Chapter4

He stared blankly at me, gripped by an indescribable panic.

He thought I might leave him at any moment.

I wiped the blood from my chin and looked at my mother. " We never registered our marriage. He can sign the registry with Selene right now."

My mother paused. "Are you two really not married??"

Cassian frowned, stepping toward me. "I told you, Evelyn, we never registered our marriage, but we already have a child together.."

My mother clapped her hands together, . "Perfect! What wonderful news! ."

Noah peeked out from behind my mother. "Does that mean Auntie Selene is gonna be my new mommy?"

I looked down at the child I birthed. I nodded. "Are you happy?"

Noah jumped up. "Yay!" Then, as if fearing my anger, he quickly added, "But if you promise never to bully my new mommy again, I’ll still like you, Auntie Evelyn."

Auntie Evelyn.

The words didn't even hurt. My heart already was numb .

I lowered my eyes. "Got it."

On the bed, Selene let out a tearful gasp. "Sister... are you really willing to let Cassian marry me?"

I looked at her. "Yes. Don't call him 'brother-in-law' anymore."

Selene lowered her head, hiding her secret delight. "Thank you, Sister."

I shook my head. "We are family. I’ll rely on you to take good care of me from now on. ."

Selene didn’t know I had already donated my body to her research institute.

She thought I was just being polite and smiled sweetly. "Of course. I’ll take perfect care of you."

My mother watched our reconciliation and nodded in satisfaction. "See? If you had been this sensible from the start, we would never have been angry with you."

I stared at her. I wanted to ask: Was I the one who wasn't sensible?

I was clearly their biological daughter, yet everyone thought I was adopted.

It had been Cassian who’d insisted on marrying me back then, but everyone branded me a despicable homewrecker.

I slowly closed my eyes, forcing the burning tears back. I wouldn't cry.

I looked at Cassian. I forced my stiff jaw open. "Can I go back to the estate now?"

"No," my mother interrupted. "You need to pack your things and leave the estate entirely. There are people outside. If they see you still living there , there will be rumors."

I nodded obediently. "Okay."

Cassian escorted me out. As we reached the clinic’s courtyard, he grabbed my wrist.

"Give me one week," he said, his voice low. "Once the public forgets, I’ll divorce her. We will sit down and talk."

My wrist felt like ice under his warm palm. I pulled away and smiled. "Okay."

He grew angry at my indifferent attitude."Get in the carriage."

The ride was dead silent.

We were halfway across the outskirt ridge when his communication crystal lit up.

My mother’s terrified voice screamed from it. "Cassian! Selene’s heart is failing! The marrow transplant is rejecting! The pain is killing her!"

Cassian’s face drained of color. He slammed on the brakes, halting the carriage violently.

He turned to me. His eyes were bloodshot.

Without a word, he grabbed my wrist and pressed his fingers against the silver Vessel Rune scarred into my flesh—the brand my parents forced on me years ago, so I could absorb Selene’s childhood illnesses.

"What are you doing?"I screamed.

"She can't survive this pain. " Cassian pleaded, " You're so strong.Take her pain. Just this once."

I stared at him in horror.

They thought the Rune only transferred physical pain.

They didn't know it actively devoured my lifespan.

"Cassian, no," I whispered. "I only have three days left. If you transfer her pain to me..."

"Stop being selfish!" he roared. "She’s dying!"

He didn't wait for my consent. He channeled his magic fiercely into the rune.

A suffocating agony ripped through my chest.

It triggered my curse.

The invisible countdown inside me violently accelerated.

I physically felt my blood thicken into sludge, then harden into cold rock.

Black obsidian veins crawled up my neck, locking my throat.

I collapsed against the leather seat, violently coughing up thick, dark blood.

Cassian didn’t even look at my graying skin. He checked his crystal. "Her vitals are stabilizing."

He exhaled a shaky breath, then shoved the carriage door open.

"Get out," he ordered. "I have to rush back. Take a public carriage."

I couldn't speak ,because my tongue was already solid stone.

He shoved me. So I fell out of the carriage.

Before I could move, Cassian snapped the reins.

The carriage tore away into the night.

The violent rush of wind ripped through my chest. I kneeled in the mud, petrification curse swallowed my organs.

Thunder crashed in the sky above. Midnight.

Massive hailstones plummeted from the sky.

Crack.

The sound didn't come from the ice. It came from my skin.

When the heavy hail struck my arms, spiderweb fractures exploded across my skin.

Every impact felt like a hammer smashing into a mirror.

I curled into a ball. My joints locked permanently into place.

The glass-like skin on my cheeks splintered under the freezing assault. The obsidian spread over my chest, encasing my lungs.

I wanted to cry, but my tear ducts froze. The pain was blinding, then... silent.

My vision went pitch black and I collapsed into the cold mud.

.......

A long time later.

I heard the frantic ringing of a Healer’s bell. The smell of sterile potions.

The Chief Healer was scared and cried . "What happened?! She had three days left! Why did it accelerate into full obsidian?"

I felt heavy pressure on my chest. Crack.

"Stop pushing!" another Healer screamed. "Her ribs are snapping! She's completely petrified!"

Living hurts too much, I thought. Just let me go.

Bye. I wished my family would love me in my next life.

BEEEEEEP—

The monitoring crystal flatlined.

"Time of death," the Chief Healer whispered. "June 1st, 5:00 AM. Patient Evelyn Hart. Age, twenty-eight."

At the same time, the Alchemist Research Institute received my body and implemented cryogenic freezing technology, permanently preserving my obsidian statue.