Chapter 9

My brows arched with fury as I snapped, "Shut your filthy mouth!"

But Lina refused to stop. Her voice cut through the crackle of fire, every word soaked in venom.

"Yelling won't change anything. Thor is mine now. From now on, the one standing beside him will be me. In his heart, I'll always matter a thousand times more than you ever did."

I scowled, glaring at her with open disdain. "Pathetic lovesick fool."

My indifference only fueled her rage. Her face twisted with fury as she lunged forward and shoved me hard.

I stumbled backward, crashing into the bookshelf behind me. Books rained down as I fell, the heavy spines striking my head. For a brief, disoriented moment, the world went dark.

When I came to, the acrid smell of smoke filled my lungs. Through the haze, I saw Thor rushing in with a fire extinguisher, dousing the flames in front of him. Relief flickered for an instant—until I realized what he did next.

He ran straight to Lina, scooped her into his arms, and carried her out.

I struggled to my feet, but the fire had already spread, racing toward me with frightening speed. A gust of wind from the open doorway fed the flames, sending them roaring higher. Thick black smoke rolled through the air, stinging my eyes and burning my throat.

I coughed violently, tears spilling as I gasped for air.

Panic surged. I screamed for help.

"Help… Thor!"

But he never turned back.

I shouted again, louder this time—clinging to the last thread of hope that he would come for me.

He froze mid-step and looked over his shoulder.

For a heartbeat, I thought he might return.

Then Lina whimpered, clutching her arm. "Ah… my arm hurts so bad… I can't breathe… I'm dying…"

Thor's brow furrowed deeply, hesitation flickering in his eyes. But when he looked up again, that moment of conflict was gone—replaced by cold, emotionless resolve.

"I can only save one person. And besides, she and I are over. Whether she lives or dies, it has nothing to do with me."

For a second, I couldn't even breathe.

I had thought that even if love had faded, he might still save me for the sake of what we once were.

But I'd been naïve.

As I watched him walk away, his figure swallowed by firelight, a hollow laugh broke from my throat. The sound trembled, cracked—then turned into sobs.

That was the last time I ever cried for his cruelty.

My vision blurred. The world went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed. My mother sat beside me, her face pale and anxious.

She gripped my hand tightly, her voice trembling with relief. "Sweetheart, thank God you're awake. Are you in pain?"

"I'm fine, Mom," I said weakly. Only then did she relax, wiping her eyes.

She told me that when the fire broke out, several classmates had rushed in with extinguishers to rescue me. I listened in silence.

Then, she squeezed my hand again, her voice tinged with heartache. "Baby… what happened between you and Thor?"

At his name, my chest tightened. I hesitated a while, then said, "We broke up."

Her pupils trembled, and she let out a long, weary sigh.

"No wonder. I called to tell him you were in the hospital, but he said it wasn't his concern, and he never came."

I lowered my gaze, forcing my emotions into stillness. The memory of that fire still burned behind my eyes.

The boy I had loved for so many years—once his love was gone, his heart turned to stone.

After a long silence, I sat up slowly and gave my mother a faint, bitter smile.

"Mom, he and I really are done. We won't be in touch again."

Tears welled in her eyes. "But you two were planning to get married… How can years of love just disappear like that?"

My lips pressed into a thin line. "People change."

Just then, a shadow flickered past the door. I lifted my gaze and caught sight of a familiar coat hem.

Was I imagining it?

That coat looked exactly like Thor's.

But no… he wouldn't come. I must've been seeing things.

I turned back to my mother, my tone firm now. "Mom, please, don't ask about him anymore."

She sighed again, wanting to say more, but seeing the set of my expression, she let it go.