I Tried To Be A Good Girl, But My Past Won’t Stay Burried のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 81 - チャプター 90

The world beyond that room was stranger than any battlefield I'd ever set foot on. The hallway opened into a vast chamber where a giant floating crystal lantern hung from the ceiling. It glowed like captured starlight, suspended with no chains, no visible strings—just hovering. I stared up at it in awe, hand drifting to where my sword should've been. "Some kind of sacred artifact...?" I whispered. Next to it was a smaller room—sterile, gleaming. A bowl of water sat atop a strange pedestal. I leaned over it and pressed a metal lever.The water vanished—disappearing with a hungry gulp—and then, it came back, like it had been summoned through sorcery. I took a step back. "Impossible..." A line of servants stood along the main hallway, heads bowed low as I passed like I still held a general's mantle. Well—at least the peasants of this world recognized authority. Good for them. My attention snagged on a pink round object resting on a side table. It was small, innocent-looking—like a t

The room tightened the moment the old woman slid into her seat. Her eyes were small, sharpened by years of command; the air around her hummed with someone who had spent a life correcting the reckless. "So you've been the one tampering and putting ideas in your brothers head? You have no respect for your elders," the older woman said, taking her seat. "Leave the room." "Grandma!" Alice whined, half-whine, half-screech. She flapped like a spoiled banner caught in a gale. "Should I tell you to leave the house entirely?" the woman threatened. Alice's face crumpled. She burst into tears and fled, Elaine wheeling herself after her like a marionette. I could have followed—spectacle and collapse were delicious—but I paused. Greatness has a smell. This woman had it; I recognized it as quickly as I recognized a weak flank in battle. The queen mother—no, the elder Mrs. Masterson. In the story she's worn down by fate and piety. Fate had been cruel to her: a life of doing right, then ruin, th

Nothing was making sense anymore—not since Billie hit her head. Elaine and I were still at the clinic after Billie had wandered off on her own. I asked Elaine if she remembered the necklace incident. She said she wore it when she helped me in the mountains... and claimed Billie must have snatched it from her afterward. Normally, I would've taken her word as gospel. I always had. But something about it felt off now. When I was wounded in the mountains, it had been dark. I never saw clearly who carried me out, who hauled me to safety, who stayed with me in the hospital. I only knew that when I woke up, Elaine was there—crying, worried, devoted. Billie wasn't. I built an entire narrative around that. A beautiful savior. A jealous sister. A loveless marriage I planned to end brutally. And I would have—If Billie hadn't changed. After she hit her head, she became someone else. Someone dignified, reserved, almost... ancient. She spoke like she'd been raised in another century, walke

"My brother is actually with that Jinxx!" I heard Alice huff, stomping like a spoiled fawn. Holden leaned back casually. "Isn't that great? They are married anyway." Alice threw her hands in the air. "What about Elaine?!" Holden sighed in disbelief. "What has to happen to convince you that Damien doesn't have those feelings for Elaine? He's just protective over people he considers family. You're just making things up." Alice clicked her tongue and found Damien immediately. "Damien!" He rubbed his temple as though bracing for war. "What exactly happened?" Alice sucked in a deep breath. "The company got bad press and is trending. They're targeting Holden's career. The accident with the crew was spread maliciously!" Damien straightened. "What rumors?" Holden deflated like a child caught with a broken toy. "They say there are too many safety risks with our crew and blaming me for negligence. Should I take down the trending topics?" I stepped forward. "Don't do that." Alice imme

Alice bristled, snapping at the man in black like a small dog with too much pride. "What are you doing here? This is Masterson family business! What's it got to do with the Bosley family?" The man ignored her completely. He simply walked past, cutting through the crowd of reporters as if the room parted for him alone. He stopped before Damien with a smooth, practiced smile. "President Masterson, I'm here today to congratulate you on signing on a project as exceptional as MASK." The man was around Damien's age—perhaps thirty. Handsome. Long black hair tied neatly behind him, framing dark eyes that betrayed calculation. His fitted suit looked more expensive than most of the jewelry in the hall. "Once the movie is released, I'll definitely support it." Damien gave him the same smile one general gives another before war. "Unfortunately today is going to be disappointing for you," he said. "After seeing that MASK has been plagiarized, we cancelled that contract already." A stir ri