Chapter 4

In a daze, I let my mother lead me to a corner.

Then a figure caught my attention.

It was Yates.

He had once promised me he'd never drink again, yet now he was smiling as he downed one drink after another for Quintessa.

He had always had a sensitive stomach.

Once, he'd ended up in the hospital with severe stomach cramps, and I'd cried so hard I could barely catch my breath.

He'd promised me then that he would never drink again. His friends had even teased him afterward for being so whipped.

I watched him down one drink after another.

It wasn't long before he clutched his stomach, his face turning pale.

Without thinking, I rushed over and grabbed his arm.

"Have you forgotten what you promised me?"

He looked at my worried face, guilt and gratitude flickering in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lily. I..."

"Don't talk."

I took a deep breath and, without stopping to say goodbye to anyone, led him out of the venue.

By the time we got to the hospital, he had already passed out.

The doctor put him on an IV, and I was just about to leave to pay the bill when he grabbed me by the wrist.

"Don't go..."

Hearing him say that, I couldn't help but smile.

I lowered my head to comfort him, only to hear him suddenly call out Quintessa's name.

"Don't go, Tessa."

In that instant, I felt as though I'd been struck by lightning.

I stood there, frozen.

It felt as though something had clenched around my heart.

I pried his hand off me, paid the bill, and drove straight home.

"Tessa's pregnant now. There's no way we can let her have an abortion!"

My hand was on the doorknob, but before I could turn it, I heard Hailey's voice from inside.

"What if Yates divorces Lily and marries Tessa instead?"

She looked to my parents for their opinion as she spoke.

My mother sighed.

"I suppose so. Even if Lily gets divorced, she'll still have her dad and me. But Tessa has no one to rely on. It would be better for her to marry Yates."

I could hardly believe my ears.

In just a few casual sentences, they had decided my future for me.

I froze in place. Then I heard a soft chuckle behind me.

"Lillian, what's the point of waking up?"

I turned around and saw Quintessa looking at me provocatively.

"In the end, you were still replaced, weren't you?"

I forced myself to stay composed and shot back, "A replacement will always be a replacement. How long do you think this happiness you stole will last?"

My words seemed to hit a nerve with her.

Her expression changed, and she immediately fired back.

"Then just wait and see. In the end, you'll find out whether that happiness belongs to you or me!"

With that, she grabbed my hand and shoved me hard.

A scream rang out as she tumbled straight down the stairs. Blood began pooling between her legs.

The conversation inside came to a stop.

The three of them rushed out through the door, only to find Quintessa in a terrible state.

My father slapped me hard across the face.

Hailey shoved me, and I fell hard onto the floor.

My father pointed at me.

"What the hell were you doing?"

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but they didn't give me a chance.

My mother gave me one final warning.

"If anything happens to Tessa, don't bother coming back to this house!"

Tears filled my eyes.

I watched my father scoop Quintessa up into his arms and rush into the car with her.

Hailey and my mother didn't spare me so much as a glance.

Something inside me finally snapped.

I didn't know how long I had been sitting there when the wind came whipping at me, rain lashing against my face.

I let out a bitter laugh.

"System, I don't want to stay here anymore.

"I want to go back to the mission world."