Chapter 2
Just then, a hand firmly grasped my chin and tilted my head upward.
Lucas was half-squatting on the ground, carefully inspecting the bruises on my neck.
I stared in shock at the face before me; it had changed so much.
For reasons I couldn't explain, I felt a lump in my throat, as if I might cry.
Seven years had passed.
He really had changed so much.
The warmth in his eyes was gone, replaced by a darkness, and his lips were set in a flat, emotionless line.
He looked harsh and distant.
But to me, he seemed like a bow pulled so tight, he might break at any second.
He seemed worn out to the very core.
I drew in a breath and gripped his pale, slender hand.
I said softly, "Lucas, it's me, Emily.
"I'm back."
His hand paused, and he stared straight at me with those bright eyes, not blinking at all.
With him staring at me, I felt my heart race, but I managed to speak up.
"I really am Emily," I said, my voice trembling a little.
The silence hung between us, thick and unmoving.
After a moment, I said, "Do you remember when I was seven, and I headbutted you, knocking out one of your teeth?
"You didn't want my parents to yell at me, so you told them you just tripped and lost it yourself."
Lucas just stared blankly, showing no reaction.
Feeling defeated, I took a shaky breath and looked at him again.
"Do you remember the day you told me how you felt? We hugged and cried until we couldn't breathe and actually fainted. Afterwards, we were so embarrassed that we told everyone it was just heatstroke," I said.
Still, he didn't react at all.
My breath hitched with sobs as I called his name, like I was begging him.
I called out, "Lucas..."
Lucas let out a disdainful snort right next to my ear.
The sound of his mocking snicker echoed beside me, sharp and cold.
I jerked my head up, startled, just as Lucas straightened up and towered over me.
He gazed down at me, his eyes lowered, voice ice-cold and utterly devoid of warmth.
He asked, "Is that all your little tricks amount to?
"You guys aren't even bored with this act, but I sure am."
I froze, my whole body going stiff.
The live chat was exploding, comments shooting up faster than I could read.
[LOL, every player tries to pull the emotional card using the same old memories.]
[Honestly, the villain's right. Hearing the same memories repeated dozens of times is just exhausting.]
[The system must be totally out of ideas if it's still telling players to use the original's memories.]
[Did it forget how badly the last player who tried that got wrecked?]
[She's screwed. No way she's lasting even a week.]
I stared at the barrage of comments, totally speechless, just frozen in place.
But instead of pulling any of the twisted moves the live chat was guessing Lucas would use to mess with me, he just calmly told the bodyguards to take me home.
The live chat blew up, and everyone in total shock.
[What the...???]
[No way, is this actually happening?]
[No way, maybe the villain's just got a new way to mess with her.]
I sat on the floor, feeling defeated and lost, just staring blankly as Lucas walked away.
He didn't believe me.
And honestly, I had no way to prove I was really me.
This was a dead end.
I was stuck in the villa, pampered with good food and all the comforts one could ask for.
But there were a whole bunch of rules, no drinking, no staying up late. Anything bad for my health was strictly off-limits.
I called up the friends I remembered from before, hoping someone would pick up.
But on the other end, everyone was desperate to avoid me, like I was trouble.
It was as if I were some sort of plague.
In the end, I just slumped on the couch, clutching my phone, feeling lost as the live chat roasted me nonstop.
[This body's got a reputation for being totally schizophrenic. Who wouldn't be freaked out?]
[Honestly, it's all because one of the previous players went nuts and tried to drag the villain down with her at his company.]
[Man, looks like this player really has nothing left to try.]
[By the way, why isn't this player using any items?]
[If she used some items, at least she could make a desperate struggle.]
Items?