“My mother has been in a coma for as long as I can remember.”
Xylia’s voice trembled as she finally revealed the truth.
“The woman you met yesterday wasn’t my mother. She was my mother’s twin sister.”
She paused and took a shaky breath.
“After my mother fell into a coma, my grandfather decided that my aunt would take her place. No one outside the family was supposed to know.”
Aciel remained silent.
For once, he didn’t interrupt.
He simply listened.l
“We used to be happy,” Xylia continued quietly.
“Yes, my real mother was strict, but she was a loving mother and an affectionate wife. So I was happy.”
A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
“But when she fell into a coma, my father started an affair with my aunt.”
Aciel’s eyes darkened.
“I tried to understand him,” she said.
“Maybe he was lonely. Maybe he was tired of waiting for my mother to wake up.”
Her voice cracked.
“But my aunt slowly manipulated everyone.”
She lowered her gaze.
“My father. My grandfather. The board members. All of them. She always claimed it was for the family’s sake.”
Then Xylia laughed bitterly.
“But it was all for herself.”
Aciel frowned.
“Last year, I discovered she had been embezzling money from the company.”
His eyes widened slightly.
“We lost a fortune because of her.”
Xylia clenched her fists.
“She pretended to be my mother. And although my family knew about it, they had been calling her Veronica even behind closed doors. As if they had forgotten that she was a fake. The Antonov Clan is already standing on the edge of bankruptcy. I don’t know how my grandfather and father managed to hide it.”
Aciel immediately understood.
“So that’s why they’re forcing you to marry Ivan.”
Xylia slowly nodded.
“They threatened me.”
Tears filled her eyes again.
“If I refuse to marry him, they won’t allow me to see my mother anymore.”
Silence followed.
The wind swept across the rooftop.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Aciel finally broke the silence.
“What do you want from me?”
Xylia blinked.
“What?”
Aciel looked directly into her eyes.
“You looked at me in the classroom like you wanted me to save you.”
His voice softened slightly.
“So I assumed you wanted my help.”
He leaned back against the fence.
“Just say the word, Xylia.”
His silver eyes darkened.
“I can help you.”
Then his expression became serious.
“But you know nothing comes free in my world.”
Xylia lowered her head.
Of course she knew.
The Mafia never gave anything without asking for something in return.
“I don’t need your help.”
Her answer came quietly.
“I just wanted someone to listen.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Aciel felt something twist painfully inside his chest.
Idiot.
Why did you say that?
Why make her think you wanted payment?
Why couldn’t you just tell her you’d help?
He cursed himself internally.
Xylia slowly stood up.
“Thank you for listening.”
Her voice sounded distant.
Then she turned around and started walking away.
Aciel immediately noticed the disappointment in her eyes. Get faster updates on g.com.
The same disappointment that had haunted him for days before.
And somehow, he knew it would continue haunting him.
Grinding his teeth, he quickly stood up and grabbed her wrist.
Xylia stopped walking.
“What do you want from me, Aciel?”
She stared at him.
For the first time, she looked angry.
And hurt.
Aciel opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Xylia laughed bitterly.
“Why do you always make everything so difficult?”
Her eyes began to fill with tears again.
“I was ready to let you go.”
Aciel froze.
“But then you look at me like that.” Her voice broke.
“You act like you care.”
“Xylia—”
“No.” She pulled her hand away.
“You said you knew how I felt.”
She swallowed hard.
“Then fine.”
For the first time, she said the words out loud.
“I love you.”
Aciel’s eyes widened.
“I don’t know why.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I don’t know when it happened.”
She laughed bitterly.
“And I hate that it happened.”
Aciel stood frozen.
He always knew.
But hearing it directly from her was different.
Far different.
“Xylia…”
His voice sounded strangely uncertain.
“I can’t—”
He clenched his fists.
“I don’t know how to love someone.”
The confession hurt more than Xylia expected.
Yet somehow, she wasn’t surprised.
She lowered her gaze.
“I don’t need you to love me back.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“I just needed a friend.”
She looked up at him.
“And I thought you understood me.”
A sad smile appeared on her lips.
“I was wrong.”
Then she gently pulled her hand away.
“I’m sorry for bothering you.”
She turned around and walked away.
Once again, Aciel grabbed her wrist.
“Xylia, wait.”
She immediately spun around.
“What do you really want from me?”
Her voice trembled.
“You said you hated me.”
Tears continued falling from her eyes.
“But your eyes always tell a different story.”
Aciel couldn’t answer.
Xylia laughed sadly.
“Do you only want my body?”
His eyes widened.
“Xylia—”
“Fine.” Her voice cracked.
“If that’s what you want, then take it.”
“Stop.”
“I would rather give myself to the man I love than spend the rest of my life trapped with someone like Ivan Harlow.”
Aciel felt his chest tighten painfully.
He wanted her.
God, he wanted her.
But hearing her say those words only made everything more complicated.
Because now he knew.
She wasn’t acting out of desire.
She was acting out of desperation.
Slowly, Aciel released her hand.
And that hurt Xylia more than anything.
She bit her trembling lip.
Tears blurred her vision.
Then suddenly, someone grabbed her other hand.
“There you are.”
Xylia instantly froze.
Her stomach twisted.
The moment she recognized the voice, nausea washed over her.
Ivan.
She quickly wiped away her tears and forced herself to smile.
“I-I was just talking to Aciel about student council matters.”
Her fake smile looked painfully strained.
“We’re done now.”
Ivan’s eyes shifted toward Aciel.
Recognition flashed across his face.
“Aciel Vance De Silva.”
He smirked.
“The future Mafia Boss.”
Aciel returned the look.
“That’s me.”
The tension between the two men instantly became obvious.
Xylia felt trapped.
She desperately wanted to leave.
So she forced herself to grab Ivan’s arm.
“Did you need something?”
She smiled again.
A fake smile.
One Aciel immediately recognized.
“I assume you were looking for me?”
Inside, she wanted to run.
She wanted to lock herself in her bedroom and disappear from the world.
But somehow, she kept smiling.
Even though her lips were trembling.
Even though her knees felt weak.
Aciel clenched his fists.
Watching her cling to Ivan’s arm made his blood boil.
Then Ivan smiled.
A smile that immediately made Aciel want to punch him.
“Can I have my fiancée back now?” Ivan glanced at Aciel.
“You don’t mind, right?”
For several seconds, Aciel remained silent.
Then he nodded.
Slowly.
Coldly.
Xylia’s heart shattered.
She turned around and followed Ivan.
Meanwhile, Aciel stood frozen.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Just once.
Look back.
Just once.
And I’ll save you.
But she never did.
What Aciel didn’t see were the tears silently falling from Xylia’s eyes as she walked away.
And what Xylia didn’t know, was that Aciel watched her leave while feeling something he had never experienced before.
Regret.