Chapter 2

Marie began packing her belongings and preparing to leave.

As she sorted through her things, she came across the photos she'd once treasured and the love letters Rylan had written her. Without a second thought, she tossed them all into the fireplace.

The flames crackled as they consumed the photographs and letters, reducing the memories she'd once held dear to ashes.

She requested three days off from school.

On the first day, she returned to the beach where Rylan had once taken her. They'd spent an entire night there stacking pebbles and seashells into delicate little mounds.

Rylan had told her that every stone represented a blessing. Just like those stones, he'd promised, his love for her would last forever and never waver.

Now, standing on that same beach, Marie reached out and pushed the stacked stones over one by one. Their sharp edges scraped her palms, drawing thin lines of blood.

Droplets of crimson fell onto the sand before the incoming tide washed them away, carrying with them the last remnants of her devotion.

On the second day, she hiked to the mountain peak where she and Rylan had once watched a meteor shower together.

That night, they'd tied silk ribbons to the branches of the surrounding trees. Written on each ribbon was a promise that they would never be parted.

Marie reached up and tore the ribbons down one after another. The fabric ripped with a harsh, grating sound. Once she'd pulled them all down, she tossed the shredded ribbons into a trash can and walked away without looking back.

On the third day, she went to a tattoo parlor to have the design on her back removed.

"Are you sure you want to laser off the tattoo?" the artist asked, eyeing her with concern. "It's going to hurt like hell."

Marie looked at the vibrant crane flower inked across her shoulder blade.

Rylan had once told her that the design represented freedom. He'd said he wanted her to soar through the sky like a bird, free from every restraint and worry.

"I'm sure," she replied flatly. "Get rid of it."

The procedure began, and soon the parlor filled with the sound of Marie's muffled sobs. The acrid smell of burning skin hung in the air as cold sweat gathered on her forehead.

She clenched her teeth and bit down on her lower lip until it bled, desperately trying to endure the pain. But the agony eventually became too much, and she lost consciousness.

It wasn't until late afternoon that Marie slowly came to. Her once-smooth, fair skin was now tightly wrapped in thick bandages, with tiny spots of red seeping through the white gauze.

The shop assistant watched her with pity and let out a sigh. "Such a sweet girl... What a shame you had to put yourself through all that pain!"

Marie said nothing. With a blank expression, she carefully put her clothes back on and stepped out into the evening air.

At last, she'd erased every trace of Rylan she could.

She'd barely taken a few steps when someone approached her from behind. Before she could react, a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her against a familiar chest.

"Hey, Princess..."

The sudden embrace sent a sharp, searing pain across her back. Marie gasped and instinctively struggled out of his arms.

Rylan immediately loosened his hold, staring at her pale face in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just not feeling well."

"Oh, that makes sense. The teacher said you took a few days off. Are you feeling better now?"

Rylan reached out to check her forehead for a fever, but Marie stepped back, subtly avoiding his touch.

"I'm fine."

His feigned concern made her stomach turn. After everything she'd overheard, she could no longer bear the thought of him pretending to care about her.

Rylan, however, seemed to misunderstand her reaction. Assuming she was upset because he hadn't contacted her over the past three days, he quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Look, I'm sorry. I've been busy lately and haven't had time to hang out with you." He took her hand and continued, "My friends are throwing an end-of-finals party tonight so we can all unwind. Why don't you come with me?"

Before Marie could respond, he tugged her toward his car.

Soon, they arrived at the venue, where Rylan's friends had gathered in a private lounge. The first person Marie noticed when she walked in was Coraline.

Unlike Marie, who had always dressed modestly to meet the standards her parents had imposed on her, Coraline wore an exquisite, eye-catching dress that highlighted her slender, elegant neck.

With her flawless makeup and effortless poise, she stood out from everyone else in the room.

Although Marie barely glanced at Rylan, she caught the subtle change in his expression the moment he spotted Coraline.

"The guys invited me over. I hope I'm not crashing the party?" Coraline asked with a charming smile, tossing her hair back.

"Of course not!" one of the guys replied smoothly. "Having the prom queen join us is an honor! Right, Rylan?"

Rylan nodded, his gaze fixed on Coraline.

Without a word, Marie lowered her eyes and took a seat in the corner.

Before long, the group kicked off the evening with a game of Truth or Drink. The bottle spun across the table before finally pointing at Marie.

With her back still throbbing from the tattoo removal, she had no desire to drink, so she chose Truth instead.

"All right, Marie," one of the guys said with a malicious smirk. "Tell us, where's your most sensitive spot?"

Marie froze as she met the suggestive stares around the table. Uncomfortable with the question, she pressed her lips together and remained silent.

"Oh, come on! What's there to be shy about?" Rylan interjected casually, slinging an arm over her shoulder as though the question were perfectly harmless. "Her earlobes, her chest, and her inner thighs."

The moment he finished speaking, the room erupted in suggestive whistles and knowing groans.

"Man! You really know your stuff. Guess you two have been keeping busy!"

"Who would have thought our good girl Marie got so wild behind closed doors? Ha-ha!"

Marie felt like an animal on display at a zoo, with everyone staring at her and making jokes at her expense. She turned toward Rylan, hoping for even the slightest sign that he'd realized how humiliating this was for her.

But he wasn't even looking at her. His attention remained fixed on Coraline, as though Marie's embarrassment meant nothing to him.

The bottle spun again and landed on Coraline.

Eager to stir up more drama, one of the guys winked at her and repeated the same question.

"Since our gorgeous prom queen is up next, why don't you tell us where your most sensitive spot is?"

Coraline's expression immediately soured, and she stiffened in her seat. However, before she could answer, Rylan suddenly slammed his glass bottle onto the floor.

The bottle shattered with a sharp crash.