chapter_009 : The Fourth Person

Thankfully, the fourth person was Scarlett.

"Um... Let's go with my second plan then. Next, wait for your sister's news..." Jane looked at Scarlett's room and said, "You can go back first. As soon as you get the news, call me immediately. Then I'll tell her when her death will come so that she can cooperate with us. Remember, we're not just saving Scarlett; we're saving ourselves. As long as she can survive, our cursed fates can be lifted. So don't think of it as someone else's business. Consider it as saving your own life. Do you understand?"

Orion couldn't help but marvel at this woman's strength. Bearing such a fate yet remaining so composed; not everyone could do that. Probably deep down, she was very vulnerable.

Over the past seven years, he had once considered finding a way to break the curse. He even thought about seeking out those who were cursed, but fear held him back. His parents' deaths were always a shadow in his heart. He always felt that to be alive was like having stolen time from death. How could he dare to invite more trouble? The only thing he was grateful for was that Violet knew nothing. Although there was also a shadow in her heart, it was still better than his own situation.

Knowing that you would be killed in the future, but not knowing when, by what, or how, was a feeling far more terrifying than death itself. Jane, who also carried such a fate, could always face it rationally. It was really not easy.

"Got it. I'll contact you." In any case, now he had no choice but to trust her.

After Orion left, Jane remained in the large living room. It was already one - thirty in the morning. She should have been extremely sleepy, but at the moment, she couldn't fall asleep.

What if she killed the other person in advance...

She had actually considered this before. But in the past, since she couldn't sense the cursed person, it was just a thought and impossible to put into practice. But now, things were different. The fourth person had been confirmed to be Scarlett.

Her body stood up involuntarily and she walked towards the kitchen. An inner murmur, like a demon, led her to the knife cabinet. She pulled out a sharp knife. About twenty meters behind her was the room where Scarlett was staying. To be honest, compared to her plan, this was simpler and more likely to succeed.

Guilt? Even if she didn't do it now, Scarlett would probably die in the future. It was just bringing forward the inevitable. Since it was going to happen anyway, why not give others a chance to live?

"No!" She put down the knife and squatted on the ground, shaking her head constantly, trying to wipe out this sinful thought.

When she saw her mother die with her own eyes, the sense of fear had been deeply implanted in her heart. This inexplicable evil force was impossible to fight against. As long as it was foreseen, it would surely happen. It couldn't be stopped. She was well - aware of this, so she had no confidence in herself. Why... couldn't she inherit her father's spiritual ability? Why... couldn't she inherit those eyes?

Her thoughts flashed back to the past...

Her grandparents had passed away early. Many people who knew her father also lived very short lives. Almost all the people her father loved didn't end well.

When she was a child, she always felt it was strange. Why did her father have a pair of eyes different from others? Why was he considered an ill - omened person? Even her maternal grandparents and anyone from her mother's side of the family never came to see her. No neighbors wanted to associate with this family. Her father was gossiped about by everyone. No one understood him, except her mother.

When her father was born, her grandfather seemed not to like him. Just because he had a pair of purple pupils that always showed a strange allure. From a very young age, the people around her father started to die one by one, and all of them died mysteriously.

First was her grandfather. He died in a completely enclosed locked room, and there were no apparent external injuries. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, but her grandfather had always been healthy. That year, her father was only five.

Then her grandmother died. She hanged herself, but what puzzled the police was that there was nothing under her feet to step on. Originally, this could be inferred as murder, but... like her grandfather, she also died in a locked room. After that, it was her uncle, her father's friends. Nearly ten people died in a few years, and before all of them died, they had been stared at by her father's strange purple pupils. Thus, her father was regarded as an ill - omened person. As the rumors spread, some people even suspected that those people were killed by her father. The more superstitious ones thought it was a curse from her father.

At that time, her father's spiritual ability had already shown its power. However, even he himself didn't know what this ability meant. He was also frightened by the deaths around him, but he was clear about one thing. It had nothing to do with him. Those deaths were not his wish. But no one believed him. Facing the unknown, people always dealt with it in a stupid way. Her father was innocent, but he had to endure the strange looks from others; he had done nothing, but was regarded as a murderer.

However, the disaster never stopped. The people close to her father really died one after another. Finally, no one dared to make friends with him or even talk to him. Once they saw him, people would immediately avoid his eyes. If they made direct eye - contact with his purple pupils, they would think they wouldn't live long.

Until her mother appeared.

At that time, her father had obtained a master's degree in psychology and went overseas to study. The people there didn't know his past, so he lived a relatively normal life for a while. Her mother was her father's patient at that time. As the daughter of a wealthy family, she felt empty and lonely in her privileged life. So her maternal grandfather invited her father to treat her mother's depression. The young doctor and the beautiful lady met under such circumstances. He was erudite, with a pair of mysterious eyes that were not typical of Orientals, and his elegant conduct naturally won her mother's heart.

However, her father hesitated about whether to accept this relationship. Because he knew he might bring misfortune to the one he loved. Although he wanted to believe it had nothing to do with him, he really fell in love with her mother, so he couldn't take such a risk. At that time, her mother was young, beautiful, intelligent, and talented. She was a girl born with a silver spoon in her mouth. He didn't want her to suffer because of him.

But how could young people hold back their passionate love? When love came, any rationality would be wiped out. When her mother was pregnant with her and asked her maternal grandfather to hold a wedding with her father, her maternal grandfather was extremely angry. A wealthy family valued face and pomp. Her maternal grandfather would never agree to this marriage. Moreover, he easily found out that her father was an ill - omened person. So, no one in the family supported them. Then, a very clichéd story happened. Her mother decided to abandon everything for love, but she didn't think she was going down a one - way street. Although the married life was full of hardships, she always stayed by her father's side and poured her love on him.

"I wish little Jane had eyes like yours... I love your eyes."

Her mother didn't regard her father's eyes as an ill - omened symbol. Instead, she was infatuated with them. Her father was actually glad because he thought at least... his daughter didn't need to be born as an ill - omened person.

Jane clearly knew that this meant she didn't inherit her father's spiritual ability. But when she was a child, she was glad about it. After her mother died, she hated it.

Actually, before her mother died, her father's spiritual ability hadn't fully awakened, but he already felt that something was wrong with her mother. He also mentioned this in his notes. Her mother always thought that the so - called ill - omen was just superstition. Although she grew up abroad, she was an atheist, so she had no concerns about such a statement.

But she still suffered a disaster. She was killed by a ghost just like that.

Her father couldn't help but blame himself. He thought he had ruined her mother's life. If he hadn't met her mother, her mother's death wouldn't have happened. However... who could have predicted this? Was it inevitable or accidental? His desire to foresee the future awakened his true all - knowing and omnipotent premonition ability. His spiritual ability was awakened. He also premonited that his daughter would die. He didn't want to bring more disasters to his daughter, so he left like this, leaving behind a note. In order to prevent his daughter's death in the future, would he even do something like killing?

Her mother's death was always a scar in her father's heart. And her own life and death was the most important thing in her father's future life.

Should she do it? Should she kill Scarlett now?

At the same time, Scarlett suddenly woke up. What's going on? Where was she? It was dark all around. It took her a while to remember that she was at Jane's house. The sense of fear gradually spread. She suddenly felt something was wrong.

Why was there no light in the room? She remembered that she had left the light on when she went to sleep!

She immediately turned on the bedside lamp. There was nothing abnormal around, but she still wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and tightly grabbed the corner of the quilt.

What time was it? Should she go to work tomorrow, no, today? If she took another unexcused leave, the boss might get angry... No, the most important thing now was to save her life. She could find a job later...

She looked around the room one last time. After confirming that there was no abnormality, she lay down again. But just as her head touched the pillow, she jumped up. Slowly, she turned her face to the left side of the bed.

No... it couldn't be...

The box that had moved by itself in her house was now in the corner of this room!

The box had disappeared after she fainted and woke up. How could it appear here?

Her feet went numb. She could only keep moving backwards and then got out of the bed. Just as she was about to run away, suddenly she found that the box in the corner was gone.

Was it an illusion?

No, it couldn't be that simple...

Jane picked up the knife.

She put it back in the knife cabinet.

Her mother wouldn't want her to do this. Even if her life could be saved by killing Scarlett, she still wouldn't be free from the curse, from the curse in her own soul. She didn't want to sacrifice someone else's life for her own. It was not acceptable.

Let's go to sleep first... Think about the rest after waking up.

"Oh, the fourth person is Miss Scarlett?"

"Yes, that's right. The premonition should be correct. It's a pity that our premonitions aren't synchronized. Otherwise, we'd know the time right away."

At the breakfast table, Orion told Violet everything he and Jane had discussed in the early morning. The more she listened, the more excited she became. She even said, "Well... how about I take a day off on the day of the operation? I can join too..." Seeing Orion's expression getting worse, she had to lower her head and sighed, "Alas... You're lucky. You've just finished a new book, and the editor gave you a long vacation... By the way, I've been keeping an eye on the best - seller list for new books during this time! Brother, your book..."

"Eat your breakfast. Why are you so talkative? Don't you have to go to work?"

Before leaving, Violet said seriously, "Don't worry, brother. I'll investigate and help you... You must protect Miss Scarlett! I'll call you right away as soon as I have a premonition!"

She really knew nothing and only cared about others... Thinking of this, Orion felt a little self - despised. He only thought about saving himself and even had the idea of sacrificing Scarlett. Compared with his sister, he was just a selfish person.

Just as he was about to go back to his room to read a book, suddenly the door behind him opened, and Violet rushed in. Orion asked in confusion, "What? Did you forget something?"

"Brother... I felt it... Miss Scarlett... She, she... Her death date is three days later!"

An hour later, he had arrived at Jane's house. When Scarlett heard that she only had three days to live, her face turned paler than paper. She asked Orion for confirmation again and again.

"I... I don't want to die... I really don't want to die..." Jane spread the map in front of her and patiently said, "Miss Scarlett, I know you don't want to die. If you want to live, you have to follow our instructions. It's already confirmed that you're cursed. So, in these three days, we have to come up with a plan to get you through your death date. Remember, as long as you pass midnight on the day of your death, you'll survive! If you want to live, you have to work with us!"

There was no other way. Scarlett had to sit down quietly and listen to Jane explain the specific plan and many precautions. Scarlett couldn't help but feel disappointed. These two were just ordinary people. She originally thought they could come up with some magic tools to subdue demons or swords to slay devils. Now, all her hopes were dashed.

But still, it was better than facing it alone. Then, Scarlett started to ask questions about various details, and Jane answered them one by one.

"What I want to ask is... Am I completely safe in these three days?"

"..." Jane held her chin and thought for a while, then replied, "If by 'safe' you mean alive, then you can rest assured. You definitely won't die in these three days. But I can't rule out that something terrifying might happen. There's nothing we can do about it. Please bear with it."

Like the appearance of the box yesterday? Just thinking about it made her shiver all over. If the same thing happened again, even if she didn't die, she'd be scared out of her wits. "Why don't you go back to your own place to sleep in these three days? Staying here isn't necessarily safe either. You can go to work as usual. Staying alone will only make you overthink." Orion gave her this advice, but Scarlett shook her head desperately after hearing it. She definitely didn't want to go back there.

"Um... Miss Jane... I think I'd better stay here..."

Although she saw the box that night, if she went home, the box might follow her. A hotel wasn't safe either. So, it was better to stay here. Anyway, it was only three days...

"I don't mind, but Miss Scarlett, it's the same wherever you stay. There's no such thing as safe or dangerous. The key is after three days. If you're really scared, how about I sleep with you? If there's danger, you can wake me up."

Hearing Jane's words, Scarlett immediately nodded and thanked her, crying, "Thank you so much, Miss Jane... You're so kind to help me..."

Jane felt very uneasy. She had once thought of harming her. Now helping her was also for her own sake. Scarlett was so grateful to her that she felt even more remorseful.

"Don't thank me... Three days later, you have to cooperate with us whole - heartedly to ensure your survival. I can't promise you anything... Really, I'm sorry...