She Regretted Stealing My Insulin

A Truth I Couldn't Ignore Anymore

The way Selene shielded Adrian made the two of them look like some picture-perfect pair.

And just like that, I was dragged back three days earlier.

It had been another gathering. Selene and Adrian had slipped out of the room and didn't return for a long time.

A knot formed in my stomach. I went looking for them and finally spotted them by the restroom.

The hallway lights were dim. Adrian's hands were braced at Selene's waist, their bodies nearly pressed together, close enough to make me sick.

The moment I charged forward, Adrian happened to finish buttoning the very last button on Selene's shirt. He glanced at me with that mocking, playful look he always wore. "Julian, don't get the wrong idea. Selene popped a button. I just helped her fix it."

Selene, meanwhile, looked completely unfazed. If anything, she was annoyed that I'd interrupted.

"Babe, don't overthink this. I've always treated Adrian like a brother. You know I'm an only child. I grew up envying families with siblings. Adrian is the closest I'll ever get to that. He's just a clueless kid who hasn't grown up yet.

"He doesn't understand mind games. I tease him sometimes. There's nothing to it."

I remember standing there, stunned. How could she say something that absurd with such confidence?

We fought badly. I told her I wanted to break up.

But Selene, who had always been so hard-edged, suddenly folded.

She clung to me, swearing she hadn't meant anything by it, even letting a few tears fall.

She apologized so sincerely that, after three years together, I caved.

Looking back now, it wasn't the relationship I couldn't let go of. It was the three years I'd already thrown into it.

I was clutching a relationship that had already rotted through, hoping I could bring it back to life.

Ridiculous.

"We're done," I rasped from the ground.

Selene froze for a beat, then let out a sharp laugh. "Using the breakup card again, Julian? Just because I comforted you once doesn't mean I'll keep doing it."

She crouched, grabbed my chin, and forced my head up. "Play hard-to-get too many times, and people get tired of it."

I stared at her face, so close to mine, suddenly seeing a stranger. Whatever warmth I'd held for her burned out completely.

I forced out my last bit of strength and spoke each word with clarity. "I am the Mercer family's son. You dragged me into these woods and did this to me. Did you think there wouldn't be consequences? How many of you are brave enough to touch someone from the Mercers?"

The moment the words left my mouth, the whole group erupted.

"Haha! Mercer family? Which Mercer family does he think he's talking about?"

"Which one? The Mercer family with all that power. The one that owns this entire scenic area we're standing on."

"Oh my God, did his blood sugar fry his brain? Look at him. He looks like some barefoot mountain kid, yet he claims he's a Mercer?"

Adrian laughed the loudest. He wiped tears from the corners of his eyes before strolling over and patting Selene's shoulder dramatically.

"Alright, alright, you're all gorgeous. Stop teasing the poor, innocent boy. Can't you see he's about to cry? Keep it up and he'll start claiming he's some king here to chop off your heads. Seriously, this is hilarious."

More laughter that was sharp and grating broke out again.

Only when they finally tired themselves out did Adrian reach into his pocket and pull out a blue-and-white injector.

It was my insulin.