Chapter 102
Shane could never make Adeline cry.
He couldnāt touch anything she loved.
Neither Genevieve, the Bertrand family, nor even Lloyd could suffer a single scratch. Knowing that hurting them would make Adeline sad, Shane couldn’t bring himself to do it.
So now, how could he hold on to her?
Shane had nothing left.
Adeline would slip through his fingers like sand, leaving without any regret.
āNo matter where it might be, Iāll come back to you, Shane.ā
He knew those words were powerless, but they were all he had left.
Even though he knew it was a lie, he couldnāt help but be happy. He couldnāt help but expect, despite saying he wouldnāt.
***
Running barefoot through the forest.
Her feet, pricked by sharp stones and branches, felt numb, as if the pain had dulled.
Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her lungs felt like they were going to burst.
Her vision was dark. She ran frantically, unable to see ahead. Even when she stumbled and fell, she gritted her teeth and got back up. She could vividly feel the blood flowing from her scraped knees.
The sound of beasts, the cold wind scratching her cheeks, the smell of damp earth mixed with the stench of blood all mingled together, overwhelming her senses.
But above all, the sound of footsteps was the most terrifying.
The footsteps following her were steady. Neither speeding up nor slowing down.
That person is going to kill me.
Theyāre going to kill me.
Adeline knew this was a dream.
She had experienced it countless times.
Even knowing it was a dream, she couldnāt wake up from the nightmare.
āNo, heās going to catch up, heās going to kill me.ā
If she stopped, she would die.
She didnāt know who was chasing her. She only knew that if she didnāt run, she would die.
I donāt want to die. Dragging her barely moving legs, Adeline burst into tears. Is anyone there? No one. Please save me. Help me.
Adeline thought of many names.
But she couldnāt call out any of them.
This is a dream. A nightmare.
A persistent dream.
Itās not a premonition. No, this is not my future.
This is not it.
āHaa, ugh, huu, ahāā
She kept running. Her arms, face, and neck, scratched by branches, stung.
Adeline knew that running away wouldnāt save her.
Whether she ran or not, she couldnāt survive.
But she couldnāt give up either, so she gritted her teeth and kept going until the forest ended and a cliff appeared before her. It was a cliff illuminated by the bright moon, offering no place to hide.
The approaching footsteps sounded like the ticking of a time bomb.
Who is it? Who wants to kill me?
Before dying, she at least wanted to see the face of her killer.
Could it be the sorcerer who had disappeared without a trace? Or…
āIt was always the people I loved who killed me.ā
Shane, Edwin, or Genevieve.
The Bertrand family abandoning their hopeless daughter.
Or Lloyd, closer than a blood sibling.
She always dreamt of being murdered by those she loved.
Adeline waited for the assailant to appear. She needed to see the face.
No, no.
Adeline panted. She was terrified to see the murderous faces of those she loved.
This dream wouldnāt end until she died.
Then.
Adeline, gritting her teeth, dragged her unresponsive legs toward the cliff. Gathering her last bit of strength, she closed her eyes and ran.
A large hand reached out from behind and grabbed her hair savagely. Her scalp burned as if it were being torn away. Adeline screamed.
āAHH…!ā
āWhere are you going, my love?ā
The sweetly whispered voice clung to her ear like glue. Shane.
Her throat tightened.
āHa, ha, huh!ā
She gasped for air like a fish out of water. Adeline shot up and hugged her shoulders.
Her entire body was drenched in cold sweat.
***
Shane hadnāt come back yet.
