I stared at Julian, a bitter taste spreading through my heart. “If you love her so much, why aren’t you by her side?”
“Watching her marry Roman, becoming his hidden shadow… are you truly content with that?”
The System said he was going to turn dark, that I needed to save him.
But this pathetic, self–sacrificing devotion for love… how was this “turning dark“?
“Isabella is different,”
His features softened instantly.
“Back in the orphanage, she was the only one who gave me warmth.”
“That kindness, I’ll never forget it.”
2
The orphanage again.
I looked at him, my mind a blank.
Right, the System had said it. Isabella was the destined heroine of this world.
She and the four male leads shared a supposedly beautiful childhood in that orphanage.
Even if she later left them bruised and battered, all it took was her return, a few tears, and a few soft words, and everything anyone else had done for them seemed to reset to zero.
After they were done draining my blood, my vision swam, threatening to black out completely.
I was on the verge of losing consciousness, my mind drifting: If I just sleep now…
Will I finally return to my world and see Grandma?
Grandma, Scarlett misses you so much…
Late that night, I woke up again, feeling a little stronger.
Damn it, I still couldn’t die.
Even death was this difficult.
I looked around, recognizing this as Julian’s secluded retreat.
Then I remembered the rumors: the remote trails behind the retreat were rumored to be infested with venomous snakes…
Without hesitation, I stumbled towards the back trails.
My broken leg made my steps agonizingly slow, but I pushed on, utterly resolute.
Just as a venomous snake was about to strike, I was violently pulled back.
“Scarlett! Are you insane?!”
It was Julian!
How was he here *again*?!
He gripped my arm, his strength so immense I thought my bones would shatter.
His face was contorted with a mixture of panic and fury I’d never seen before.
“Are you trying to die, huh?!”
He growled, complex emotions swirling in his eyes.
“First jumping off the cruise, now provoking venomous snakes! Are you *that* desperate for my attention?!”
“Attention?” I yanked my arm from his grasp, a cold laugh escaping my lips.
“If I die, I won’t be in your way anymore, and I won’t threaten Isabella, the woman you hold so dear, will I?”
“You should be happy!”
I shoved him away, turning back towards the snake.
Death. I *had* to die here today!
He grabbed me again, and my arm scraped against a rock, a sharp sting.
“Stop trying to play the victim!” He roughly seized my hand, his voice thick with impatience.
“Go put some ointment on that wound!”
As he forcibly dragged me back, I saw the bracelet on his wrist again.
It reminded me of the lucky charm Grandma gave me.
Good thing I hadn’t given *that* to this ungrateful bastard back then.
I was going home to Grandma now, and I needed to take it with me.
While they weren’t paying attention, I quietly slipped away.
That lucky charm, Grandma had embroidered it herself.
The stitches were meticulously neat, depicting beautifully embroidered lovebirds, a symbol of enduring happiness, imbued with her deepest blessings for me.
Grandma had always hoped I’d find a good husband and live a life of peace and happiness.
I used to naively think that if I could successfully save any of them,
D
<
I’d give that lucky charm, imbued with Grandma’s heartfelt wishes, to him, letting her witness my happiness.
But alas, none of them deserved it.
I returned to my uncle Ryder’s house to get the charm.
But I found him staring blankly at a portrait of Isabella.
Ryder, a decorated veteran, who’d been confined to a wheelchair.
He willingly served as Isabella’s personal security, only to be brutally humiliated by her. She even manipulated him, causing him to become permanently disabled.
It was I who stayed by his side, day after day, helping him with his physical therapy, encouraging him to stand again.
I cooked for him every day.
He initially resented my presence, but later, he grew protective, doting on me, forbidding me from cooking.
He lovingly prepared every single meal for me.
But then Isabella came back, and with a sudden, casual mention of a dog fur allergy,
He didn’t hesitate to throw the little dog we’d raised together for so long, who we treated like family, from a tall building.
That little dog was a gift from him, bought after he finally accepted me.
We had promised to rely on each other.
It had accompanied us through so many happy times.
But because of Isabella’s dismissive comment, he ended its life without a single blink.
i used to fear such abandonment.
Now, I craved it.
I ignored my uncle and walked straight into my room.
Only to find it completely empty.
“Where are my things?”
