Chapter 9
After that day, whenever I went out, I always saw a few unpleasant figures.
Sometimes it was my parents, sometimes it was Cassian,
sometimes it was Damien.
They seemed to treat my place like some sort of checkpoint, coming over every few days, and looking at me with those painfully pitiful, nauseating eyes.
I could only try my best to ignore them.
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But in the end, they still affected the neighbors in the building.
After the property management contacted me, I couldn’t take it anymore and let these human–like telephone poles my door into the house.
They were both surprised and cautious, stepping in carefully.
“Your house is really nice.”
Damien glanced around the room, awkwardly giving a compliment.
He had never known that I had such an interest in life.
There were so many plants in the house, all full of vitality.
Chapter 9
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“You must really like planting flowers, huh? I have a garden at my villa. You could plant whatever you want.”
My parents nodded eagerly. “Exnetly. We have space at home for flowers too.”
I took a sip of my coffee.
“No need, I won’t be staying here for long.”
Hearing this, the four of them froze for a moment.
“You’re not planning to develop your career here? It’d be so nice to be close to home.”
I smiled, but the smile carried a sense of detachment and
coldness.
“My home isn’t here.”
Mom got excited again. “How could it not be here? We are all waiting for you to come home. This will always be your home!”
I set the coffee cup down, and the porcelain clinked against the table. Its sound was as cold as my tone.
“I thought my intentions were clear all along. That’s not my home.”
Mom opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but suddenly choked up.
Chapter 9
Because I took off my jacket.
Underneath was a thin, sleeveless nightgown.
The exposed skin was covered in scars, twisted and jagged, marking the aftermath of a fire.
Over the years, I had undergone skin grafts to make my face nearly as normal as anyone else’s.
But the scars on my body could never return to their original
state.
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Mom trembled and reached out her hand, as though wanting to
touch my scars.
This was the first time she had directly seen the trauma the fire had left on me.
“How could it be… How could it be this serious?”
“It’s always been serious. I almost died in that fire, but you all thought it was just superficial damage. You only cared about how ugly the scars on my face were.”
Thinking back to the time I had surgery when the hospital contacted them and they insulted me for being overly sensitive, Dad, Mom, and Cassian turned ashen.
But I didn’t give them a chance to soften things.
Chapter 9
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“Do you remember the password that was changed? I actually figured it out and got into my room.
“It’s fine. You made your choice long ago, so why force me to turn back now?”
My simple, emotionless question left them in tears.
“Nelia…”
Dad reached out, wanting to hug me.
I deftly avoided him, looking at them as if they were strangers.
As for Damien, I didn’t forget about him either.
“And you, stop bothering me.
“Everything you did with Zara, she recorded it all and sent it to
- me.
“Since you like her, why keep bothering me?”
Damien panicked and tried to explain. “No, it’s not like that. I didn’t like her. I just… I just…”
“You just felt sorry for her and thought she was so understanding, right?
“Damien, you coward. You won’t even admit to your emotional betrayal.”
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Chapter 9
I sneered and raised my right hand.
On my ring finger, there was clearly a ring.
“I’m married. Stop bothering me, understand?”
Damien looked like he had been struck by lightning.
“You… you’re married? To whom?”
