Blood dripped from my nose as images flashed through my mind—memories I had forgotten and now regret losing. Everything that once meant so much to me, my happy moments, the last two years that changed me and made me a happier person… all taken from me.
Tears streamed down my face as I looked down. I was a fool, a big fool. I wanted to strangle him, but this female lead knows she's not overpowered. She'd do the most reasonable thing to ensure she could see her family again.
I grabbed my note and forced myself to stand. I ran off as fast as I could, ignoring Callum's calls. I stopped when I reached a dead end—a cliff loomed ahead of me.
I bit my bottom lip and turned to find another way, but Callum was standing there, an amused look on his face.
"Lilien, I'm worried about you. I even offered to help you escape, so what's wrong with you?" he asked.
I looked at him, disgusted with myself for trusting him. I doubled over and started laughing. This cheat…
"Callum," I called out calmly, "you were angry, weren't you?"
"Huh?"
"Because after everything, I still told you… Wait, how did I say it? 'You're a great FRIEND,' right?" I asked, laughing again. I shouldn't be taunting him, but it's just too fun to watch.
"You have a death wish," he informed me.
"Yeah, I do," I said with a smile. "What did you think? That I'd just sit still and let you control my mind? You are the fool," I said.
"You think if you stall, someone will come to your rescue?" Callum asked. I hadn't thought of that, but I knew no one was coming.
"No, I just think I should annoy you before I die," I said, turning to look down the cliff.
"You won't jump," he said.
"Yeah, I'm too scared to," I admitted, looking back at him. "You really slashed me, and you think you still have a chance?" I asked.
"I've given up, but it's better to kill you than watch you suffer," he said.
"We made a bet, and you lost. Aren't you supposed to do what I ask?" I challenged him.
"You lost," he retorted.
"I never once felt anything for you, and to top it off, you cheated," I said, folding my arms. "You made me feel hostile towards Kael and Keara, you made me avoid anything that could help me—but I was ahead of you this time. It's one-to-one now," I declared.
"This isn't a game, this isn't a novel," Callum said.
"But it is," I replied with a smile. "Thanks, Keara, you saved me," I whispered. If only I had read my stupid diary… I'm such a dummy. Next time, I'll tell Keara what's inside so she has a heads-up. "Callum, if I go with you, will that satisfy you?"
"Are you begging for your life?"
"No, I'm just curious," I said.
"Whether you beg me or not doesn't change anything. You wasted your chance. Why did you get your memories back?" he asked.
"Do you know how hard it was? Do you know how hard it is to watch yourself hurt the people you love without being able to stop it? Do you know the torture?" How could he? "You know what? Never mind," I said, and then I jumped. "For your information, I hate you," I shouted. "And nothing will make me love you. I love Kael."
I'm such a fool. I hope I don't wake up. I won't be able to take it. How could I trust the person who killed my baby?
…
I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar room. I turned to my right and saw two windows on either side of the wooden cabin, with curtains drawn. Where am I? How did I get here? What's going on?
I sat up and tried moving, but it hurt. I just looked around the room at my bandaged legs.
Why are my legs bandaged? They don't feel burnt, just weak. My back hurts too, and my head.
"Are you awake?" I heard a voice and turned to look at the door. A man walked in, a worried look on his face. "You were careless," he said, sitting on the bed.
"Huh?"
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Y-Yes," I said, trying to make sense of what was happening. "Sorry, who are you?"
"Huh?"
"Who are you?" I asked again.
"What are you saying?" he asked, smiling as he reached for my face, but I moved back. He made me feel uneasy.
"Is this…" I gasped, covering my mouth. Am I living my dream of waking up in another world? Did I really die? What about Lucy?
"What now?" he asked, reaching for my face again, but I moved further away.
"Don't come closer." Handsome but scary man.
"Are you okay?"
"Who are you, and where am I?" I asked.
"You're at home," he said.
"At home?" I asked, looking around. "This is not… What's going on here?"
"You must have hit your head really hard," he said, standing up.
"Hit my head? No, there was a…" Now I'm scared.
"You slipped and fell off a cliff when you wandered off on your own. If I hadn't found you in time, I don't know what I'd have done," he said, holding his head.
"I fell off a cliff?" I asked. No, I was locked in the library Lucy made for me, and…
"Don't you remember?" he asked.
"No. She—she found my books and got angry. She burnt them," I said, leaving out the part where she tried to burn me too.
"That was two years ago," he said, and my eyes widened.
"Two years…"
"Lilien, don't you know me?" he asked, and I shook my head. "We've been married for two years now. Don't you… Lilien, did you jump because of the miscarriage?" he asked, close to tears. Huh?
"Miscarriage?"
"I told you we'd be fine," he said.
"I didn't… I don't know what you're talking about," I said. The flood of information made me dizzy.
I've been married for two years? I almost had a baby? What the…
"Let's take this slowly, please. I'm your wife?" I asked, and he nodded. "I almost had a baby but lost it?" I asked, and he nodded. "But I fell off a cliff and lost my memories?" I clarified.
"Yes."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I really don't know you." I hadn't expected to wake up married.
"I'm Callum," he said, looking down, dejected.
"I'm Lilien, but I'm sure you already knew that. Can you tell me exactly how we got married?" I asked.