Chapter 4

Seraphina's POV

I hesitated for a long time, but in the end, I couldn't shake the feeling gnawing at me.

I bundled myself up tight, put on my special mask, and tracked down the location Chloe had tagged.

It was a wedding photography studio in the small town nearby.

The weather was clear and warm.

I searched for a while before finally spotting them by a European-style flower garden.

It was a break in shooting.

I hid in the shade of a tree and watched as Alexander gently pulled out a tissue to wipe sweat from Chloe's brow. He even unscrewed a water bottle and held it to her lips.

The deep affection in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Chloe had changed into a long, flame-red dress, looking like a fresh bloom. She leaned against him bashfully.

Both of them were stunning. Just standing there, they were a sight, and everyone around—staff, other couples shooting their wedding photos—kept stealing glances.

I looked down at myself.

In my drab clothes, I was like a ghost who couldn't bear sunlight, like a rat hiding in a gutter, only able to peek at someone else's happiness from the shadows.

My heart felt like someone was crushing it. The pain made it hard to breathe.

In that moment, I felt it for real—Alexander had only ever seen me as a sister. No, less than that. As a burden he had to shake off.

The tenderness from these past ten years had been about duty. About my parents' last wishes.

It was never love.

Never had been. I'd just been deluding myself.

I wanted to leave, but my feet felt like lead. Like a masochist, I kept watching them shift through pose after pose. My goggles fogged up with tears.

Chloe seemed to glance my way casually. The corner of her mouth quirked up. Then she suddenly cried out in fake panic.

"Oh no! My bracelet! My diamond bracelet—it's gone!"

"That was… that was the last thing my mother left me! What am I going to do?"

Her eyes welled up, like she was about to cry.

The staff around them immediately dropped what they were doing and started searching.

Alexander gripped her shoulders, comforting her over and over. "Don't panic, Chloe. It has to be nearby. Security here is good. We'll find it."

Chloe suddenly raised her hand and pointed at my hiding spot. Her voice turned shrill. "That person! That person has been acting really suspicious. I just saw them lurking around. Did they steal my bracelet?"

I was bundled up head to toe, hiding in an inconspicuous corner. I really did look suspicious.

A few security guards and staff immediately closed in on me.

Panic surged through me. I instinctively wanted to explain, but the menacing crowd terrified me. I turned and ran.

But the more I ran, the more guilty I looked.

"Stop! Catch the thief!"

The shouts came from every direction.

Disoriented, I slammed into a trash can and went down. Then security caught up and pinned me to the ground.

I struggled wildly. "Let go of me! It wasn't me! I'm not a thief! I was just walking by!"

But nobody believed me.

"Not a thief? Then why were you sneaking around?"

"You won't even show your face! Guilty conscience for sure!"

I begged through tears. "Please… I was just passing by…"

They didn't listen.

Someone suggested, "Pull off her mask! Let's see what this thief looks like!"

A wave of despair crashed over me.

Being treated like this—the hostility, the pressure—my deep, instinctive fear started spreading.

Several rough hands grabbed my head. Despite my screams and struggles, they yanked off my mask and hat.

Exposed to so many strangers' eyes and scents, my face went white in seconds. My body started shaking uncontrollably. Cold sweat broke out everywhere.

To them, it must have looked bizarre.

Someone muttered, "What the hell? Why's she freaking out like this?"

"Weird. Probably mentally ill. Stay back!"

People backed away like I was contagious.

I struggled to push myself up, raising my arm to shield my face from those piercing stares.

"No… please… I just…" I tried to explain my PTSD, but the words stuck in my throat.

A passerby with an iced coffee in hand walked over, his face twisted in disgust.

"Oh, please. She's just one of those psychos who fakes a fit when they get caught stealing. Stop scaring the kids around here!"

With that, he dumped the entire iced coffee, ice and all, over my head.

Cold brown liquid and ice cubes hit me. The cold and humiliation made me shake harder.

Around me, scattered laughter and cheers broke out. "Yeah, teach this freak a lesson!"

Some people even started picking up small stones from the ground and throwing them at me.

I curled up on the ground, covering my head. My mind went blank. The horror of past memories blurred with the present, and I could barely breathe.

Through the gaps in the crowd, I looked desperately into the distance.

Alexander and Chloe were standing right there, watching this circus play out with cold detachment.

A final, weak hope flickered in my chest. I called out in a tiny voice, "Alexander… Alexander, help me…"

If he didn't help me, I didn't know what would happen to me.

Alexander's expression seemed to falter. He took a half-step forward. But Chloe immediately grabbed his arm.

"Alexander, did I just hear Seraphina's voice?" Chloe said, pretending to be confused.

He stopped, frowning. "How is that possible? Seraphina should be at home reflecting on what she did. And in her condition, why would she be in a crowded place like this?"

"True." Chloe linked her arm tighter through his and smiled. "Must have been my imagination. Looks like some psycho is causing a scene over there. Let's not get involved, it's bad luck. We've still got a few more shots to take. After we wrap, I'll buy you a fancy dinner to thank you for stepping in today."

Alexander's face relaxed. He nodded. "Sure. Whatever you want. We don't need to get involved."

The two of them turned and walked away. Neither of them looked back.

In that instant, the last bit of light inside me went out.

I stopped struggling. I let the cold and shame swallow me. I let those stones strike my body.

Consciousness faded. Right before the darkness took me, I thought:

Maybe it's better this way.

I'm finally not anyone's burden anymore.