Chapter 3
Just as Herman was about to speak, Leah suddenly let out a dramatic cry of pain.
"Herman... I-I got so freaked out by the way Serena looked at me. Now my stomach hurts terribly," she whimpered, playing up her weakness.
She clutched her swollen belly, tears brimming in her eyes as she leaned pitifully into Herman's arms, her face pale and delicate, looking like she could pass out any second.
But she kept shooting me loaded glances, as if blaming me for all of it.
"Herman, don't blame Serena. Her core was shattered. She's been stuck ever since—unable to advance, unable to recover. How could she possibly know anything about medicine or pills?" Leah said, her voice dripping with fake sympathy.
"She only acted out because she cares," she added, sounding oh-so forgiving.
Shattered core.
Her words pierced my heart like a venomous needle.
I was once the sect's shining star.
But during a joint trial, we were ambushed by a formidable foe. Herman was gravely wounded, his life hanging by a thread.
Without a second thought, I unleashed a forbidden lunar technique, using my own core as the binding focus to seal his wounds. Then I burned every last drop of my power to drive the enemy back and hold out until reinforcements arrived, giving him a shot at survival.
But the cost of that forbidden technique was my shattered Lunar core. My cultivation collapsed, leaving me stuck, unable to advance ever again.
I lay there in a pool of my own blood, my consciousness slipping away.
Herman clung to me, his burning tears falling onto my face.
He kept making promises.
He said, "Serena, I, Herman Rivers, swear I'll never let you down in my lifetime.
"I promise I'll search the world for the rarest treasures to restore your core."
His promises still rang in my ears.
But reality?
Now he was holding another woman, letting her use the wounds I'd suffered for him as a weapon to tear me down.
And him? He acted like none of it had ever happened, like it never mattered at all.
His eyes are full of concern as he comforted Leah, treating her like the center of his world.
"Don't worry, Leah. I'm here to protect you," he murmured, his voice soft and full of concern.
Then he gave me a lofty, patronizing look, as if acknowledging me was an act of charity.
He scoffed. "Serena, since you just can't take the hint and can't seem to let go, fine.
"Once we save the emissary, I'll tell the Sect Leader that I'll keep you by my side.
"Consider this a favor—a way to satisfy your obsession so you'll finally leave me alone.
"But don't get ahead of yourself. You can stay my my side, but Leah will always come first. From now on, you do as she says."
I was trembling with fury. I sacrificed everything for him, and now he was using my sacrifice to shame me.
Whatever faint feeling I had left for him disappeared completely the moment he said that.
"Herman, you really are full of yourself. When did I ever say I couldn't live without you? What makes you think you're so important that anyone would spare you a single thought?" I said coldly.
"Listen up. I could never like you, and I would never be with someone like you. Honestly, I'm ashamed I was ever engaged to you," I spat.
Herman's expression twisted.
"Serena, you..." he stammered.
Then, as if a nasty idea just popped into his head, he gave a mocking smirk.
He sneered, "Oh, please, you say you don't like me, but all this push and pull—isn't it just a desperate cry for my attention?
"I've already lowered myself by allowing you to stay by my side. What more do you want? That's more than enough generosity."
"Save your 'generosity.' It means nothing to me. Why don't you worry about Leah instead? Make sure she doesn't get so worked up that she endangers your precious kid," I shot back coldly.
With that, I took a deep breath, done wasting words on him. After all those years in the Demon's Den, his mind had clearly turned to mush. He wouldn't understand reason if it stared him in the face.