Chapter 2

2.

The rest of the party went by without incident. I made sure to intercept anyone looking for Cade.

Just when I thought the night would end peacefully, a piercing scream echoed from upstairs.

"Ah! Cade! Cade, what's wrong? Someone help! Get a doctor!"

It was Bianca's voice.

Mrs. Linden was seeing off the last of the guests. She froze and then bolted upstairs. I followed silently.

Cade's door was wide open.

Bianca was slumped on the floor by the door. Her white evening gown was rumpled, exposing her shoulders.

She looked at Mrs. Linden like a drowning woman. "I don't know what happened! He just... suddenly..."

Her story was a mess, but her eyes flickered toward me with a hidden spark of triumph.

Mrs. Linden didn't even look at her. She rushed into the room.

The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom. Cade was fully clothed, submerged in a tub of ice-cold water.

His face was flushed a deep, unnatural red. His eyes were shut tight, and he was unconscious.

I stood there, my fingertips turning cold.

In the past life, I was the one pinned under him with torn clothes, shamed in front of everyone.

In this life, he chose to torture himself with ice water until he fainted rather than touch Bianca.

Suddenly, I understood.

Bianca was his precious "white moonlight," his untouchable goddess.

How could he bear to "sully" her in such a dirty way?

He could ruin me without a second thought, but he would risk his life to protect her purity.

A sharp, bitter feeling rose in my chest, making my throat ache.

It's okay. I had seen the truth long ago.

The family doctor arrived, and it took half the night for Cade to wake up.

The first thing he did was call me in for a talk.

"I know you're back too."

My heart jumped, but I kept my face neutral. "What are you talking about?"

"Stop acting, Autumn. You're even more vicious than before. You drugged me and tried to ruin Bianca."

The way he looked at me told me everything. He had been reborn, too.

Yet, he still insisted I was the one who drugged him.

I took a deep breath to settle my nerves.

"I didn't do it. You can check the security tapes."

He gave me a look of pure loathing. "Is there any point?"

Those few words snapped my last thread of patience.

"Why wouldn't there be a point?"

I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. They spilled over.

"Do I deserve to be blamed for everything? Why won't you believe me just once?"

I lunged forward and grabbed his collar.

"Cade, why won't you trust me just once?"

I stared at him. This was the boy who had protected me and promised to look out for me forever.

When did he decide to give all his trust and love to someone else?

My hot tears fell onto the back of his hand.

For a second, his expression seemed to soften.

Then, the door burst open. Bianca rushed in, looking panicked.

"Autumn, what are you doing!"

She threw herself in front of Cade as if protecting him from a monster.

"If you're mad at me, take it out on me! Don't touch Cade!"

Cade immediately pulled her into his arms. His brief hesitation was replaced by pity for her.

"Bianca, I'm fine. Don't worry."

He looked at me with cold eyes.

"Autumn, I don't care what the truth is, and I'm not going to waste time investigating."

"But I am never marrying you. From now on, you'd better behave yourself."

When he mentioned the word "truth," Bianca flinched for a split second.

But when he said he wouldn't marry me, her face lit up with a joy she couldn't hide.

I looked at him with nothing but disappointment.

He had changed. I was the only one holding onto the ghost of who he used to be.

I stepped back, my voice turning cold and final.

"Don't worry. I'd rather marry a damn priest than you."