Chapter 6 Painful Memories

Selena's POV

I struggled to open my eyes amidst a thick darkness.

Around me was a brilliant halo of light, and at the center of it stood a figure.

He faced me, silhouetted against the light. Though I couldn't see his face, I could sense that he was looking at me, smiling.

"Xander?"

I was not sure where I found the courage, but the question escaped me instinctively.

The figure trembled slightly, yet didn't respond. Instead, he strode toward me, as though summoned by some silent command.

Thud.

The dull, heavy sound of his footsteps sent a wave of unease through me.

Fear of Xander had only begun after we became Mates.

Once, he had been full of life—a man in a white shirt standing in a moonlit field, gently taking my hand as we danced an elegant waltz under the gaze of the moon god.

Sometimes, we'd sit quietly on the grass, surrounded by an endless sea of greenery, as if nature itself had painted the scene for us.

I'd rest my head on his shoulder, eyes closed, listening to him hum a soft, romantic tune.

Whether it was a sunny afternoon or a starry night, Xander's embrace had always been my warmest harbor.

I could feel his love. Every touch was a silent expression of his deep affection; every glance was filled with tenderness.

Our hearts were entwined like a blazing bonfire—warm and radiant.

For a time, I believed I had found my true Mate. But all that beauty, as perfect as it seemed, was like a mirage—dreamlike and utterly unreal.

"Selena."

The person in front of me called my name softly.

I slowly raised my head, and there, before me, was Xander's familiar face.

But this Xander wasn't the same as before. He smiled as he slowly took my hand, his wide palm gently closing around my fingers.

Feeling the warmth of his touch, I couldn't shake the sense that none of this was real.

Especially his eyes, which were filled with a tenderness I had never seen before.

No! This was all an illusion!

As much as I wanted to surrender to this comforting dream, the unfamiliar Xander before me filled me with dread.

"No!"

I screamed with all my strength, and a searing pain ripped through my body. Suddenly, the ground beneath me vanished, and I fell into an endless abyss.

"Help!"

I cried out instinctively, my body thrashing violently for a moment before I realized the scene in front of me was changing. An exquisitely ornate chandelier appeared overhead, and the surroundings became increasingly familiar. It hit me—I was in my room. Everything that had just happened had been a dream.

My throat was so dry it felt like it was on the verge of burning. As I tried to push myself up, I suddenly noticed someone sitting beside me. His presence was cold, his back like an iceberg that had been frozen for ten thousand years.

"Xander..." My voice was weak and trembling, as if I was clinging to the last thread of hope.

Xander didn't respond. His eyes were cold and distant, as if he were looking at a stranger.

"I told you, a worthless thing like you wouldn't die so easily."

His voice was cold and measured, utterly devoid of emotion.

A wave of despair washed over me, chilling my heart as if it were being blown by a relentless icy wind.

"Why are you still here?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. But the gentle smile Xander had worn in my dream still lingered in my mind. Facing his frosty, indifferent expression now was too much to bear.

"You don't get to die until I say so."

Xander's voice was sharp as he turned to glance at me.

"Don't forget, I'm still your Mate, not your slave."

I gathered all my strength to prop myself up on the edge of the bed, raising my head to meet Xander's gaze.

"And you claim my father killed your parents, but where's the proof? There's not a shred of solid evidence. Who are you to smear his name?"

Xander's expression grew colder with every word I spoke.

"Don't think that the bond between us gives you power. Without me, you're nothing."

His face twisted as he spat the words.

"I hate your arrogance. I hate your self-righteousness. I hate how you twist everything. You're the one who rejected me, and now you're back, going back and forth. You blame my father for everything, he's carried that burden for years, and I've sacrificed my life for it. What more do you want?!"

I glared at him, my frustration boiling over, every word filled with anger.

As soon as my words left my mouth, my heart was already beginning to regret them. The last person who dared to speak to Xander like that probably had been long dead.

"Heh."

To my surprise, Xander did not show his anger. Instead, he laughed loudly. At that moment, my heart sank to the bottom of the abyss. The more Xander laughed, the more it indicated that his anger was on the brink of eruption.

"There are consequences for wrongdoing, and both you and your father will pay the price."

Xander stood up slowly, his tone calm and unwavering.

"Do you think a few light words can erase the sins your father committed? Selena, you haven't changed at all. You're still as naive and foolish as ever."

With a sneer, Xander leaned in close to my ear.

"It's not just once, but today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your life, you'll have to be a good girl and stay by my side to atone for your father's sins. He made me lose my parents, and I will make him lose his daughter forever."

Xander's voice was cold and empty, his words piercing my heart like a poisoned dagger. I couldn't understand how the Xander who once gazed at me with such affection had become the man before me now.

Tears streamed down my face once more, and I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness and despair. After delivering his words, Xander turned away indifferently, no longer regarding my expression. His figure disappeared into the darkness, as if he had never been there at all.

The moon was obscured by a thick layer of dark clouds, and in this shadowed world, I felt utterly lost, not knowing where to turn.