Chapter 4

Evelyn jerked her hand back.

"What are you talking about? How is that possible? I wasn't even at the scene."

"It was you from five years in the future. She called me again."

Evelyn scoffed.

"Ryan, even if you don't want to take responsibility, you don't need to invent a lie like that."

I stared at her and smiled bitterly.

"Evelyn, if it really was you who caused Daisy's death because of Marcus, what would you do?"

Evelyn looked at me with absolute conviction, as if afraid I would not hear each word clearly.

"I would never do that."

My gaze fell on a dead tree outside the window.

"If only that were true."

Evelyn locked me in that hospital room.

Unless I agreed to clear Marcus's name.

It wasn't as though I hadn't tried.

When I refused food, Evelyn had people force a feeding tube into me.

When I posted nonsense online, she cut off my calls with my parents.

The camera in the corner glowed red with terror day and night.

Whenever I showed the slightest abnormal behavior, someone would come in within three minutes and strap me down.

The restraints tightened around my neck until I hallucinated.

I saw myself five years later beside Evelyn, even more pitiful than I was now.

There was an electric collar around my neck, and the control button was in Marcus's hand.

Whenever he was unhappy, he used me to vent.

I lived in a state worse than death.

Evelyn only said blandly, "Go easy. Don't kill him."

After waking from nightmares countless times, I had no choice but to call future Evelyn myself.

After a few seconds of silence, she said, [That wasn't a hallucination. It's real.]

[You kept trying to leave me. I had no choice.]

[That's also why I'm not afraid of the present you knowing everything. You can't run.]

I knelt on the bed and clawed at my neck without caring.

After scratching it bloody, I asked the last question.

"Does the Evelyn here really know nothing about you?"

Perhaps she heard how hoarse my voice was and softened for a moment.

[She knows. I can only call the two of you.]

[She's keeping you locked up now because I told her to.]

In that instant, it felt as though heaven and earth had overturned.

I don't know how I survived that night.

But the next morning, when Evelyn came to see me as usual, I smiled.

"I agree to clear Marcus's name.

"I'll say it was all my fault. I was the one who didn't save my daughter."

Evelyn looked surprised, but she had no reason to refuse.

She even hired a stylist to make me look healthier.

When the stylist reached for my neck, I stopped her.

"Leave it."

I tugged my collar higher to cover the scars.

After I changed, Evelyn's eyes lit up.

"Be good. After you clear this up, I won't let Marcus appear in front of you again.

"Then I'll take you to Iceland. You've always wanted to go skiing, haven't you?"

I forced out a smile.

She had taken Marcus and Chloe to Iceland last year.

What she offered me now was only bait to keep me steady.

In front of the camera, I repeated the script and took all responsibility onto myself.

Evelyn was extremely satisfied. She took the video and could not wait to go find Marcus.

After she left, the stylist handed me a scar-repair ointment.

"You have to keep going. Today marks the first week since your child passed, doesn't it? She would want to see her dad holding on."

I looked at her in surprise, then slowly nodded.

That was the real reason I agreed to help Evelyn clear things up.

I carried a bundle of daisies and handwritten letters to the collapsed mall.

"Daddy can't do anything else. I can only bring these to you here."

"Next life, choose a better mom and dad."

That day, the entire internet cursed me.

I finally gained a little freedom, but the moment I stepped outside, people hurled abuse at me.

Evelyn no longer had time to watch me.

I bought the earliest train ticket out, put on a mask, and boarded.

After seeing the online narrative reverse, Evelyn finally relaxed.

When her future self called again, Evelyn answered with confidence.

But a scream came through the phone.

[What did you do? Why is Ryan gone?]

Evelyn froze.

"Wasn't it you who said only this would keep Ryan by my side?"