Chapter 5

Ella's POV

I watched the blood flow from his forehead, trickling down that coldly sculpted face.

Conan's features leaned toward the refined side, except for those eyes. So I never imagined that with blood on him, he could look so fierce.

So fierce that my heart pounded violently, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.

It took me a full second to recognize clearly:

This wasn't fear.

Pure and simple—it was nothing but rage!

What the hell was he trying to do?!

I couldn't understand him at all anymore.

Once cool-tempered but reasonably mild, this semester he'd been volatile from the moment I saw him, like he wanted to kill someone, even forming a gang to bully classmates.

He'd even choked me!

Choked me!

The bruises on my neck were now so horrifying I couldn't bear to look in the mirror, the pain still lingering even now.

But now, he'd secretly brought medicine for the injury.

Was he here to apologize?

Then why still not say a single word? Was I not even worth half an explanation from you? Then why bother running over in the middle of the night to deliver medicine?

And even...

Letting me smash his head open without a sound.

'Bang!' The window slammed shut as I yanked it closed with force. I pulled the curtains violently as if venting, the sourness in my eyes and nose surging up wave after wave, choking me until I couldn't sit still, burying my face in my knees.

The room was very quiet.

Except for my sobbing, I couldn't hear any sounds from outside.

So quiet that it felt like a fire was silently burning from my heart, all the way up my throat, drying my tears.

I bit down hard in resentment, stood up, and yanked the curtains open.

No! I had to get answers!

But when I leaned out, I only saw moonlight obscured by clouds, and amber eyes tinged with shadow—oppressive and dark.

He was still there!

But he was about to leave too.

I watched as Conan lifted one hand from his pocket, his face hanging with indifference, casually wiping the blood that had reached the corner of his mouth with his hand, turning silently to walk into the trees.

Watching his retreating figure, I don't know why, but my heart suddenly skipped a beat.

During the day, on the playground, after I'd publicly slapped him twice, he'd taken it just like this—without a word.

Honestly, those two slaps were completely what he deserved!

But actually, at that moment, I'd already prepared myself to fight all of them, or rather, to be beaten up unilaterally.

Yet I still managed to leave safely.

My running fast was the main reason, true, but at the same time, it was also a fact that Conan let me go without saying anything.

Why exactly?

Perhaps because of what little conscience he had left?

Or maybe...

He still liked me.

God! Stop thinking about it! How pathetic are you! He nearly choked you to death!

I lay in bed, turned over, turned over again, my head about to explode from thinking, still unable to sleep.

Finally, dawn broke.

The alarm started blaring.

I threw off the covers in one motion, kicked on my slippers, rushed downstairs and into the bathroom, my shoe soles and the floor colliding in a series of slapping sounds.

My mother's voice came through from outside, "God! Ella, be gentler! What's gotten into you this early morning? Did you eat gunpowder? Who upset you?"

"No one!"

I squeezed toothpaste viciously and shoved it into my mouth.

Today I'm the one going to upset someone else!

——

Conan still had this habit—sitting on the playground at seven in the morning.

When I spotted the familiar figure on the grass, I first breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately tensed up again.

Tension and anger that had fermented overnight mixed together in my body, finally seeming to transform into some invisible shackles, locking my legs firmly in place, preventing me from taking a single step forward.

Go on!

Go stand in front of him! Point at his nose and demand answers!

Damn it!

Useless!

I stomped my feet, cursing my own uncooperative legs.

Until Bianca's hostile voice rang out behind me.

"Coming to the playground this early just to stare at Conan? I really had no idea you were this shameless, Ella."

"First thing in the morning, opening your mouth to spread rumors—don't you know you have bad breath? When it comes to being shameless, I can't compare to you, Bianca."

I crossed my arms, shooting back sarcastically, "Not wearing a white dress today? Thank God, you may have bad breath, but at least your blindness got better."

Honestly, the moment Bianca appeared, I was almost grateful.

Not having to face Conan—avoidance might be disgraceful, but it worked.

This made me breathe a huge sigh of relief.

But this good mood only lasted until Conan walked toward us.

He was walking toward me.

The wound on his forehead was still there.

I lowered my arms, straightened my body, my heart tensing as it pounded rapidly.

"Conan..."

"Move."

He only said those two words, didn't even glance at me, and coldly brushed past me.

I felt the expression on my face freeze.

Bianca wrapped her arm around his, glancing at me triumphantly, "So what if I have bad breath and I'm blind? I'm not the one who got dumped hard."

Bianca cursed at me, "Leftover."

And Conan just watched.

Then left with Bianca.

Watching their intimate retreating figures, in an instant, intense emotion pierced my heart with pain. I couldn't see clearly what was in front of me, and in my clenched palms, the pain grew heavier with each passing second.

"Damn it."

I was crying again!

I wiped my face, head down, my cheeks burning hot. Shame and anger burned my brain blank, leaving me only able to run blindly with my head down.

Not knowing where I'd run to, not knowing how long I'd run, not knowing what person I'd crash into—"Ah!"

I covered my head and got up from the ground.

The person across from me had already started cursing.

"Damn it! Don't you know running is prohibited in the academic building?"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar.

I lowered the hand covering my head and blinked.

"Nora?"

Nora also saw it was me and rolled her eyes helplessly, "Ella?"

I smiled slightly, "Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Wow, running with your eyes closed—are you trying to become an earthworm in the mud?" Nora rolled her eyes. But the next second, her voice changed, "Wait... your eyes are red?"

"Were you just crying?"

Nora's expression turned anxious, "Who? Don't tell me it's because of that mysterious boyfriend of yours!"

Oh right, I'd almost forgotten.

Back then, because Conan demanded we keep the relationship secret, I'd even hidden it from my best friend.

Thinking about it now, to humble myself like that, agreeing to be some jerk's secret girlfriend—I was such an idiot back then!

"Don't say it!" I couldn't control myself, my voice rising suddenly, "It's not because of him."

Nora was startled into blinking, not sure whether she believed me or not, just stared at me for a few seconds, then shrugged with a smile.

"Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, we won't."

"Let's talk about something else."

Nora pulled me close mysteriously, lowering her voice, "Kaelen didn't come to school today, did you know?"

I froze instantly.

Kaelen—same grade as me, exquisite features, elegant manners, gentle temperament, polite, Haven High School's acknowledged campus heartthrob.

And also... the person I'd unintentionally offended yesterday when helping that boy deliver a letter.

I swallowed, my heart contracting nervously.

But the reason for my nervousness wasn't entirely because of my offense yesterday.

Rather, it was because yesterday I discovered that Kaelen—

Might not be human.