All Routes Leads to Chaos

But the words Peter spoke next shattered the last of my hope.

“Don’t delude yourself. I didn’t come here for you. I was only fetching a set of jewelry for Faye.

“Who would have thought I’d find you acting like a lunatic?

“I’m warning you, Luna—don’t use such tactics to get my attention. Don’t even try to win my sympathy.”

I smiled sadly as I looked at his vicious expression.

So I had been foolish enough to believe he had truly come out of concern for me.

It was nothing but another hollow dream.

Hadn’t I long known that Peter was hopelessly in love with Faye?

For years, he groveled at her feet, yet she had only ever loved Michael.

So he had stood by, willing to watch her fall into another man’s arms, and still busied himself with her wedding, striving for perfection.

He loved her down to his very bones.

I no longer wished to endure this.

I turned and walked toward the railing.

Still convinced I only sought his attention, Peter leaned against the car with arms crossed, his voice dripping with scorn.

“Get on with it so I can collect your corpse.

“Faye won’t be pleased if I’m late!”

I hastened my walk at his words.

I let the river water rise over my nose, my ears, my eyes.

I felt the air slip away as suffocation closed in, and I surrendered myself to it.

If I were to leave this world like this, surely they would feel at least a trace of regret.

Just then, someone yanked me out of the water.

A sharp, ringing blow landed across my face.

Peter had struck me again.

“What are you trying to achieve?

“You’re not to die unless I tell you to!”

He dragged me upward as he spoke, his voice harsh and commanding.

“I’m warning you—your mother did not give you life so you could just throw it all away!”

Mother had been the only person in this world who had ever treated me kindly.

But she was gone, and with her death, I had no attachments left.

It was time for me to leave as well.

Since I had failed to die this time, and the system had yet to get back to me, I found some excuse to send Peter back home.

Yet he continued to lecture me incessantly.

“All this just because Michael got married? If you truly loved him, then you should wish him well. Just like I did to Faye.

“That is what real love is!”

But I had never loved anyone in this world.

Every approach I made was born of purpose.

Every target I pursued was nothing more than part of my mission.