To not hinder my diving, They had already untied me, and the knife at my throat was just a bluff.
The icy water engulfed me instantly, and I dove down abruptly.
The location where I was bound was quite clever, I jumped and swam a few strokes to hide behind a rock. The subordinate would extricate themselves, leaving Skyla and Niko to confront each other.
My intention with this act was to exacerbate the conflict between Skyla and Niko.
Niko told me to wait, but I couldn't—I didn't have that much time.
I'm unsure how long Niko's obsession and affection will last, and I can't afford to prolong things.
Enough groundwork has been laid, once Niko has something, it's hard for him to bear losing it, yet I forced him to confront loss and the Abbott Family.
Five years ago, the Abbott Family. put pressure on Niko, and he resented me, choosing to take revenge on me.
He wanted me to learn a lesson—look, this is the price for siding with Jaeden. Why didn't you choose me?
Over the five years, every time he applied to visit me in prison, he couldn't see me, and he began to reflect on his impulsiveness.
After five years, Niko's hatred vanished completely, and he fantasized about our future together. He opened bank accounts abroad under my name, and just as he was about to embrace the future, I destroyed everything.
Unrequited desires aren't what trouble people, it's the pain of gaining something and then losing it.
Niko, who do you hate the most now?
It's Skyla, right?
I heard a commotion of footsteps. Before Niko found me, I swam to the other side of the beach and left by car.
Later, I learned that I moved too quickly and missed many dramatic scenes.
For example, the usually courteous Niko grabbed Skyla's hair and slammed her head into the ground almost manically until she begged for mercy.
Or how he searched the coastline for me until the sun rose.
The waves were too strong that day, hiding secrets and muffling his desperate calls of my name until his voice became hoarse.
I had another destination—the villa in the woods on the western outskirts.
I was familiar with the villa in the woods on the western outskirts, when we were dating, Jaeden often brought me there.
The family bought an entire mountain to build this uniquely styled villa.
I knew that Jaeden was recuperating in this villa, and the door used facial recognition, which had previously recorded me.
I hadn't expected that my information hadn't been deleted, and I easily opened the door.
I gripped the knife tightly and walked into the villa, immediately spotting Jaeden.
Jaeden had his eyes closed, leaning back on the sofa with his head tilted up, revealing his chiseled jawline.
I tiptoed to his side and raised the knife.
Jaeden suddenly opened his eyes, and in an instant, he grasped my wrist.
When he saw my face clearly, shock and wild joy flashed in his eyes, and his lips trembled as he called out my name.
"Desi... I've been looking for you."
Only now did I carefully look at Jaeden. His dark circles were pronounced, and he looked much more haggard. His once robust body now seemed thinner. His chin was sharply pointed, giving the once arrogantly carefree him a touch of decadence.
I said nothing. When Jaeden saw the knife in my hand, he gripped my wrist and pulled me into his embrace.
His chest was warm, enveloping me with the scent of white pine that was Jaeden.
He held my hand, pressing the knife against his chest.
"Desi, don't ignore me. I'll die right now." He pressed my hand harder against his chest.
With a clatter, the knife fell to the floor.
My lips quivered, and I put on a hateful expression. "I'm not being sentimental about you, I just..." I couldn't finish my sentence before tears started streaming down my face.
Tears continued to fall as I subtly observed Jaeden's expression.
Joy was evident on Jaeden's face, and his mouth curved up involuntarily. He patted my back. "Desi, I understand, I understand."
Jaeden held me tightly, not daring to let go for even a moment.
"Desi, it's my fault. I didn't ask you anything and just let you go to prison. All these years, I've been trying to pull strings for you, spending a lot of money, but without success."
Jaeden covered his face, his whole body trembling. Guilt, regret, and sorrow seemed to materialize from within him.
I said nothing, silently removing my shirt.
I pointed to my body, showing the marks left by beatings in prison near my waist.
I smiled bleakly. "Jaeden, your so-called connections led to those people beating me in prison?" As I spoke, I moved my finger to my abdomen.
"Jaeden, here once carried a child. I remember you telling me that you would marry me after graduation, that you wanted to have a healthy, happy baby with me, a boy like you, a girl like me."
As I said this, a sorrowful smile appeared on my face.
"The baby turned into blood, my love."
Those words shook Jaeden. His body wavered, and he stared blankly at me, his eyes devoid of focus.
Jaeden, remember my suffering well. The more pain I've endured, the more remorse you should feel.
A surge of immense pain and anger washed over me, nearly making me collapse. In my unsteady state, a pair of hands firmly supported me.
Jaeden, his eyes red, bit his lip so hard that he was almost drawing blood.
On the hands that held me, I saw ugly, mottled scars on the wrists.
No wonder Jaeden needed to see a psychologist, he must have started self-harming at some point.
