Chapter 4

I watched him flirt with Winnie like he had everything under control, then listened as he calmed everyone down.

He promised he would protect them all.

In the end, I could no longer lie to myself. There was no way two people in this world had the same name and the same face.

My throat felt raw. My voice was low, but loud enough for him to hear.

“Evan, when did you get a new girlfriend?”

Winnie snapped back to herself at the sound of my voice and pointed at me furiously.

“Evan, she’s the one who bullied me. She kicked me to the ground. It hurt so much.”

But Evan ignored her. He stared at me in shock, panic flashing across his face.

“Nina, what are you doing here?”

I laughed.

“That’s what I was about to ask you. Yesterday, you were still talking to me about how we should spend Valentine’s Day. How did you turn around and start getting cozy with another woman?”

Everyone around us went silent.

Winnie looked even more stunned.

“Evan, what is going on? Haven’t we been together for three months? That woman is lying, right?”

Winnie kept questioning him, and my heart sank lower and lower.

Three months.

But three months ago, we had just met each other’s parents. We had even set a wedding date.

My expression went cold.

“Evan, I need an explanation.”

We had been together for six years. So many of our friends had called us the perfect couple. They said our relationship was so good it made people jealous.

I could not believe he would betray me.

This was the game, after all. Maybe he had some reason.

But in the next second, he regained his composure and said flatly, “Since you’ve already seen it, I won’t hide it anymore. Let’s break up.

“I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, but your temper is weird. I was afraid you’d do something reckless if you got angry, so I never found the right time.”

I nearly lost my mind from rage.

Ever since I came to the horror game, I had always kept my temper under control around my family and my boyfriend.

Even if he wanted to break up with me, if he had told me the truth, I would not have clung to him.

Three months.

The thought of him dating another woman behind my back, then coming home and acting like nothing had happened, pretending to be loving with me, made me sick.

Cheating while acting noble was beyond disgusting.

Winnie suddenly understood.

“Evan, so this is the bad-tempered old girlfriend you told me about? The one who’s moody all day long?”

She looked at me with open disgust.

“Evan is mine now. Stay away from him. Stop shamelessly throwing yourself at him, okay?”

The others immediately joined in.

“Seriously? Her temper is so bad her boyfriend didn’t even dare break up with her? What kind of person is that?”

“She wouldn’t threaten Evan with suicide to stop him from leaving, would she? People like that are terrifying.”

“Winnie is still the best. She’s gentle and kind. Evan and Winnie belong together.”

Josie was shaking with anger as she shouted back, “My sister is a good person. Stop making things up. He’s the cheater here. What right do you have to insult my sister?”

I silently held her tighter and patted her gently.

“Why argue with them? These people were willing to bully you together. Do you really expect them to know right from wrong?”

Winnie was about to curse back, but the huge screens around us suddenly began counting down.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven... The game will begin shortly. Entering the instance soon. Players, please prepare.”

Winnie immediately clung to Evan’s arm, looking smug.

“We’re about to enter the game. Don’t be so scared you come crying and begging us to save you.”

Evan lifted his chin proudly, too.

“For the sake of what we used to have, if you get on your knees and apologize to Winnie, I can reluctantly forgive you. Once we enter the game, I’ll keep you alive.”

I looked at the numbers turning bloodred and smiled faintly.

They did not know this was an S-rank lobby.

Only when the game began would players find out which instance they were in.

This round had been started by Winnie’s party invitation, and both of them assumed they would naturally enter a C-rank beginner zone.

They thought they could tear through everything inside and bask in everyone’s praise.

The next second, the world around us collapsed.

When I opened my eyes again, we were surrounded by ruins.

A group of entities stood dead ahead, staring straight at us.

The game’s voice rang out again.

“Welcome, players, to the S-rank instance. Good luck.”