Zachary finally let go of her. He serined calmer now as the fire of his earlier rage dimmed.
He then left without another word.
Aether slid down against the wall, her body slowly sinking until she was crouched on the ground.
She stared at the dust on the floor, her vision blunting as tears welled up.
Hermind was already picturing Vivian struggling desperately with those men, ber body ravaged, her soul shattered.
If she obeyed, she might survive the first night. But if she resisted too much, they would shove broken glass inside her, leaving her bleeding out on the floor.
She remembered the book’s description and recalled that Vivian hadn’t died the first night.
However, she later leamed that the Dum family had gone bankrupt. In a desperate attempt to save her, her mother had been raped. Her father, trying to protect the woman he loved, had been beaten to death before her eyes.
That was when Vivian finally snapped, and once she lost her mind, those old men shoved shards of glass into her until she bled to death.
Not a single member of the Dunn family survived, and their deaths were nothing but brutal.
The only thing left of Vivian was a diary
Gloria had found it. It was a diary filled with memories of Zachary, a story of a girl’s first, innocent love. But that love had given her nothing but a blood–soaked nightmare. She had gambled everything but lost.
Gloria Inew all of the Fabled Four sins. She didn’t love them, but they had killed the person she loved most–Riley.
And now, they were even holding her family hostage.
She didn’t want to end up like Vivian, so she gave in. But in the end, living felt more painful than dying.
When Acther read the book, she didn’t get lost in the fantasy of the Fabled Four’s twisted, domineering love for Gloria.
What stood out to her was how every woman in the story faced some sort of tragedy. And she hated it.
Ultimately, she chose to report the book.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t handle the “forced love” trope.
But if Gloria never loved him from beginning to end, then what they called “love” was nothing more than assault.
Gloria still despised them even in the final chapter. She still mourned Riley. She was still trapped in agony, suffocating under the weight of her compromise.
She chose to endure and survive for the sake of her family. But ultimately, she died of depression.
Aether hated that story’s ending with every fiber of her being.
But at that moment, she was stuck in her nightmare, and she didn’t even know if she’d ever make it home.
So, what night did she have to worry about someone else’s fate?
When Aether returned in
to the dom, Zachary wasn’t there. She took an early shower and turned in for the night.
Zachary finally returned sometime past midnight.
Aether had forgotten to turn off the bedside lamp, and under its dim glow, he could see her face clearly. Her face was tear–streaked, her eyes were swollen, and her nose was red from crying-
Zachary figured that she must’ve been terrified. He had laid his sins bare before her, revealed everinch of his darkness. And yet,
him.
she had still tried to understand
He thought she was an idiot. He reckoned that Aether must’ve been so scared that she lost her mind.
[Zachary Conner’s favorability 1. Current favorability: -81.1
“Idiot.” A trace of unintentional tenderness flickered in his eyes.
Chapter 20 She Was Kissed by a Girl
Zachary pently houshed her cheek, but Arther’s body tumbled violently
She murmured, “No Don L. Don’t come near Don‘
Her words sank into his heart. He tried to smooth the furrow between her brows, hoping she’d sleep more peacefully, but when his fingers touched her, she shuddered even harder, her breathing tuming reged
Aether’s eyes flew open, and she saw Zachary right in front of her.
She bolted upright and threw her arms around him, clutching him tightly.
Tears spilled down her face uncontrollably, just like when she was comered by a group of class thurs in the school restroom, and they tried to yank her pants
down
Zachary was also the one who saved her that time.
So, naturally, she relied on him. But she was also aware that Zachary had thrown Virtan into a park of old men
Fear and dependence twisted inside her, pulling her apart at the seAMIS.
Because she didn’t know when Zachary night decide to throw her to those same men over some minor dissatisfaction.
That thought alone made her release him. She shrank Into a comer and pulled her knees close
Serving a king was like living alongside a tiger. Having witnessed Zachary’s mercilessness toward Vivian, Arther understood that he was the king, and she was nothing more than a trembling subject, forever at risked losing her head,
Alding cold protect.
Angouldi
“Are you having nightmares?” Zachary’s voice was impossibly soft, far gentler than when they were in the academic building.
Aether lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. Her throat tightened as she choked out, “I dreamt I was trapped in that restroom again, and a group of perverted old men were going to hurt me
“I screamed for help. But no
*1begged and struggled, but it didn’t matter. Then they stuffed broken glass inside me
“It hurt so much. I was terrified
This was the second time she had ever said she was afraid.
The first was in that restroom when she was being comered.
Zachary knew full well that he was responsible for the second time.
Because he really had sent Vedan to Lunar Lounge to be punished by those depraved old men.
It was a brutal lesson that served as a waming to others.
Zachary saw the tenor in Aether’s eyes, but he said nothing. He simply lay back down on his own bed and left her alone.
Aether stared at his back, and it looked like he had already fallen asleep.
She had no choice but to accept the fact that the Dunn family was wiped out.
She had done everything she could, and the rest was up to fate.
This was just a virtual world, wasn’t it? They were all just characters, nothing more
She should stop worrying about anyone else and focus on leaving as soon as possible.
In an attempt to comince and comfort herself, Aether kept repeating the thought to herself until she switched off the bedside lamp and drifted back to sleep.
When Arther woke up the next moming, she noticed Zachary’s blanket had slipped to the floor. The air conditioning was set low, and the room was freezing.
She tiptoed over, picked up the blanket, and gently draped it over hint.
Zachary naturally felt it, and he knew exactly who it was
He was just too tired to move. And truth be told, he was cold. Now that she’d covered him up, it saved him the trouble.
1Zachary Conner’s favorability + Current favorability: -80 |
After tucking the blanket around him, Aether went to freshen up in the bathroom before heading to the cafeteria for breakfast
Chce she’d eaten her fill, she served meals to the students from Class D and Class Fwith her usual bright enthusiasm
Perhaps because of Zachary’s warning, nobody made things difficult for her this time. No one mocked her, teased her, or deliberately picked on her.
Our ber shall was done, she changed into her casual clothes and left the cafeteria, only to straight into Vivian.
Arthur was surprised. She had expected to see her again
By all logic, Vivian should never have made it out of Lunar Lounge. There was no future for these taken, only a never–ending nightmare of servitude, bound to mjeti
with no espe
Because working at Lunar Lounge was wone than prison
However, this Virian was different from the first time Aether had met her.
Gone was the arrogant, self–assured woman who canted herself like she was untouchable. She leaked wom, her once–sharp features softened. The fire in her eyes had dimmed, replaced by quiet resilience.
she stopped before Aether and offered a faint smile, “I’m fine now. My family is sale, too.
“But I’m not an A–rink anymore. And I have to leave this city
“Bot belone I go, I need to ask you something, Why did you plead for me and try to save me?
“just thought that the price you had to pay was too cruel.”
vivian’s eyes reddened. “So you were willing to go against him, knowing what it would cost you?
“Are you an idiot?
Arther lowered her head, but a second laber, Vivian cupped her face and kissed her.
Aether froze in place.
