LOGINOnce Gabriel broke down, the other three men collapsed as well.They all turned around and knelt before me with zero dignity.With red eyes, they recounted every single detail of how they had spoiled me in the past, desperately trying to prove that they had always cared for me in their hearts.Theodore tightly gripped the hem of my shirt and explained, "Hazel, the truth is, a lot of those cruel orders later on weren't our original intentions.""Stripping you of your title, cutting off your food, all of that was Zoe fanning the flames. We just wanted to teach you a lesson, we never meant to actually abuse you."Surrounded by these four once high-and-mighty mafia bosses, I felt a wave of revulsion and stumbled back several steps.Ultimately, it was my mother who firmly steadied my shoulders, asking in a low voice, "Hazel, how do you want to handle this? Are you willing to forgive these animals?"I coldly looked down at the four men on the ground, who were full of hope, and finally shook
In that moment, the four mafia bosses looked like lost children who'd just been given a glimmer of hope.Theodore, in particular, instantly had tears welling up in his eyes."Elena, you really came back. Thank God, I thought I would only ever see you in my dreams for the rest of my life." His throat was so hoarse he could barely make a sound."This is wonderful." Gabriel strode forward, wanting to pull both my mother and me into a tight embrace. "You both came back... then don't leave. Just stay. We missed you so much we were going crazy."Before his hand could even touch us, my mother's hand blurred. With a crisp smack, a slap landed squarely across his face."Gabriel." She stared at him. "I left my child in your care, and this is how you looked after her?"The grand hall fell instantly silent.Theodore froze for a second, then shifted half a step forward. "Elena, listen to us explain..."He didn't even get to finish his sentence.The second slap landed on his face.Theodore's head wa
After the weightless sensation of passing through the space-time tunnel, I landed smoothly in a modern apartment filled with warm tones.The air in the room carried the mingled scents of freshly brewed coffee and freesia.I called out for the System a couple of times, but no one answered.Just as I was about to push open the door and check the living room, the bedroom doorknob turned, and a woman emerged.She was wearing a grey knit sweater and jeans, holding a mug in her hand.The moment she saw me, the mug slipped from her fingers and crashed onto the carpet.She stood frozen there, staring at those familiar features, and at the same time, I recognized her too.My mother, Elena.She was even more beautiful than in the photo.There were very faint lines at the corners of her eyes, but those eyes were exactly like mine.Just as I was standing there at a loss, overwhelmed by the massive shock, my mother began to cry. Tears fell one by one, dropping fast and heavy.She rushed over and pu
The operating room was so silent you could only hear Zoe's crying from Theodore's phone.It took a long time before Theodore finally spoke, "Who did you say hit you?"Zoe sobbed on the other end of the line. "It was Hazel."Theodore stared at the white sheet in front of him and pressed her, "When?""Just... about half an hour ago." Zoe felt he was acting strange today."Dad Theo, where are you all? The other dads aren't answering their phones. I'm so scared being home alone."Theodore closed his eyes and leaned one hand against the edge of the operating table."Zoe." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Hazel is dead."The line went completely dead for a second, and Theodore's voice turned to ice."Half an hour ago, she was on this very table, being resuscitated. So tell me, how exactly did she cross half the city to slap you?"Only heavy breathing remained through the receiver. No one answered.A few hours later, the four men drove back to the Family estate.Zoe was waiting nervously i
Just when I thought I was finally free from this endless suffering and could be with my mother.The System appeared again.It apologetically informed me that the cross-dimensional travel was experiencing a disturbance, and I had to stay stranded in this world for just a little while longer.I agreed indifferently.Since I had already endured sixteen years of separation, what were a few more days?And so, I floated in midair as a soul, coldly watching the reactions of the four men below.Theodore's fingers were still hovering beneath my nose.He slowly pulled his hand back and took a step backward. On the second step, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees in the pool of blood beneath me.He reached out and shook my shoulder, his voice cracking completely. "Hazel, stop playing! Open your eyes!"His reaction horrified the other three men.Gabriel was the first to snap back to reality.He shoved Theodore off of me and pressed two fingers against the artery in my neck.In just tw
The agonizing pain of shattered bones I braced for never came.An old restaurant awning in the back alley broke my fall. I slid off it, hit a wet trash can lid, and rolled to the ground.My ribs screamed in protest, but I wasn't dead.Gabriel was the first one down.He grabbed me by the collar and slapped me hard across the face."Hazel, haven't you made enough of a scene!"Theodore came down right after, his face ashen. He was shaking as he kicked me hard in the stomach."What the hell are you trying to do?"The kick sent me to the ground.After the defibrillator, the antidotes, and now this kick, it felt as though my insides were being churned by a rusty meat grinder.The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth.I spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed at their feet."Don Theodore, Doctor Gabriel, I'm begging you, don't save me again. Just let me die, please?"The two men froze.Theodore's brow furrowed. "Is this some new ploy? Using your life to threaten me?""No." I lifted my he







