Chapter 2

The first scene was three days after Chloe’s death.

Everyone was asking me who did it.

The city's Archon, Chloe’s parents, the citizens—no matter who asked, I just kept my head down and stayed silent.

Finally, it was Juliette.

She grabbed my shoulders, shaking me with tears in her eyes. "Tell us who it is! Don't you want to avenge Chloe?!"

My lips trembled, and I only managed to say, "Stop asking, Juliette."

She left in disgust.

A few days later, the city lost its patience.

I was dragged to Chloe’s grave. The crowd cornered me, demanding a name.

They spit on me. They threw rocks at me.

People yanked my hair and held me down. Fists rained on me until I was covered in bruises and blood.

I managed to break free and ran for my life, a furious mob chasing right behind me.

I finally made it to my house, only to see it engulfed in flames. The angry citizens had burned it down.

Ignoring the fire, I rushed inside and saved the only thing my parents had left me: a portrait of them.

Homeless, I hid in the city’s alleys, surviving on scraps.

But the guards found me. Right in front of my eyes, they ripped my parents' portrait to shreds.

They said a monster like me didn't have a heart, so I wouldn't feel sad anyway.

But I cried until my throat bled.

Eventually, I fled deep into the woods where no one could bother me anymore.

That year, an orphan with nothing to her name, I was only sixteen.

On the altar, Juliette stared at my tear-stained face in the projection and sneered.

"Olivia, isn't this ending just a punishment from the gods? If you hadn't protected the killer, would people have treated you like that? Do you actually feel sorry for yourself? You're the last person on earth who deserves pity! You brought this on yourself!"

The crowd chimed in.

"Shameless! How dare she play the victim?"

"Trying to get our sympathy? Pathetic! Protecting a criminal makes you an accomplice! You belong in Hades!"

"Chloe's family was destroyed. Their daughter is dead, the mother went crazy. They're the ones we should pity!"

Just then, a girl's bright laughter echoed from the projection.

"Chloe! Slow down!"

Chloe’s youthful, smiling face appeared in the air.

On a bright, sunny beach, Chloe ran toward me with a huge smile.

"Take this!"

She splashed a handful of seawater at me.

"My daughter!" Chloe’s father wailed, throwing himself toward the altar.

Seeing Chloe’s glowing face, he broke down crying.

Since Chloe died ten years ago, this strong, cheerful man had aged overnight. His hair went white, and his back hunched permanently.

For ten years, he prayed to the gods every single day, begging to know who hurt his little girl.

But the gods only answered with silence.

No one knew who attacked Chloe that night.

No one except me.

After a playful chase on the beach, the memory shifted to me kneeling faithfully before Athena’s statue, praying.

"Please, gods, let my friends be healthy and happy. Let our friendship flow endlessly, like the sea."

Seeing my devotion, Juliette lost her temper.

"Olivia, you blasphemous liar! You two-faced snake!"

She marched up and pointed in my face.

"How dare you show our childhood memories! Are you trying to make me sick?! Ten years, and you never told the truth once! Do you even deserve to call yourself our friend?"

Right on cue, the next memory showed me secretly throwing away a bouquet of lilies Chloe had given me.

The crowd felt completely validated.

"Chloe was so good to her, and she threw her flowers away! She was probably jealous of Chloe and wanted her dead!"

Hearing their curses, I forced my eyes open and looked at Juliette.

Say something, Juliette.

She knew perfectly well I was severely allergic to lilies. I didn't hate Chloe.

But she didn't explain. She just let the crowd mock me.

"She probably didn't expect the High Priestess to come back with the Mirror of Truth!"

"High Priestess, keep going! We can't wait to see the killer's face!"

Urged on by the crowd, the projection shifted again.