All Chapters of Of All Sorrows, Love Is the Deepest: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Rowena returned home and tearfully recounted the events of the day to Clarence, Irving, and Luther."Do you think Nicholas is blaming me?" she asked. "Did my coming back make Karina unhappy? But I never meant to hurt her."In the past, whenever she said things like this, her three brothers would always rush to defend her. But now, the three of them acted as if they hadn't even heard her.After she finished speaking, all they did was respond with detached indifference, "Rowena, go upstairs. We're tired."Out of their sight, Rowena's eyes filled with venom.Even in death, Karina was still causing trouble for her.…In the living room, the three men sat on the couch, each lost in silence.Clarence buried his face in his hands, choking back sobs. "It's my fault Karina died. If it weren't for me, she'd still be here."After Rowena left, they had initially treated Karina well just to spite Rowena. But over the years of living together, it was impossible not to develop real feelings.

"I can explain," Rowena said desperately. "Everything I did was for all of you. Yes, I was wrong five years ago. I shouldn't have let Dwayne deceive me and hurt you like that, but I've truly realized my mistakes now."Her eyes, pleading and pitiful, swept over the four men."Nicholas, Clarence, Irving, Luther, I know you've always been the kindest to me. Isn't the reason you treated Karina well also because of me? Wasn't it just to make me realize my mistakes and come back to your side?"Isn't this what you wanted? Nicholas, I'll treat you better from now on, so can't we just let the past go? You never loved Karina anyway and only treated her as my stand-in."Clarence, Irving, Luther, I'll still be your sweet, obedient little sister. Even if Karina's gone, nothing has to change."Rowena had thought this heartfelt confession might move them a little, yet the expressions of the four men didn't soften in the slightest. Instead, they were left with nothing but profound disappointment.

The basement was pitch-black, save for a faint light seeping from the doorway.Nicholas' footsteps echoed through the stairwell.Rowena huddled in a corner, trembling. When the door swung open, she met Nicholas' bloodshot eyes and shuddered even harder."What are you planning to do?" she asked.Instead of answering, Nicholas stepped aside and let the bodyguards behind him enter.Each of them was holding a bag. Soon, the empty, silent basement filled with a soft, continuous hiss.The next moment, the bodyguards opened the bags and snakes spilled onto the floor. They began to slither steadily toward Rowena.Rowena screamed, "Stay away from me! Help!"She tried to scramble away, but the entire basement was already filled with snakes.They coiled around her arms and calves, then slithered upward until they had her whole body covered.The cold, scaly sensation made Rowena shudder violently, but there was nowhere left for her to hide.She let out another sharp scream, followed by

Since Zachary arrived, many things in Karina's life had quietly changed.Before, it always felt as if a part of her heart was hollow. But after Zachary came, they would talk occasionally. Even when they didn't, he would sometimes come and stand beside her for a while.Karina placed a hand over her chest and realized she hadn't felt that empty, desolate sense of loss in a long time.Only then did it suddenly dawn on her that the reason she had felt so hollow was that everything was too quiet when she was alone.Humans were social beings, after all. It was only natural to long for connection. And being isolated from others for too long would inevitably lead to loneliness.Karina had once intended to spend the rest of her life on this remote, uninhabited island, but now she had changed her mind.Several months had passed, so surely her brothers and Nicholas had already forgotten about her.Since she had already "died" once, why should she keep holding herself back?With that thoug

Karina said nothing, and silence hung between them.Nicholas watched her intently, hoping his confession would move her in some way."Nicholas, why are you doing this?" She shook her head, her refusal leaving no room for doubt. "You know there are no second chances in life. If there were, my biggest regret would be being born into my family, and my second would be marrying you five years ago."Karina didn't want to drag this out any longer, so she added, "Nicholas, when I was hanging from that cliff, I already died once. Can't you just let me go?"She tried to turn and leave, but Nicholas caught her wrist."No. Karina, I was truly wrong, and I genuinely regret it. Didn't you always want to marry me? Come back with me, and we'll officially get married, okay?"The more he said such things, the more disgusted Karina felt.Just as she couldn't break free, a hand reached over and gently freed her wrist from Nicholas' grip.Karina looked over, and her eyes immediately lit up."Zacha