Second to None

author's note

Hi there reader: if you've made it to this part, I'd like to thank you again for reading & finishing the story. 

What comes next is a behind-the-scenes look, so please feel free to skip it if you're only here for the story ^^

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This story started in early 2020, shortly after I finished Youthful Days and Golden Era - two very long pieces I published on Wattpad. I wanted a mature take on relationships, but was too burned out to continue writing. I wrote 3 chapters and abandoned it, thinking I'd never pick it up again. 

A year later, I dug it out after a difficult professional and personal experience. 

After writing long stories, I wanted this one to be short and to-the-point and I wanted to be relaxed while writing it. As a result, about half of it was written on my phone, while I laid half propped up in my bed. I also didn't write in chronological order and started with whichever chapters I thought up first. 

Through this story, a simple idea of infidelity evolved and led me to think more deeply about: 

- ambition and downfall

- what it really costs us to be or not to be with someone

- how easy it is to overlook what we have and destroy it

- fixing mistakes, starting over, and forgiveness 

Drawing on my limited experience, here is what I have to say about the above through this story:

When it comes to personal ambition, it's easy to get caught up in a wild, blind pursuit and lose sight of what's truly valuable. 

When it comes to love, it's long-term companionship we seek rather than explosive romance. 

When it comes to character, it's not impossible to redeem who we are if we set our minds to change.

Finishing this now, I don't believe this is a happy story or an unhappy one. Rather, it's one that perhaps brings hope to readers: that no matter how many times we stumble and fall, it's never too late to begin again. 

Thank you again for reading, and please stay well and healthy~