Clarissa took a deep breath, opened the bedside table, and took out a marriage certificate, handing it to Luana.
"You two weren't entirely meant to miss each other. At least he kept his promise from when you were young and married you."
Seeing the marriage certificate, Luana's eyes welled up.
She reached out and slowly unfolded it...
Name: Luana
Name: Albion
Beside them was a composite photo of the two, dressed in white shirts, with a red background, their faces beaming with happiness.
When Luana was eighteen, she had asked Albion, "When are you going to marry me?"
Albion, engrossed in a book at the time, looked up and playfully tapped her nose with his pen, saying, "When I'm capable of giving you happiness."
Luana pouted, dissatisfied, "But when will that be?"
Albion held up his book and replied, "After I've mastered all this knowledge and become someone worthy, then I'll marry you."
Luana rested her chin
Third Person's POVLuana tightly embraced Clarissa, hoping to alleviate her pain.Clarissa, however, patted her back with a smile and said, "It's alright. After finding out the truth, I was devastated for a while, but then I pulled myself together. I installed surveillance cameras and recorded every moment of their infidelity, which I sent to my lawyer."I won the lawsuit, but I couldn't get the house back. I could only recover the mortgage payments, the money I spent on him, and compensation for emotional distress..."However, what I didn't expect was that someone would expose Albert's bigamy online, ruining his reputation. His company fired him, and no other major firms would hire him. As far as I know, his current salary isn't even enough to cover the mortgage. Plus, his mother has cancer, which is why he keeps begging at my door."Clarissa's voice turned cold as she continued, "He thinks I'm still the naive woman I once was, that if he kneels a
"I had no choice but to pull a dumb move—I seduced Gehrmann and took Naomi's spot as his bedwarmer," Clarissa said flatly, her voice echoing off the brick walls."I thought I could use him to get back at Cline. Turns out I was dumber than a bag of hammers—Gehrmann wouldn't lift a finger against Cline for any woman." She kicked at a pebble, watching it skitter into the shadows. "By the time I figured that out, he wouldn't let me walk away."Clarissa shifted her weight, catching Luana's profile in the dim light."But don't you worry, Luana. I ain't falling for Gehrmann's charm. This world's got exactly one good man left—Albion. And he's six feet under."So, I won't be that girl anymore—the one who pours her heart out for every little kindness, even when it's not worth it."Mentioning Albion again made Luana's eyes dim as if the light behind them had been switched off.She lowered her lashes, hiding the sorrow pooling th
Clarissa watched Luana's fingers tighten around the phone until her knuckles whitened. "When I first saw those messages flooding in, I tried luring him out myself—posed as you, planned to bring the cops. But instead of catching a creep, I got..."She trailed off, the memory of the man in the café still prickling her nerves.A man as cold and heartless as Cline—why would he cling to memories of Luana like this?"Anyway," she shrugged, "he never showed. Guess some ghosts stay buried."Luana's voice was a whisper. "These things... they should've been my fight. Not yours."Clarissa cut her off, "If it were me in this mess, you'd do the same. So quit with the thanks already."Luana nodded meekly, her lashes drooping as she glanced back at the phone screen.The mystery gnawed at her—Mr. Night's messages reeked of obsession, yet he hid in plain sight. Why?She couldn't fathom it, and frankly, didn't care
Luana nodded in agreement and turned toward the stairs.But after just two steps, she froze, her fingers brushing the banister.Slowly, she turned back, her voice hesitant. "Clarissa, I came back as Dorothy... What about Gehrmann?"Clarissa had guessed that Luana had returned as her sister Dorothy the moment she heard Dorian call her by that name.Clarissa's smile was warm, reassuring. "I won't say a word to him or Cline. Your secret's safe."Relief flickered in Luana's eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, the word soft as a feather.As Luana walked away, Clarissa watched her retreating figure, worry knotting her brow."Is this luck or a curse?" she thought, "Leaving Cline only to be trapped by Dorian."At the car, Luana opened the passenger door and slid in."Home at ten seems early," she ventured, her tone tentative.Dorian glanced over, his indifference palpable. "Make it eight, then."Luana's lips twitched
Cline held tight to her arm, as if he'd never let go unless Luana gave him a chance to speak.Luana, brows furrowed, sighed and relented, "Five minutes, right here."Cline's cold gaze shifted to Dorian, who shot him a glare before turning to Luana."Five minutes, then home," Dorian warned.Luana nodded meekly, "Okay."Only after Dorian strode into the villa did Luana turn to Cline, her voice cool and impatient."Well?"In Dorian's presence, Luana had been the picture of obedience, just as she used to be with him.Now, though, Cline saw a change in her—calm, distant, and edged with impatience.This new version of Luana only deepened the ache in his chest.He longed to reach out, to brush his fingers against her face, but as his hand rose, she flinched violently, stepping back as if struck.Luana stared at Cline's right hand, her pupils suddenly clouded with fear, as if the ghosts of past trauma had res
"Does it hurt?" Luana silently asked herself.Once, she had known pain—excruciating, soul-crushing agony that had left her curled on a cold floor, voiceless and desperate.It had been a pain that stripped away all hope in this man before her, eroding her very will to live. It had been so severe that even in her final moments, when she'd longed for a glimpse of him, he'd refused even a phone call.That pain was no mere physical wound. It was a despair that seeped into her very being.It was after enduring such torment that she had finally seen Cline for what he truly was—a man utterly ruthless toward her.Yet now, here he was, holding her and asking if she hurt. The irony was bitter, almost laughable.With a cold, expressionless face, she said, "The five minutes are up. Let me go."But Cline, who had finally held the person he'd obsessed over, had no intention of releasing her so easily.He held her tight and said, "
Luana fought with all her might, her slender hands clawing at Cline's arms.Her nails bit through his skin, drawing blood, yet he held on relentlessly."Cline!" Luana roared in fury, finally dropping her Dorothy act and staring him down as Luana.Hearing his name from her lips, Cline's eyes reddened further. "You finally admit it..."Luana sneered. "So what if I do?"Cline froze, his bloodshot eyes slowly meeting hers.Her face was an icy mask, devoid of emotion, filled only with contempt.This cold Luana left him at a loss.As he opened his mouth to speak, Luana turned her head, her calm eyes reflecting Cline's pale face."Did you really mean it when you said you loved me?""Yes..." Cline's heart leaped at the chance to connect, and he nodded eagerly, about to confess a decade-old truth.But Luana cut him off, her voice ice-cold, "If you loved me, why wouldn't you wait until our contract ended before break
Cline released Luana with a hint of despair, staggering back a step.His bloodshot eyes locked onto hers as he asked, "Never at all?"Luana's lashes fluttered, her composure unwavering as she shook her head again.The smile on Cline's lips deepened with bitterness. "What about these, then?"He pulled out a letter he'd carried always, holding it before her. His voice cracked, his eyes red as he repeated, "What do these mean?"Luana's gaze fell on the perfectly preserved letter, and her expression froze—a chord struck deep within.She wondered when exactly she'd lost all hope in him.Her thoughts drifted back to that night when he held her close, their intimacy shattered by his cold words, "Don't delude yourself into thinking I'll love you."She'd felt like ice, realizing she was nothing to him but a vessel for his emotions. Yet now...Luana slowly lifted her eyes to Cline, his composure completely undone.Whe
Cline released Luana with a hint of despair, staggering back a step.His bloodshot eyes locked onto hers as he asked, "Never at all?"Luana's lashes fluttered, her composure unwavering as she shook her head again.The smile on Cline's lips deepened with bitterness. "What about these, then?"He pulled out a letter he'd carried always, holding it before her. His voice cracked, his eyes red as he repeated, "What do these mean?"Luana's gaze fell on the perfectly preserved letter, and her expression froze—a chord struck deep within.She wondered when exactly she'd lost all hope in him.Her thoughts drifted back to that night when he held her close, their intimacy shattered by his cold words, "Don't delude yourself into thinking I'll love you."She'd felt like ice, realizing she was nothing to him but a vessel for his emotions. Yet now...Luana slowly lifted her eyes to Cline, his composure completely undone.Whe
Luana fought with all her might, her slender hands clawing at Cline's arms.Her nails bit through his skin, drawing blood, yet he held on relentlessly."Cline!" Luana roared in fury, finally dropping her Dorothy act and staring him down as Luana.Hearing his name from her lips, Cline's eyes reddened further. "You finally admit it..."Luana sneered. "So what if I do?"Cline froze, his bloodshot eyes slowly meeting hers.Her face was an icy mask, devoid of emotion, filled only with contempt.This cold Luana left him at a loss.As he opened his mouth to speak, Luana turned her head, her calm eyes reflecting Cline's pale face."Did you really mean it when you said you loved me?""Yes..." Cline's heart leaped at the chance to connect, and he nodded eagerly, about to confess a decade-old truth.But Luana cut him off, her voice ice-cold, "If you loved me, why wouldn't you wait until our contract ended before break
"Does it hurt?" Luana silently asked herself.Once, she had known pain—excruciating, soul-crushing agony that had left her curled on a cold floor, voiceless and desperate.It had been a pain that stripped away all hope in this man before her, eroding her very will to live. It had been so severe that even in her final moments, when she'd longed for a glimpse of him, he'd refused even a phone call.That pain was no mere physical wound. It was a despair that seeped into her very being.It was after enduring such torment that she had finally seen Cline for what he truly was—a man utterly ruthless toward her.Yet now, here he was, holding her and asking if she hurt. The irony was bitter, almost laughable.With a cold, expressionless face, she said, "The five minutes are up. Let me go."But Cline, who had finally held the person he'd obsessed over, had no intention of releasing her so easily.He held her tight and said, "
Cline held tight to her arm, as if he'd never let go unless Luana gave him a chance to speak.Luana, brows furrowed, sighed and relented, "Five minutes, right here."Cline's cold gaze shifted to Dorian, who shot him a glare before turning to Luana."Five minutes, then home," Dorian warned.Luana nodded meekly, "Okay."Only after Dorian strode into the villa did Luana turn to Cline, her voice cool and impatient."Well?"In Dorian's presence, Luana had been the picture of obedience, just as she used to be with him.Now, though, Cline saw a change in her—calm, distant, and edged with impatience.This new version of Luana only deepened the ache in his chest.He longed to reach out, to brush his fingers against her face, but as his hand rose, she flinched violently, stepping back as if struck.Luana stared at Cline's right hand, her pupils suddenly clouded with fear, as if the ghosts of past trauma had res
Luana nodded in agreement and turned toward the stairs.But after just two steps, she froze, her fingers brushing the banister.Slowly, she turned back, her voice hesitant. "Clarissa, I came back as Dorothy... What about Gehrmann?"Clarissa had guessed that Luana had returned as her sister Dorothy the moment she heard Dorian call her by that name.Clarissa's smile was warm, reassuring. "I won't say a word to him or Cline. Your secret's safe."Relief flickered in Luana's eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, the word soft as a feather.As Luana walked away, Clarissa watched her retreating figure, worry knotting her brow."Is this luck or a curse?" she thought, "Leaving Cline only to be trapped by Dorian."At the car, Luana opened the passenger door and slid in."Home at ten seems early," she ventured, her tone tentative.Dorian glanced over, his indifference palpable. "Make it eight, then."Luana's lips twitched
Clarissa watched Luana's fingers tighten around the phone until her knuckles whitened. "When I first saw those messages flooding in, I tried luring him out myself—posed as you, planned to bring the cops. But instead of catching a creep, I got..."She trailed off, the memory of the man in the café still prickling her nerves.A man as cold and heartless as Cline—why would he cling to memories of Luana like this?"Anyway," she shrugged, "he never showed. Guess some ghosts stay buried."Luana's voice was a whisper. "These things... they should've been my fight. Not yours."Clarissa cut her off, "If it were me in this mess, you'd do the same. So quit with the thanks already."Luana nodded meekly, her lashes drooping as she glanced back at the phone screen.The mystery gnawed at her—Mr. Night's messages reeked of obsession, yet he hid in plain sight. Why?She couldn't fathom it, and frankly, didn't care
"I had no choice but to pull a dumb move—I seduced Gehrmann and took Naomi's spot as his bedwarmer," Clarissa said flatly, her voice echoing off the brick walls."I thought I could use him to get back at Cline. Turns out I was dumber than a bag of hammers—Gehrmann wouldn't lift a finger against Cline for any woman." She kicked at a pebble, watching it skitter into the shadows. "By the time I figured that out, he wouldn't let me walk away."Clarissa shifted her weight, catching Luana's profile in the dim light."But don't you worry, Luana. I ain't falling for Gehrmann's charm. This world's got exactly one good man left—Albion. And he's six feet under."So, I won't be that girl anymore—the one who pours her heart out for every little kindness, even when it's not worth it."Mentioning Albion again made Luana's eyes dim as if the light behind them had been switched off.She lowered her lashes, hiding the sorrow pooling th
Third Person's POVLuana tightly embraced Clarissa, hoping to alleviate her pain.Clarissa, however, patted her back with a smile and said, "It's alright. After finding out the truth, I was devastated for a while, but then I pulled myself together. I installed surveillance cameras and recorded every moment of their infidelity, which I sent to my lawyer."I won the lawsuit, but I couldn't get the house back. I could only recover the mortgage payments, the money I spent on him, and compensation for emotional distress..."However, what I didn't expect was that someone would expose Albert's bigamy online, ruining his reputation. His company fired him, and no other major firms would hire him. As far as I know, his current salary isn't even enough to cover the mortgage. Plus, his mother has cancer, which is why he keeps begging at my door."Clarissa's voice turned cold as she continued, "He thinks I'm still the naive woman I once was, that if he kneels a
Clarissa took a deep breath, opened the bedside table, and took out a marriage certificate, handing it to Luana."You two weren't entirely meant to miss each other. At least he kept his promise from when you were young and married you."Seeing the marriage certificate, Luana's eyes welled up.She reached out and slowly unfolded it...Name: LuanaName: AlbionBeside them was a composite photo of the two, dressed in white shirts, with a red background, their faces beaming with happiness.When Luana was eighteen, she had asked Albion, "When are you going to marry me?"Albion, engrossed in a book at the time, looked up and playfully tapped her nose with his pen, saying, "When I'm capable of giving you happiness."Luana pouted, dissatisfied, "But when will that be?"Albion held up his book and replied, "After I've mastered all this knowledge and become someone worthy, then I'll marry you."Luana rested her chin