Chapter 4

"You approach me with the audacity to show your face here! If it weren't for you, Melody would still be alive."

But I remained unmoved, and instead handed over the documents I was holding.

"Ma'am, this is all of my assets, and the last thing I'm leaving for Melody. I hope you..."

Before I could finish, Zoran, dressed in black funeral attire, snatched the contract from the side and tore it to shreds.

Then he flung it into the air.

A flurry of paper scraps danced in the air, mirroring the fragments of my heart.

Zoran's chest heaved with emotion, his eyes blazing red.

"You think this pittance can appease us, can make up for your mistake?"

"If you want redemption, then die!"

"Why don't you just go and die!"

Malicious words don't scare me, but coming from the person I love most, they chilled me to the bone.

In the end, I simply bowed to them and left.

As Zoran finally calmed down, he furrowed his brow, watching my retreating figure.

For the first time, he realized how fragile I looked, as if I might dissolve into thin air.

Just a few steps away from the Winters family, I saw someone unexpected.

"Melody?"

In that moment, the name I had buried deep inside finally escaped my lips.And that person froze, seeing me with tears welling up in their eyes.

"You're not dead?"

The person before me was completely intact, down to every strand of hair. I couldn't believe it, feeling as if I had just woken from a long dream.

Hearing my question, Melody scratched her head, embarrassed.

She began to explain the whole story to me.

As it turned out, she had only faked her death to escape a marriage arranged by the Winters family and had eloped with her boyfriend.

The rumors of her suicide and the farewell note were just a ruse.

"Today was the first time I sneaked back home. I never expected things to have blown up this much."

But she was also confused about something.

"I definitely left a letter for my brother afterward, telling him to let everyone know I was actually alive once I successfully eloped."

Suddenly realizing something, Melody exclaimed.

"Could it be that someone destroyed that letter?"

So, Melody thought her message had been successfully delivered. For five years, she didn't dare come home to face Mrs. Winters' scolding.

But in reality, the letter had been destroyed by someone with ulterior motives.

And it wasn't hard to guess who that person was - Estrella, who had always despised me.

A misunderstanding had made me atone for five years.

But I had no intention of telling Melody that I had been branded a murderer. I didn't wake up today,

Nor did I say I might die at any moment.

Since I'm gone, there's no need to make the living sad.

I only lied to Melody, saying I'd be traveling abroad indefinitely.

Hearing this, she hugged me tightly, reluctant to let go.

"I've just come back, and now you're leaving. What about my brother? Is he going with you?"

I smiled without speaking, just handing Melody the ring I'd been wearing.

"Give this to your brother for me."

The inexplicable solemnity startled Melody, but she accepted it willingly.

After parting with her, I took a cab to where Zoran and I had our first date.

Blue of the sea, song of the waves, I walked step by step into the deep ocean, with no return.

......

Since the memorial day, Zoran hadn't heard from me, which left him somewhat panicked.

After much deliberation, he couldn't help but look for me.

But just as he was about to get up, he saw Melody running in, crying.

Seeing his sister back from the dead, he hadn't even had time to rejoice.

Then he heard the terrible news.

"Brother, Zara's gone......"

"I really know I was wrong."

In an instant, Zoran's eyes turned red as he stepped forward to question Melody.

"What did you say? Melody's voice choked up, each word punctuated with sorrow.

"This morning, the police fished out a body from the Mediterranean. The body... it had Zara's hairpin on its head..."