Chapter 4

Audrey POV

I pushed past the pain and quietly followed him. Julian's car sped off, and it took me hours of searching to find his license plate in an alleyway.

The moment I got closer, my pupils dilated-

The sports car was rocking violently, and indistinct figures were intertwined within the windows. What they were doing was self-evident.

So... they were already at it, even at this point... !

I remembered my own near-death experience just moments ago, and Julian's solemn promises.

Rage instantly consumed me. I slammed my foot on the accelerator and crashed into them, hard!

CRASH.

The impact shook the air. Julian's head whipped back. And in that shattered second, his eyes locked onto mine through the windshield-met by a gaze of pure ice.

"Julian! What are you doing!"

His face, still flushed with lust, flickered with a trace of panic. "Audrey, listen to me!"

"Listen? Didn't you swear you'd get revenge on her?! Is this how you make her wish she was never born?! Huh?!"

"Audrey, she drugged me! I just... I didn't want to hurt you!"

Julian's breathing was heavy, and he was still involuntarily thrusting. "This way... I can make her wish she was never born too!"

Wish she was never born?

Hearing that shameless logic, I laughed, utterly disgusted.

Cassandra's face was flushed with passion, her eyes hazy. Wish she was never born? She was clearly enjoying herself!

I couldn't stand another second of that nauseating scene. I turned to leave, only to hear Julian roar-

"Cassandra! You goddamn dare!"

I spun back. Blinding headlights flared, and a black Bentley, out of control, barreled straight towards me!

"Ah!"

As my body was thrown into the air by the immense impact, time seemed to stretch infinitely. Countless images flashed before my eyes-

I remembered Julian, on that secluded island, clumsily weaving a ring from grass. The sea breeze ruffled his flushed ears as he said, "Audrey, it's not pretty, but one day, I promise I'll give you the most beautiful one."

I remembered after he brought me home, at a grand banquet, he held my hand tightly, declaring to the world, "This is Audrey Reed, the only woman I, Julian, will ever love."

His devotion then made me believe I was the happiest woman in the world, willingly immersing myself in the future he painted for me.

Until that warmth and sweetness abruptly shattered, and the final image burned into my mind was him, in my past life, carrying Cassandra away from my blood-soaked body, his back resolute...

I looked at Julian, who was frantically running towards me, and forced a bitter, wretched laugh.

Julian, your promised "hundredfold repayment," your sworn "wishing she was never born"-how had all of it... once again landed on me?

My heart sank into the boundless darkness even before my body did. My last sliver of hope, crushed under the weight of those memories.