The Afterglow of Us

I saw the turmoil in his eyes and knew—he had been reborn too.

Yet he still insisted I was the one who had drugged him.

Drawing a deep breath, I forced down the surge of emotions.

"I didn't. You can investigate if you want."

He gave me a look of pure disgust. "Is that even necessary?"

Those few casual words snapped the taut string inside me. "Why wouldn't it be necessary?"

I could no longer hold back. Tears spilled over.

"Do I deserve to be wronged? Why is it that no matter how many times I've explained, you've never believed me, not even once?"

I rushed forward, seizing his collar in both hands. "Liam, why can't you believe me just once?"

I stared at Liam. He had once protected me since childhood and sworn to keep me safe all his life. When had all that trust and affection been handed to someone else?

My tears fell onto the back of his hand, hot and searing.

For a moment, his gaze seemed to waver.

Then the door burst open. Alexa stumbled in, panic written across her face.

"Khloe, what are you doing?"

She threw herself between us, shielding him. "If you're upset with me, take it out on me. But don't touch Liam!"

Immediately, Liam pulled her into his arms. Whatever flicker of emotion he'd shown me was replaced entirely by tenderness for her.

"Alexa, I'm fine. Don't worry."

He turned back to me, his voice cold.

"Khloe, I don't care what the truth is, and I can't be bothered to find out. But I will not marry you. From today on, you'd better behave yourself."

At the word truth, a flash of panic crossed Alexa's eyes. But when she heard him say he wouldn't marry me, undisguised delight lit her face.

I looked at him, disappointment etched deep into my expression.

In the end, he had changed. I was the only one still clinging to the past.

I stepped back, my voice sharp with finality. "Don't worry. I'd rather marry a monk than marry you."

From that day forward, I avoided crossing paths with Liam and focused on preparing to study abroad.

Even so, the servants still brought me news of them.

Like how Liam, despite his illness, knelt and begged Catherine for permission to marry Alexa. He even went so far as to threaten to cut ties if she refused. Catherine had been so furious that she ended up in the hospital.

Or how Alexa had moved into the house to live with Liam. Their public displays of affection grew more frequent, to the point where even my friend called to ask if Alexa was about to become my sister-in-law.

I agreed without hesitation. "Mm. Yes."

It seemed that after that conversation with him, my love had already begun to fade. Now, thinking of it only brought a faint sting.

My friend fumed. "Liam must be blind! How could he fall head over heels for a conniving and pretentious witch like her?"

I ran my fingers over my plane ticket, the date just three days away, and smiled lightly. "Let them be. It's got nothing to do with me."

After all, in my previous life, Liam had died still unable to forget her. This time, he had simply gotten what he wanted.

I had no intention of stirring up trouble, but Alexa sought me out herself. She blocked my doorway early one morning, wearing a smile.

"Khloe, will you come with me to try on wedding dresses? You're basically like a sister to Liam. I'd like your opinion."

I set down my vocabulary book and glanced at her. "Not interested."

Her smile froze. Her eyes quickly reddened. "Khloe… do you look down on me?"

I had no patience for her theatrics. I was just about to tell her to get out when the door was flung open.

Liam stood there, his expression dark, his gaze sharp with warning.

"Khloe, can't you stop targeting Alexa? She invited you out of kindness. It's just looking at dresses. Why are you being so difficult?"

There it was again.

Simply refusing to accompany Alexa was now "targeting" her?