Chapter 4

I am waiting for his next words.

It's as if I'm waiting for his verdict, to let myself give up hope once again.

Sure enough, he finally speaks.

"Sweetheart, you're studying dance performance. A perfect waistline can showcase the allure of your dance moves. I think these few ribs of yours are too prominent, exposing the flaws in your figure."

My heart feels like it's been slashed open, bleeding profusely.

I say, "But I think this is fine as it is."

I speak hesitantly, hoping he'll notice my reluctance.

However, his eyes are gleaming with an inexplicable excitement, completely ignoring what I've said.

"Trust me, sweetheart, it's just a matter of a few cuts. Have faith in my skills, I guarantee I'll make you graceful and unparalleled in beauty."

My heart turns to ashes, my hollow gaze fixed on him.

He's still gesturing around my waist, as if preparing to cut into a metal object.

He's still muttering some words, but my heart grows colder and colder.

He truly has never loved me.

My existence is merely a placebo for his soul.

Or rather, I'm just one of his creations, an object to help him remember someone who's passed away.

No life, no soul.

Who would care about the feelings of an empty shell?"Will I die then?" I asked, unwilling to accept the reality.

"Nonsense. I'm a doctor. Are you doubting my medical skills?"

I laughed bitterly inside.

Every time, he would tell me how great his medical skills were, how beautiful I would be after plastic surgery.

But not once did he ever tell me how risky the surgery was, or what the chances of failure were.

And I had never questioned him.

For the first time, I felt truly pathetic.

Today, I didn't want to remain in the dark anymore.

"Damien, I don't want to have any more surgeries, is that okay?"

Damien's expression seemed to change for a moment, but quickly softened again.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling down?"

I said, "I think I'm fine as I am now, I don't see the need for any more surgeries."

Damien's face finally lost its gentle expression.

"Melody, you're not being obedient."

I replied with exhaustion written all over my face, "Damien, I'm really tired, I don't want to go through this anymore."

Damien thought I was refusing this time because of his latest runaway bride incident earlier today.

So he promised me that he would definitely marry me in this lifetime.

Besides me, he wouldn't marry anyone else.

I pushed him away, saying that wasn't the reason.

I told him I just wanted to live a normal life, and didn't want to keep messing with my face and body anymore.That night, neither of us managed to convince the other.

In the end, we both stuck to our own views until we fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

The next day, Damien drove me to work.

In the car, I could tell Damien was in a foul mood.

If this had been before, I would have asked him what was wrong, out of concern.

But now, I didn't feel like being considerate anymore.

Seeing that I hadn't acknowledged him for a while, he finally couldn't hold back and spoke.

"Melody. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not doing enough."

I looked at him without saying a word, expressing confusion at what he said.

He continued: "These past few years, I've given you everything I could. I've tried so hard, just wanting to help you leave the past behind and have a better life."

"But now, I realize I'm the only one making an effort, and I'm just so damn tired."

Yes, over these years, there's no denying that Damien has given me a lot.

He not only changed my appearance but also used his connections to alter all my information.

He got me a job at the city's largest theater.

This not only fulfilled my dream but also provided me with a respectable job and a decent life.

You could say he gave me a brand new life.

I was grateful to him, and gradually opened my heart to accept him.Until I loved him, depended on him.

If I hadn't overheard his conversation with Brent, I could have stayed lost in the world he created for me.

But now, no matter what, I can't live in deception anymore.

I've also finally realized, belatedly, that many things were off during our time together.

Before, I loved him too much, trusted him too much, so I overlooked a lot of details.

He always imposed many things on me based on his own subjective views.