Chapter 3

Late into the night, my heart was racing so hard that I felt like it would spring out of my throat.

However, I didn't want to stop and worked even faster.

If I died now, I could go back!

Still, it had been a while since I worked overnight, and every organ in my body was screaming in protest, while I found myself falling asleep on my desk a few times.

To prevent it from happening again, I put a fruit knife on the table and stabbed myself if I got sleepy.

When I jerked awake again and was ready to stab myself, a woman screamed behind me, "Are you crazy?!"

I turned to find Claire running to me and excitedly grabbed her wrist. "Claire! You're back?!"

However, it was just an illusion from fatigue, and Silvia's eyes widened in surprise. "What did you call me?!"

Oh.

My look of disappointment hurt her even more, and she pressed relentlessly, "What did you call me?!"

I was annoyed, so I simply blurted, "Nothing… It's just a friend. She's not around anymore."

Silvia wasn't stupid, however.

I could even tell from the look in her eyes that she was wondering if I was telling the truth, but she ultimately bought it.

After all, I had died so many times for her—what was that if not love?

"I've never pegged you for a sentimental one," she said with a scoff. "What's so important about the dead anyway?"

Oh, but they were important.

Because Claire left me the best memories I ever had.

Still, before I could ask what she was doing here, Henry was screaming as he lunged toward my computer, "That's some impressive progress, Carl! You're amazing! But this opening angle is not that good—can you change it?"

I was stunned as he nonchalantly dismissed all my work, making me start again from scratch.

It was already past midnight—I wasn't getting any sleep if I had to submit it before tomorrow morning.

How terrible… But I didn't get to refuse, as Silvia quickly agreed to it. "Sure. This is the only thing he's good for—one more life for it is nothing to mourn over."

"Yeah."

I had heard those words so many times over the years that it had gotten boring now.

And while I was willing to play a lovesick fool before, all I wanted now was to die sooner.

There was an actual look of surprise on Silvia's face just then, as she clearly didn't expect nonchalance from me.

Still, she soon composed herself. "Don't try to play the victim here. I know you're not going to die—get back to work now!"

Pausing, she then added, "You can sleep for a few minutes if you have to. You don't have to stab yourself…"

I raised a brow.

Funny—she wouldn't have hesitated to stab me herself before, but she actually learned to care now?

But it was too late, and I didn't yearn for her so-called love.

All I wanted was to die by her hands.

When I was finally done and wanted to take a break, my vision turned dark.

-

I was in the hospital when I woke up, and Henry was sitting beside me, his glare venomous as he peeled an apple. "Rise and shine… You're lucky to wake up from that. "

There were just the two of us in the room, so he didn't have to hide his resentment toward me as he stabbed the fruit knife into the apple and slammed it on the table.

"You've really learned," he growled. "Trying to get Silvia's attention by playing sick? Such a shame that she won't actually feel a thing—you're just a dog to her."

Before I could speak, we heard footsteps outside, and Henry promptly picked up the sharp knife again. "Don't blame me, Carl. Blame yourself for getting in my way!"

As he plunged the knife into his own chest, Silvia rushed in just then.