- 10 hours ago
Rebirth - I Choose Peace Over Pursuit
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🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00I managed a weak smile, and reached out to pat her hand,
00:04fixating for her to calm down.
00:06After all these years, she was still as blunt and loud as before,
00:11and though she was clearly worried about me,
00:13she masked it with an angry, questioning tone.
00:16Other people in the hospital room glanced over curiously,
00:20probably thinking we were fighting.
00:22I opened my mouth to speak,
00:25but my vocal cords had already been eaten away by the decay,
00:29and were too damaged to make a sound.
00:34Your wolf was so strong.
00:37How could you get wolf soul decay syndrome?
00:40Why didn't you tell me sooner?
00:42She wept so sorrowfully she could barely catch her breath.
00:45As I reached up to wipe the tears from her face,
00:48a strange calmness settled over me.
00:51I was glad that I wasn't going to die a lonely death after all.
00:55I had my best friend by my side.
01:00I pointed weakly at my back,
01:03which held a letter inside.
01:09Maya broke into tears once again after reading it.
01:16Evelina, I won't let you die.
01:18I won't allow it.
01:19Get up!
01:20I'm taking you to another pack.
01:22I'm sure they have a way to cure you.
01:23Come on, get up!
01:24She grabbed my hand, sobbing uncontrollably.
01:28My phone buzzed with a countdown alert.
01:45In another 120 minutes,
01:48I would leave the world.
01:51The next second, my phone vibrate again.
01:54It was a call from mom.
02:00Still not dead yet?
02:02I thought you'd be gone by now.
02:05Megan's voice came through breast,
02:07dripping with venom.
02:11Megan, you bitch!
02:13You're the one who's killing Evie!
02:15I hope you rot in hell!
02:17Say what you want.
02:19It won't change the fact that your best friend is dying.
02:21Evelina, just die already.
02:23Your parents, your brother, and your mate,
02:24they're all mine now.
02:25After all these years of fighting,
02:27think it's clear to see who won.
02:29Make and sit was a laugh then.
02:33Footsteps approached on the other end.
02:35Megan's stem instantly shifted.
02:37Eve, when are you coming home?
02:39Mom and dad are really worried about you
02:41because you keep running away from home like this.
02:49Don't pay any attention to her.
02:51He was so sensible and well-behaved yesterday,
02:53and now she's make a scene again.
02:55Honestly, she never lets us have a moment's peace.
03:01The line went dead as mom snatched the phone and hung up.
03:05Maya immediately tried calling back.
03:07But all she got was a flat tone,
03:11indicating that my number had been blocked.
03:13That disgusting bitch!
03:15I swear I'll skin her alive!
03:17If I ever see her!
03:21With the very last of my strength,
03:23I traced the words I'm sorry into the palm of Maya's hand.
03:33Back then, after my parents adopted Megan,
03:36Maya had told me she thought Megan was manipulative and fake,
03:40and that I should stay away,
03:42or even have her sent back to the orphanage.
03:44But at the time,
03:46I hadn't listened.
03:48I merely thought she was overreacting.
03:50I treated Megan like a real sister.
03:54She was always so sweet,
03:55and was very popular at school.
03:58But as time went on,
04:00my classmates began to isolate me for some reason.
04:03The boys I'd grown up with began to stay away from me,
04:07and started hanging around Megan instead.
04:10I became the one left out.
04:12By the time I realized what was happening,
04:14I was already in college.
04:16My parents and Alarak grew more and more critical of me,
04:20picking at every flaw.
04:22By then, it was too late for me to do anything to fix things.
04:27It's okay.
04:29I forgive you.
04:31Just don't die, Evelina.
04:33Please don't die.
04:46Please don't die.
04:54I can't do anything else down to the last few minutes now.
04:59Then, my phone buzzed again.
05:11Evelina, open your eyes.
05:13It's a message from your fiancé.
05:15Look.
05:23Maya held up my phone to show me the message from Kenneth.
05:26The words on the screen seam seemed to cut like a sharp blade,
05:30making my eyes sting.
05:33I lay on the hospital bed,
05:35my thin, frail fingers brushing wakely over the screen
05:39as a faint, bitter smile touched my lips.
05:48Hang in there, Evelina!
05:52My ass grace echoed in my ears,
05:55sounding as if they came from
05:57somewhere far, far away.
06:03I tried to force my eyes open,
06:06to tell her not to cry,
06:08but my eyelids felt weighed down
06:10by an impossible weight,
06:12impossible to lift no matter how hard I tried.
06:20The pain in my body grew distant and numb as death drew near.
06:30I felt as if I were floating in an endless void,
06:34just vast emptiness,
06:37with nothing and no one around.
06:40my final thought cut through the darkness,
06:44clear and unyielding.
06:55If there was a next life,
06:57I never wanted to meet the Sinclairs or Kenneth again.
07:11After I died,
07:13my soul lingered.
07:14On the day of the marking ceremony,
07:17the Grand Hall was elegantly decorated
07:18with pure white jasmines.
07:20Megan glided through the crowd in my gown,
07:22a long trail sweeping the floor behind her.
07:25She kept lifting her hand to touch her bare neck,
07:28where my sapphire necklace should have been.
07:36Ken,
07:38why isn't Evna here yet?
07:40She asked softly,
07:41though her voice carried just far enough
07:45for the nearby guests to hear.
07:48Is she really not bringing the sapphire jewelry without it,
07:52the ceremony?
07:53She trailed off,
07:54her eyes instantly glistening with tears.
07:57She turned a pitiful gaze toward Mom,
08:00Dad,
08:01and Kenneth.
08:02Is Evie still upset with me?
08:04Is that why she's hiding the jewelry,
08:06so that I can't go through with the ceremony properly?
08:10Her voice cracked,
08:12and her fingers twisted the fabric of her dress
08:14as though she had suffered the deepest injustice.
08:20My parents' faces darkened at once,
08:23looking like two volcanoes
08:25on the verge of an eruption.
08:37Alaric's brows were minched tightly together
08:39as he pulled out his phone
08:41and dialed my number angrily.
08:43Why is she throwing a tantrum again now?
08:45How can she be so willful
08:47and be absent on such an important day?
08:49Mom stamped her foot,
08:51causing the carefully styled curls
08:53on her head to shake.
08:54Dad snit coldly,
08:56his eyes full of disapproval.
08:58She's probably still sulking
08:59over what happened before.
09:01How immature.
09:05Kenneth gripped his phone so hard
09:07his knuckles turned white,
09:09but he said nothing.
09:10His expression only grew darker.
09:13Megan lowered her head.
09:15For a fleeting second,
09:16the corner of her mouth
09:17lifted slightly in a snake-like smile.
09:21The moment the call connected,
09:23Maya's frosty voice came through.
09:26What do you want?
09:27Alaric's brown deepened.
09:28He barked into the phone
09:30in a hostile tone.
09:31Where's Eveline?
09:32Put her on the phone.
09:34She hasn't been home for ten days,
09:36and now she's deliberately hiding the jewelry
09:38to ruin Meg's ceremony?
09:40What is she playing at?
09:42Dad snatched the phone from Alaric's hand
09:44and roared into it.
09:46Evelina, you've gone too far.
09:47Bring the jewelry right now,
09:49or we'll go straight to the council
09:51and formally shiver our parental ties.
09:53I refuse to have such a rebellious daughter.
09:56There was a pause on the other end,
09:58followed by Maya's bitter laugh.
10:00It was one full of mockery and raw grief.
10:03She can't send it over,
10:04and she's never coming back.
10:07Evelina is dead.
10:08She died ten days ago.
10:11Alaric's eyes flew wide open,
10:14disbelief twisting his features.
10:16What?
10:17Stop talking nonsense.
10:18Is this some kind of sick joke?
10:21Quit playing games.
10:23Tell her to come home right now.
10:29Dad, this is the first time
10:31you're not kicking me out.
10:33Pity it's too late.
10:34Maya answered in a trembling voice.
10:36I'm not lying.
10:37Evelina is really dead,
10:38and you all of you were the ones who killed her.
10:41The previously lively marking ceremony
10:44fell into a dead silence.
10:46Kenneth's face darkened like a storm cloud,
10:49and he raised a hand sharply.
10:51Stop the ceremony!
10:53The guests exchanged uneasy glances.
10:57A flicker of panic splashed in Megan's eyes,
11:00but she quickly masked it,
11:02slipping back into her fragile, pitiful expression.
11:06Back at home,
11:07Megan's eyes brimmed with tears,
11:09her voice trembling with a sob.
11:11Evie must really be fury with me this time
11:13for her to joke about something as serious as her own life.
11:16In the past,
11:17Mom would have immediately rushed to comfort her,
11:19but this time, surprisingly, she didn't respond.
11:22Instead, she paced back and forth uneasily.
11:32Evie has never stayed away from home this long.
11:35Could something really have happened to her?
11:40As for Kenneth,
11:41he kept staring at his phone,
11:42at the message thread that I hadn't replied to for days.
11:46His expression grew complicated
11:47as he muttered under his breath,
11:50Have I neglected her too much lately?
11:53Is that why she's throwing such a huge tantrum?
11:55Alaric stood with his arms crossed,
11:57letting out a cold snort,
11:58but the complex expression he wore on the day
12:00I left the hospital room appeared on his face again,
12:03and his heart lurged violently.
12:07Forget it.
12:07Let's go find Maya.
12:09If this is some trick she's pulling,
12:11I'll make sure she regrets it.
12:17Dad sat on the couch silently,
12:20his expression grim.
12:21His fingers drummed restlessly against the armrest
12:24as if deep in thought.
12:26All right, Alaric, let's go.
12:31The group piled into the car
12:32and set off with a mixture of doubt and unease.
12:40Inside the vehicle,
12:42the atmosphere was so heavy it felt suffocating.
12:45No one spoke.
12:46Only the low roar of the engine filled the silence.
12:50Mom kept mummering the whole way.
12:52Evie couldn't have really met with something bad, could she?
12:55Just moments ago,
12:57he had quietly unblocked the soul link he shared with me,
13:00only to be met with a void.
13:01A deafening silence,
13:03followed by a sharp, piercing pain.
13:05It was the understakable sensation of losing a blood relative,
13:09but he dared not believe it.
13:11He kept convincing himself this was all another one of my schemes.
13:14He couldn't quite understand how I could possibly be dead now,
13:18when I'd been just fine in my last life.
13:20Hurry up.
13:25When they finally arrived at the hospital,
13:28Maya was already waiting outside.
13:30She gave the group one cold glance and said nothing,
13:34simply turning to lead the way.
13:35They followed her in heavy silence,
13:38footsteps dragging,
13:39until they reached the morgue.
13:41A staff member slowly pulled off in the drawer
13:44of the morgue refrigerator.
13:51Revealing my gaunt, pale, and lifeless body.
13:56In that instant,
13:57everyone froze.
14:11Tenet's eyes widened,
14:13and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
14:15Dad stared in horror,
14:17as though he had witnessed the most terrifying thing in the world.
14:20His legs buckled slightly,
14:22and all the strength seemed to drain from him in a single moment.
14:25He couldn't even speak.
14:26Mom clapped a hand over her mouth.
14:28A raw, anguished wail tore through the quiet corridor.
14:35Alaric stood to the side,
14:37his neck stiff with denial.
14:38This has to be a prop!
14:40He couldn't quite believe what he was seeing,
14:42but even as he shouted,
14:43his voice faltered.
14:44Tears streamed down his face against his will.
14:46He reached out with a shaking hand,
14:48desperate to prove this was just one of my cruel pranks.
14:50But the moment his fingers touched my cold, stiff ones,
14:53he jolted as if struck by lightning.
14:55He shook uncontrollably,
14:57his eyes filled with utter disbelief.
14:59This, this can't be.
15:01Kenneth staggered forward like a madman.
15:03He gripped the edge of the drawer tightly with both hands,
15:06and called out Evie repeatedly.
15:10Evie.
15:12Evie.
15:13His voice was harry and broken,
15:15and tears poured down his face,
15:17soaking the front of his shirt.
15:18He reached out to touch my cheek,
15:20but his hand stopped mid-air.
15:23Evie, wake up.
15:25Please don't scare me like this.
15:26As if afraid I would shitter with his touch.
15:32Maya stood off to the side,
15:34her gaze sliding over them like blades of ice.
15:37A bitter sneer twisted her lips.
15:39What's this?
15:40Putting on a show of grief now?
15:41Who exactly is it for?
15:44Where were all of you when it mattered?
15:46Mom, who had collapsed to the floor sobbing uncontrollably,
15:50jerked her head up and looked up through her tears
15:52when she heard Maya's words.
15:55We, we just thought she was throwing a tantrum.
16:00A tantrum?
16:02Maya let out a harsh, mocking laugh.
16:05Where were you when she was sick?
16:07Where were you when Megan bullied her?
16:10You only ever had eyes for Megan!
16:14When was there ever room for Evelina?
16:17Alaric clenched his fists,
16:18his face etched with regret.
16:21It's all my fault.
16:23All of it.
16:28I should have stopped her
16:29when she left the hospital that day.
16:32Crocodile tears!
16:34Maya snapped,
16:35fixing a sharp gaze on him.
16:37You're the ones who pushed her to the edge.
16:41What's the use of crying now?
16:47Mom clutched at Maya's arm
16:48like it was her last lifeline,
16:50tears streaming down her face
16:51as her voice cracked with desperation.
16:53Maya!
16:53Maya, how exactly did Evie die?
16:56Hasn't she always been healthy?
16:57Maya's eyes blazed with disgust
16:59and she roughly shook off Mom's hand.
17:02Then, she reached into her bag,
17:04pulled out a thick stack
17:05of printed chat records
17:06and flung them violently
17:08onto the floor in front of them.
17:13See for yourselves.
17:15The sheets of paper scattered in the air,
17:18falling like snowflakes.
17:21Mom scrambled to pick up several sheets.
17:24And as she read,
17:25her entire body began to tremble controllably.
17:33Kenneth snatched up a few pages as well.
17:40This is proof that Megan colluded with your family doctor
17:43to forge Evie's medical report.
17:46Maya pointed at the chat records and said loudly,
17:48Serafina stares fixically at the records in her hands,
17:51tears streaming down her face.
17:53Megan faked an illness to win your favor
17:55while claiming Evie was perfectly healthy
17:57and every single one of you blindly believed her lies.
18:00You're supposed to be aristocratic wolves
18:01of the Star Moon pack?
18:03Pack nobility with centuries of bloodline heritage.
18:05Can't any of you even sense
18:06when your own family member is suffering?
18:08Alaric's eyes widened in disbelief.
18:10He bent down slowly, gathered the pages
18:12and flipped through them one by one.
18:13As he flipped through them,
18:15his grip tightened until his knuckles turned white,
18:17his face as the paper in his hands.
18:20This can't be.
18:22Meg wouldn't do something like this.
18:23He muttered hoarsely.
18:24But the solid proof,
18:26complete with familiar profile pictures,
18:28left him with no room for denial.
18:31He jerked his head up,
18:33his eyes filled with agony and regret,
18:36unable to believe that the sister
18:38he had always doted for
18:39could be so vicious.
18:45He couldn't help thinking
18:48if he hadn't been reborn,
18:50if she had managed to take the moonviolet serum
18:53like she did in her last life.
18:57Maya's eyes were cold.
18:59She took out a voice recorder from her pocket
19:04and deliberately pressed the play button hard.
19:08In an instant,
19:09Megan's shrilk, venomous voice
19:11echoed clearly through the morgue.
19:14Evelina,
19:15just die already.
19:18Your parents,
19:19your brother and your mate,
19:20they're all mine now!
19:22So what if I faked being sick?
19:24Only when I'm sick do they all revolve around me.
19:27No one ever cared about that idiot Eva anyway.
19:30The whole family despises her now.
19:32They even blocked the soul link they share with her.
19:34No one would notice even if she died!
19:37Alaric staggered as though
19:39he'd been struck by a sledgehammer.
19:45His eyes turned bloodshuck.
19:54How could you, Megan?
19:56Megan, I was truly blind.
20:06Back at the Sinclair residence,
20:08the air was so thick with tension
20:10it felt impossible to breathe.
20:16Mom stared coldly at Megan,
20:18her gaze sharp as a blight.
20:21Why didn't you come to the hospital with us?
20:26Megan couldn't bring herself to meet Mom's stare,
20:28so her eyes darted around.
20:30She stammered.
20:32I...
20:34I was busy with company matters.
20:40Dad's brows furrowed deeply,
20:42and his voice came out low and cold.
20:46And how's your recovery proceeding?
20:51Megan forced a stiff smile,
20:53trying to sound convincing.
20:55The healer said I'm recovering well.
20:59Recovering well?
21:01Alaric could no longer contain his rage.
21:05His eyes blazing,
21:07he lunged forward
21:08and delivered a resounding slap across her face,
21:11sending her collapsing to the floor.
21:16He roared.
21:17Does your recovery come from sucking the life out of Evie?
21:21Megan lay sprawled on the ground,
21:24stunned,
21:24her cheek burning.
21:26She tried to feign innocence,
21:28tears welling in her eyes
21:30as she whimpered pitifully.
21:32Rick, what are you talking about?
21:34I don't understand.
21:36Dad trembled with fury,
21:37and his eyes were wide with anger.
21:40He yanked the voice recorder from his pocket
21:42and hurled it at her.
21:45It fell to the floor with a thud.
21:47Dad, consumed by rage,
21:50shouted,
21:50How dare you keep pretending?
21:52We know everything!
21:53Every disgusting thing you've done,
21:55we know it all!
21:56She scrambled up,
21:58throwing herself at Mom's legs,
22:00sobbing hysterically.
22:02Mom, I didn't mean to!
22:04I just wanted your love so badly
22:07and wanted you to love me a little more!
22:11I've envied Evie since I was little.
22:15She had everything!
22:18And she was the center of all your attention!
22:23But Mom recoiled as though burned.
22:30She shook Megan off,
22:32trembling violently with rage and grief.
22:35Tears poured down her face as she asked,
22:39You would kill Evie just to get a little more love?
22:43How could you be so vicious?
22:46Evie was your sister!
22:48How could you bring yourself to do that?
22:51When her pleas fell on deaf ears,
22:53Megan tore off the last shred of pretense.
22:56She shot to her feet,
22:58eyes blazing with hatred.
23:00She screamed,
23:02Even if I did wrong,
23:03are you saying her death has nothing to do with you?
23:06If you'd paid even a little attention to her,
23:09if you'd believed her even once,
23:11would things have ended like this?
23:12You're all murderers too!
23:14Dad trembled with rage,
23:16and his face turned scarlet with fury.
23:19Get lost!
23:21I want you to get out of the Sinclair family,
23:24and never come back!
23:26The Sinclas have no daughter like you!
23:30After being cast out of the Sinclair family,
23:32Megan was left with nothing to her name.
23:35In her desperation,
23:37she thought of Kenneth.
23:38She rushed to his company building,
23:41shoved past the security guards
23:42who tried to block her
23:43and burst into his office.
23:50Dropping heavily to her knees in front of him,
23:52she begged,
23:53I really love you, Ken!
23:55Please help me!
23:58Kenneth, seated in his swivel chair,
24:00looked down at her.
24:02His gaze was icy,
24:04a mocking smile playing on his lips.
24:07Fine.
24:08I'll take you away.
24:09A spark of ecstatic relief lit up Megan's eyes.
24:14She thought she had finally found a lifeline.
24:17So, when Kenneth brought her to a mansion
24:20in a deserted area,
24:23Megan followed him inside readily,
24:25full of anticipation.
24:28Unexpectedly,
24:29what awaited her was a pitch-black,
24:31windowless cellar.
24:35Kenneth shoved her into the cold, damp space
24:38and shut the heavy metal door behind her
24:40with a deafening clang.
24:49From today onward,
24:51you're not going anywhere.
24:52Megan pounded frankly on the metal in terror,
24:55screaming hysterically.
24:56Let me out, Ken!
24:58Let me out!
24:59But the only answer was an endless silence.
25:01Every day,
25:03a meager ration of dirty water
25:05and scraps of leftover food
25:07was slid through a narrow gap under the door.
25:12Starving and dizzy,
25:14Megan had no choice
25:15but to crawl across the cold floor
25:18and lap up the meager scraps like an animal.
25:23Kenneth even went as far as bringing in a witch
25:25to poison her wolf.
25:30Her wolf howled in agony
25:32and she herself endured bone-deep pain day and night.
25:37She felt as though countless ants
25:39were gnawing at her flesh from within.
25:42Down on all fours,
25:43she pleaded in anguish.
25:46Ken, please, let me go!
25:49I know I was wrong!
25:52Kenneth stood just outside the metal door,
25:55watching her with utter indifference.
25:58He spoke slowly,
26:00each word deliberate.
26:02This is what you deserve.
26:04You killed Evie.
26:10A week later,
26:12even the sunlight seemed heavy with grief
26:14as Maya held my funeral.
26:16The atmosphere was stifling,
26:19like the calm before a storm.
26:23The Sinclairs arrived harmedly,
26:25their faces etched with guilt and sorrow.
26:33Maya stood before my grave,
26:35her gaze on them like sharpened blades.
26:45She thrust out her arm,
26:47blocking their path with fierce determination.
26:50You don't deserve to be here.
26:52When Evie was alive,
26:54you treated her with cold cruelty.
26:56Now that she's gone,
26:58you have no right to stand at her grave.
27:01Don't you dare silly her resting place.
27:04My parents' faces turned ashen.
27:08They opened their mouths,
27:10but no words came.
27:12Defeated,
27:13they turned and shuffled away in disgrace.
27:17Kenneth came, too.
27:19He lingered far off in the corner,
27:21watching the scene with a complicated expression,
27:24but he never found the courage to step closer.
27:33Dad's hair turned white overnight,
27:35and his health deteriorated rapidly.
27:38He took to his bed and never rose again.
27:41A deep, unmovable despair filled his eyes.
27:44Mom lost her sanity.
27:46Day after day,
27:47she clutched my photograph,
27:49laughing and crying in the same breath,
27:51whispering over and over,
27:53I'm sorry, Evie.
27:55I'm so sorry.
27:59Alarek became a shadow of himself.
28:03Down in the cellar,
28:05Megan was driven completely mad
28:07under Kenneth's relentless torment.
28:10Her eyes grew wild and unfocused,
28:13and her hair hung in filthy tangles.
28:17One day,
28:18when the person delivering her scraps
28:20wasn't paying attention,
28:21she saw her chance.
28:25She lunged,
28:26shoved them aside,
28:27and scrambled out in a frantic crawl.
28:30She somehow found a knife
28:32and staggered through the mansion.
28:41She screamed at the top of her lungs.
28:44Kenneth!
28:46I'm taking you down with me!
28:49Looking at the wretched state she was in,
28:52Kenneth felt no fear.
28:54Instead,
28:55all he felt was profound disgust.
28:59They instantly locked in a gripple.
29:02Megan slashed wildly with the knife
29:04while Kenneth dodged and fought back.
29:07In the chaos,
29:08she stumbled,
29:09lost her balance,
29:11and lurched toward the balcony.
29:13Her eyes widened in terror
29:14as she tried to grab onto something,
29:16but it was too late.
29:19Kenneth murdered inaudibly.
29:22Evie,
29:24I've avenged you.
29:27On a bright sunlit day,
29:30Maya visited my grave
29:32with my favorite lilies.
29:36She gently laid the flowers down
29:39and said softly,
29:41Evie,
29:42I've been doing well lately,
29:44so don't worry about me.
29:46I'll come visit you often.
29:57A gentle breeze stirred,
30:00lifting the petals
30:01in a soft flutter,
30:03as though,
30:04somewhere beyond,
30:05I was answering her.
30:07Instead,
30:08she paced back and forth uneasily.
30:17Evie has never stayed away
30:19from home this long.
30:20Could something really
30:21have happened to her?
30:25As for Kenneth,
30:27he kept staring at his phone,
30:28at the message thread
30:29that I hadn't replied to for days.
30:31His expression grew complicated
30:33as he muttered under his breath,
30:35Have I neglected her too much lately?
30:38Is that why she's throwing
30:39such a huge tantrum?
30:41Alaric stood with his arms crossed,
30:43letting out a cold snort,
30:44but the complex expression
30:45he wore on the day
30:46I left the hospital room
30:47appeared on his face again,
30:49and his heart lurged violently.
30:52Forget it.
30:53Let's go find Maya.
30:55If this is some trick she's pulling,
30:56I'll make sure she regrets it.
31:03Dad sat on the couch silently,
31:05his expression grim.
31:07His fingers drummed restlessly
31:09against the armrest
31:10as if deep in thought.
31:11All right, Alaric,
31:13let's go.
31:16The group piled into the car
31:18and set off with a mixture
31:20of doubt and unease.
31:26Inside the vehicle,
31:27the atmosphere was so heavy
31:29it felt suffocating.
31:30No one spoke.
31:31Only the low roar of the engine
31:33filled the silence.
31:35Mom kept mummering the whole way.
31:38Evie couldn't have really met
31:39with something bad, could she?
31:41Just moments ago,
31:42he had quietly unblocked
31:43the soul link he shared with me,
31:45only to be met with a void.
31:47A deafening silence,
31:48followed by a sharp, piercing pain.
31:51It was the understakable sensation
31:53of losing a blood relative,
31:54but he dared not believe it.
31:56He kept convincing himself
31:58this was all another one of my schemes.
32:00He couldn't quite understand
32:01how I could possibly be dead now,
32:03when I'd been just fine
32:04in my last life.
32:05Hurry up.
32:10When they finally arrived at the hospital,
32:13Maya was already waiting outside.
32:16She gave the group one cold glance
32:18and said nothing,
32:19simply turning to lead the way.
32:21They followed her in heavy silence,
32:23footsteps dragging,
32:25until they reached the morgue.
32:26A staff member slowly pulled off
32:29in the drawer
32:30of the morgue refrigerator.
32:36Revealing my gaunt,
32:38pale,
32:39and lifeless body.
32:41In that instant,
32:43everyone froze.
32:57Kenneth's eyes widened,
32:58and his body began to tremble
33:00untrollably.
33:01Dad stared in horror,
33:02as though he had witnessed
33:03the most terrifying thing
33:04in the world.
33:05His legs buckled slightly,
33:07and all the strength
33:08seemed to drain from him
33:09in a single moment.
33:10He couldn't even speak.
33:12Mom clapped a hand over her mouth,
33:14a raw,
33:15anguished wail
33:16tore through the quiet corridor.
33:21Alaric stood to the side,
33:22his neck stiff with denial.
33:24This has to be a prop!
33:25He couldn't quite believe
33:26what he was seeing,
33:27but even as he shouted,
33:29his voice faltered.
33:30Tears streamed down his face
33:31against his will.
33:32He reached out with a shaking hand,
33:33desperate to prove
33:34this was just one of my cruel pranks.
33:36But the moment his fingers
33:37touched my cold, stiff ones,
33:39he jolted as if struck by lightning.
33:41He shook uncontrollably,
33:42his eyes filled
33:43with utter disbelief.
33:45This, this can't be.
33:46Kenneth staggered forward
33:48like a madman.
33:49He gripped the edge
33:49of the drawer tightly
33:50with both hands
33:51and called out
33:52Evie repeatedly.
33:55Evie.
33:57Evie.
33:58His voice was harry
34:00and broken,
34:00and tears poured down his face,
34:02soaking the front of his shirt.
34:04He reached out
34:04to touch my cheek,
34:06but his hands
34:07stopped midair.
34:09Evie, wake up.
34:10Please don't scare me like this.
34:11As if afraid
34:12I would shitter
34:13with his touch.
34:18Maya stood off
34:19to the side,
34:20her gaze sliding over them
34:21like blades of ice.
34:22A bitter sneer
34:23twisted her lips.
34:24What's this?
34:25Putting on a show
34:26of grief now?
34:27Who exactly is it for?
34:29Where were all of you
34:30when it mattered?
34:31Mom,
34:32who had collapsed
34:33to the floor
34:33sobbing uncontrollably,
34:35jerked her head up
34:36and looked up
34:37through her tears
34:37when she heard
34:38Maya's words.
34:40We...
34:41We just thought
34:42she was throwing a tantrum.
34:45A tantrum?
34:47Maya let out
34:48a harsh,
34:49mocking laugh.
34:51Where were you
34:52when she was sick?
34:53Where were you
34:54when Megan bullied her?
34:55You only ever
34:56had eyes for Megan!
35:00When was there
35:00ever room for Evelina?
35:02Alaric clenched
35:03his fists,
35:04his face etched
35:05with regret.
35:07It's all my fault.
35:09All of it.
35:13I should have
35:14stopped her
35:15when she left
35:15the hospital that day.
35:18Crocodile tears!
35:19Maya snapped,
35:20fixing a sharp gaze
35:22on him.
35:22You're the ones
35:23who pushed her
35:24to the edge.
35:27What's the use
35:28of crying now?
35:32Mom clutched
35:33at Maya's arm
35:34like it was
35:34her last lifeline.
35:35Tears streaming
35:36down her face
35:37as her voice
35:37cracked with desperation.
35:38Maya,
35:39how exactly
35:40did Evie die?
35:41Hasn't she
35:42always been healthy?
35:43Maya's eyes
35:43blazed with disgust
35:44and she roughly
35:45shook off Mom's hand.
35:47Then,
35:48she reached
35:48into her bag,
35:50pulled out
35:50a thick stack
35:51of printed chat records
35:52and flung them
35:53violently onto
35:54the floor
35:54in front of them.
35:58See for yourselves.
36:01The sheets of paper
36:02scattered in the air,
36:03falling like snowflakes.
36:06Mom scrambled
36:08to pick up
36:08several sheets
36:09and as she read,
36:11her entire body
36:12began to tremble
36:13controllably.
36:19Kenneth snatched up
36:20a few pages
36:21as well.
36:25This is proof
36:27that Megan
36:27colluded with your
36:28family doctor
36:29to forge
36:30Evie's medical report.
36:31Maya pointed
36:32at the chat records
36:33and said loudly,
36:34Serafina stares
36:35fixically at the records
36:36in her hands,
36:37tears streaming
36:38down her face.
36:39Megan faked an illness
36:39to win your favor
36:40while claiming
36:41Evie was perfectly healthy
36:42and every single one
36:44of you blindly
36:44believed her lies.
36:45You're supposed
36:46to be aristocratic
36:47wolves of the
36:47star moon pack,
36:48pack nobility
36:49with centuries
36:49of bloodline heritage.
36:51Can't any of you
36:51even sense
36:52when your own
36:52family member
36:53is suffering?
36:53Alaric's eyes
36:54widened in disbelief.
36:56He bent down slowly,
36:57gathered the pages
36:57and flipped through
36:58them one by one.
36:59As he flipped through
37:00them,
37:00his grip tightened
37:01until his knuckles
37:01turned white,
37:02his face as the paper
37:03in his hands.
37:05This can't be.
37:07Meg wouldn't do
37:08something like this.
37:09He muttered forsyly,
37:10but the solid proof,
37:11complete with familiar
37:12profile pictures,
37:13left him with no room
37:14for denying.
37:16He jerked his head up,
37:18his eyes filled with
37:19agony and regret,
37:21unable to believe
37:22that the sister
37:23he had always doted for
37:25could be so vicious.
37:31He couldn't help
37:32thinking if he hadn't
37:34been reborn,
37:35if she had managed
37:37to take the moon
37:38violet serum like she
37:39did in her last life.
37:43Maya's eyes were cold.
37:45She took out a voice
37:46recorder from her pocket
37:50and deliberately pressed
37:51the play button hard.
37:53In an instant,
37:55Megan's shrilk,
37:56venomous voice
37:57echoed clearly
37:58through the morgue.
38:00Evelina,
38:01just die already.
38:03Your parents,
38:05your brother,
38:05and your mate,
38:06they're all mine now.
38:07So what if I faked
38:09being sick?
38:10Only when I'm sick
38:11do they all revolve
38:12around me.
38:12No one ever cared
38:13about that idiot Eva
38:14anyway.
38:15The whole family
38:16despises her now.
38:17They even blocked
38:18the soul link
38:19they share with her.
38:20No one would notice
38:21even if she died.
38:23Alaric staggered
38:24as though he'd been
38:24struck by a sledgehammer.
38:31his eyes turned
38:32bloodshuck.
38:39How could you,
38:40Megan?
38:42I was truly blind.
38:52Back at the Sinclair residence,
38:54the air was so thick
38:55with tension
38:56it felt impossible
38:57to breathe.
39:01Mom stared coldly
39:03at Megan,
39:04her gaze sharp
39:05as a blight.
39:06Why didn't you come
39:07to the hospital
39:08with us?
39:11Megan couldn't bring
39:12herself to meet
39:13Mom's stare
39:14so her eyes darted
39:15around.
39:16She stammered.
39:18I...
39:19I was busy
39:20with company matters.
39:25Dad's brows furrowed
39:27deeply
39:27and his voice
39:28came out low
39:29and cold.
39:31And how's
39:32your recovery
39:33proceeding?
39:36Megan forced
39:38a stiff smile
39:38trying to sound
39:39convincing.
39:41The healer said
39:42I'm recovering well.
39:44Recovering well?
39:46Alaric could no longer
39:48contain his rage.
39:50His eyes blazing,
39:52he lunged forward
39:53and delivered
39:54a resounding slap
39:55across her face,
39:56sending her
39:57collapsing to the floor.
40:02He roared.
40:03Does your recovery
40:05come from sucking
40:06the life out of Evie?
40:07Megan lay sprawled
40:08on the ground,
40:09stunned,
40:10her cheek burning.
40:12She tried
40:13to feign innocence,
40:14tears welling
40:15in her eyes
40:15as she whimpered
40:16pitifully.
40:18Rick,
40:19what are you
40:19talking about?
40:20I don't understand.
40:21Dad trembled
40:22with fury
40:23and his eyes
40:24were wide
40:25with anger.
40:25He yanked
40:26the voice recorder
40:27from his pocket
40:28and hurled it
40:29at her.
40:31It fell to the floor
40:32with a thud.
40:33Dad,
40:34consumed by rage,
40:35shouted,
40:36How dare you
40:36keep pretending?
40:37We know everything!
40:39Every disgusting
40:40thing you've done,
40:41we know it all!
40:42She scrambled up,
40:43throwing herself
40:44at Mom's legs,
40:46sobbing hysterically.
40:47Mom,
40:48I didn't mean to!
40:50I just wanted
40:51your love so badly
40:52and wanted you
40:53to love me
40:54a little more!
40:57I've envied
40:58Evie since
40:58I was little.
41:00She had
41:01everything!
41:03And she was
41:04the center
41:05of all your
41:06attention!
41:08But Mom
41:09recoiled
41:10as though
41:10burned.
41:16She shook
41:17Megan off,
41:17trembling
41:18violently
41:18with rage
41:19and grief.
41:21Tears poured
41:22down her face
41:22as she asked,
41:24You would
41:25kill Evie
41:26just to get
41:27a little more
41:27love?
41:29How could
41:29you be so
41:30vicious?
41:31Evie was
41:32your sister!
41:33How could
41:34you bring
41:35yourself to
41:35do that?
41:36When her
41:37pleas fell
41:37on deaf ears,
41:39Megan tore
41:39off the last
41:40shred of
41:41pretense.
41:42She shot
41:42to her feet,
41:43eyes blazing
41:44with hatred.
41:46She screamed,
41:47Even if I
41:48did wrong,
41:49are you saying
41:49her death
41:50has nothing
41:51to do with
41:51you?
41:52If you'd
41:52paid even
41:53a little
41:53attention to
41:54her,
41:54if you'd
41:55believed her
41:55even once,
41:56would things
41:57have ended
41:57like this?
41:58You're all
41:58murderers too!
42:00Dad trembled
42:00with rage,
42:01and his face
42:02turned scarlet
42:03with fury.
42:05Get lost!
42:07I want you
42:08to get out
42:08of the Sinclair
42:09family and
42:10never come
42:11back!
42:12The Sincla's
42:13have no
42:13daughter like
42:14you!
42:15After being
42:16cast out of
42:16the Sinclair
42:17family,
42:18Megan was
42:18left with
42:19nothing to
42:19her name.
42:20In her
42:21desperation,
42:22she thought
42:23of Kenneth.
42:24She rushed
42:25to his
42:25company building,
42:26shoved past
42:27the security
42:27guards who
42:28tried to
42:28block her
42:29and burst
42:29into his
42:30office.
42:35Dropping
42:36heavily to
42:36her knees
42:37in front of
42:37him,
42:38she begged,
42:38I really
42:39love you,
42:40Ken.
42:41Please help
42:42me!
42:43Kenneth,
42:44seated in
42:44his swivel
42:45chair,
42:46looked down
42:46at her.
42:48His gaze
42:49was icy,
42:50a mocking
42:50smile playing
42:51on his
42:52lips.
42:53Fine,
42:54I'll take
42:54you away.
42:55A spark
42:57of ecstatic
42:57relief lit
42:58up Megan's
42:59eyes.
43:00She thought
43:01she had
43:01finally found
43:02a lifeline.
43:03So,
43:03when Kenneth
43:04brought her
43:05to a mansion
43:05in a deserted
43:06area,
43:08Megan followed
43:09him inside
43:10readily,
43:11full of
43:11anticipation.
43:14Unexpectedly,
43:15what awaited
43:15her was a
43:16pitch-black,
43:17windowless
43:17cellar.
43:21Kenneth shoved
43:22her into
43:22the cold,
43:23damp space
43:24and shut
43:24the heavy
43:25metal door
43:25behind her
43:26with a
43:26deafening
43:27clang.
43:35From today
43:35onward,
43:36you're not
43:37going anywhere.
43:38Megan pounded
43:39frankly on
43:39the metal
43:39in terror,
43:40screaming
43:41hysterically.
43:42Let me out,
43:43Ken!
43:43Let me out!
43:44But the only
43:45answer was
43:46an endless
43:46silence.
43:47Every day,
43:48a meager
43:49ration of
43:50dirty water
43:50and scraps
43:51of leftover
43:52food was
43:52slid through
43:53a narrow
43:53gap under
43:54the door.
43:57Starving
43:58and dizzy,
43:59Megan had
44:00no choice
44:01but to
44:01crawl across
44:02the cold
44:03floor and
44:04lap up
44:04the meager
44:05scraps
44:06like an
44:06animal.
44:08Kenneth even
44:09went as far
44:10as bringing
44:10in a witch
44:11to poison
44:11her wolf.
44:15Her wolf
44:16howled in
44:17agony and
44:18she herself
44:19endured
44:19bone-deep
44:20pain day
44:21and night.
44:22She felt
44:23as though
44:24countless
44:24ants were
44:25gnawing at
44:25her flesh
44:26from within.
44:27Down on
44:28all fours,
44:29she pleaded
44:29in anguish.
44:31Ken,
44:32please,
44:33let me go!
44:34I know
44:35I was wrong!
44:38Kenneth stood
44:39just outside
44:39the metal
44:40door,
44:40watching her
44:41with utter
44:42indifference.
44:44He spoke
44:45slowly,
44:46each word
44:46deliberate.
44:48This is what
44:49you deserve.
44:50You killed
44:51Evie.
44:56A week
44:56later,
44:57even the
44:58sunlight seemed
44:58heavy with
44:59grief as
45:00Maya held
45:00my funeral.
45:02The atmosphere
45:03was stifling,
45:05like the
45:05calm before
45:06a storm.
45:08The Sinclairs
45:09arrived
45:10harmedly,
45:11their faces
45:12etched with
45:13guilt and
45:13sorrow.
45:18Maya stood
45:20before my
45:20grave,
45:21her gaze on
45:21them like
45:22sharpened
45:22blades.
45:30She thrust
45:32out her arm,
45:33blocking their
45:33path with
45:34fierce determination.
45:35You don't
45:36deserve to
45:37be here.
45:37When
45:38Evie was
45:38alive,
45:39you treated
45:40her with
45:40cold cruelty.
45:42Now that
45:43she's gone,
45:44you have
45:44no right
45:44to stand
45:45at her
45:45grave.
45:46Don't
45:47you dare
45:47silly
45:48her
45:48resting
45:48place.
45:50My
45:50parents'
45:51faces
45:51turned
45:52ashen.
45:53They
45:54opened
45:54their
45:54mouths,
45:55but no
45:56words
45:56came.
45:58Defeated,
45:59they
45:59turned and
46:00shuffled
46:00away in
46:01disgrace.
46:02Kenneth
46:03came too.
46:03He
46:05lingered
46:05far off
46:06in the
46:06corner,
46:07watching the
46:07scene with
46:08a complicated
46:09expression,
46:10but he
46:10never found
46:11the courage
46:11to step
46:12closer.
46:18Dad's
46:19hair turned
46:20white overnight
46:21and his
46:21health deteriorated
46:22rapidly.
46:24He took
46:24to his bed
46:25and never
46:26rose again.
46:27A deep,
46:27unmovable
46:28despair filled
46:29his eyes.
46:30Mom lost
46:31her sanity.
46:32Day
46:32after day,
46:33she clutched
46:33my photograph,
46:34laughing and
46:35crying in the
46:36same breath,
46:37whispering over
46:38and over,
46:39I'm sorry,
46:40Evie.
46:41I'm so
46:42sorry.
46:44Alarek
46:45became a
46:46shadow of
46:46himself.
46:49Down in
46:50the cellar,
46:51Megan was
46:51driven completely
46:52mad under
46:53Kenneth's
46:54relentless
46:54torment.
46:55Her eyes
46:56grew wild
46:57and unfocused,
46:58and her
46:59hair hung
47:00in filthy
47:00tangles.
47:02One day,
47:04when the
47:04person delivering
47:05her scraps
47:06wasn't paying
47:06attention,
47:07she saw
47:07her chance.
47:10She lunged,
47:12shoved them
47:12aside,
47:13and scrambled
47:14out in a
47:15frantic crawl.
47:16She somehow
47:17found a knife
47:18and staggered
47:18through the
47:19mansion.
47:26she screamed
47:28at the top
47:28of her lungs.
47:29Kenneth!
47:31I'm taking
47:32you down
47:33with me!
47:35Looking at
47:35the wretched
47:36state she was
47:37in,
47:37Kenneth felt
47:38no fear.
47:40Instead,
47:41all he felt
47:41was profound
47:42disgust.
47:45They instantly
47:46locked in a
47:47gripple.
47:47Megan slashed
47:49wildly with
47:49the knife
47:50while Kenneth
47:50dodged
47:51and fought
47:52back.
47:52In the
47:53chaos,
47:53she stumbled,
47:55lost her
47:56balance,
47:57and lurched
47:58toward the
47:58balcony.
47:59Her eyes
47:59widened in
48:00terror as she
48:00tried to grab
48:01onto something,
48:02but it was
48:02too late.
48:05Kenneth
48:05murdered
48:06inaudibly.
48:07Evie,
48:09I've avenged
48:10you.
48:13On a bright
48:14sunlit day,
48:15Maya visited
48:17my grave with
48:17my favorite
48:18lilies.
48:22She gently
48:23laid the
48:23flowers down
48:24and said
48:25softly,
48:27Evie,
48:28I've been
48:29doing well
48:29lately,
48:30so don't
48:30worry about
48:31me.
48:32I'll come
48:33visit you
48:33often.
48:43A gentle
48:44breeze stirred,
48:45lifting the
48:46petals in a
48:47soft flutter,
48:48as though,
48:49somewhere beyond,
48:51I was
48:52answering her.
48:52as
48:52well.
48:52I'll
48:52see you.
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