily’s parents, who had always been kind to her, hadn’t approved of Lily’s ex-fiancé simply because of his background. Not that they were wrong—Lily’s ex had been a complete mess. But still, the lesson remained: friendships with socialites were one thing; dating them was another.

Little did Ginnie know, Max was staring at her with a storm of emotions.

Her last remark hit him like a dagger straight to the chest.

Because he understood.

He caught the brief flicker of helplessness in her voice—the kind most people wouldn’t notice. But he did.

"Is that so...?" he murmured, peeling his gaze away from her and back to the road. He swallowed hard, his fingers tightening around the wheel.

’I should apologize to Lily because... I can’t do it.’

For years, Ginnie had loved Hugo.

It wasn’t that Max was afraid to fight for her. But deep down, he knew—Ginnie deserved her chance. She had loved Hugo for so long, and Hugo was as dense as a dried-out gingerbread cookie. He would never realize her feelings unless someone did something about it.

So, Max made a decision.

He liked Ginnie enough to help her.

Even if it meant helping her love someone else.

*

*

Yes, Lily’s plan was starting to spiral out of control.