I had been kidnapped once, but the culprits were after money. They released me unharmed after receiving the ransom.

Only a few people close to me knew about that incident. For Lina to know, Thor must have told her—and that realization crushed me.

He knew I'd been rescued untouched, untainted. Yet she used that ordeal to humiliate me. It was unforgivable.

Lina clutched her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief as she snarled through clenched teeth. "You hit me!"

My expression darkened. "I did. Do I need to schedule it next time?"

Just then, footsteps approached from behind.

Her gaze flickered, and before I could react, she seized my wrist and dug her nails in hard. Pain shot through me, and I instinctively shoved her away.

Behind us was the pool. She lost her balance and toppled straight into the deep end.

Lina couldn't swim. Within seconds, the water swallowed her whole.

Thor saw everything. He shoved me aside and leapt into the pool to save her.

I stumbled, crashing into the wall—pain exploded across my forehead as blood trickled down my face.

When Lina was pulled from the water, she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing pitifully in his arms.

"Thor… Aisha just went crazy! She yelled at me, hit me, and pushed me… I don't even know what I did wrong! My head hurts, my body hurts…"

Thor's eyes burned as he glared at me, his face dark with fury.

"Aisha, are you insane? You could've killed her! When did you become so vicious?"

I froze. The chill in his eyes was sharp enough to cut through bone.

I waited—hoped—he'd notice the blood running down my forehead, but he didn't. He looked at me like a lion ready to tear me apart.

"I thought you were just temperamental," he said coldly. "But you're cruel. You don't deserve my love."

A stabbing pain seized my chest. I tried to speak, to explain—but before I could, he spat the words that shattered me completely.

"Get out! I don't want to see you again. You've disappointed me beyond measure."

Those two words—get out—hit like a blast of icy wind, blowing away every last trace of my foolish hope.

He had made his choice. He believed her.

No amount of explanation could wake a man who had chosen to stay blind.

I watched him carefully lift Lina into his arms and carry her inside. She clung to him pitifully, her face streaked with tears, while he murmured soft comforts against her hair—his gaze on her tender, reverent, as if she were something precious.

At that moment, it felt as though he had taken a knife to my heart and carved it into pieces. It bled endlessly, refusing to heal.

Once, no matter how wrong I was, he couldn't bear to raise his voice at me.

Once, he believed in me—always.

But that man was gone.

His trust was gone. His gentleness was gone. And the love that once belonged to me now belonged to someone else. There was no room left for me in his heart.

I didn't cry. I simply went home, exhausted beyond measure. The family doctor came to stitch the gash on my forehead.

It was deep, and since I scarred easily, he suggested I undergo surgery later to reduce the mark.

But I refused. I wanted the scar to stay—as a reminder never to lose myself for love again.

During my recovery, Lina sent me countless vile messages, accompanied by photos of her and Thor together. Sometimes she attached audio clips of his gentle voice speaking to her.

I read and listened to them all in silence, then deleted every single one.

My love for Thor was gone. No matter how many photos or recordings she sent, even if they still hurt to see, they no longer broke me.

One day, my school organized a field trip.

I went with my deskmate, while Thor and Lina were practically glued together—like conjoined twins. They were inseparable, their closeness so blatant that everyone's gazes turned ambiguous. Some looked at them with teasing smiles, others at me with something between curiosity and pity.

During lunch, Thor even cut her steak into small pieces for her, his every move gentle and attentive.

My deskmate couldn't help herself and leaned closer, whispering, "What's going on with them?"

I cast a calm glance in their direction and replied, "We broke up, that's all."

My voice wasn't loud, but it carried far enough. The table fell silent, and several heads turned toward us in surprise.

"What? You two were so close—why would you break up?"

"Yeah, didn't you plan to get married after university?"

"Thor, didn't you love Aisha?"

Thor said nothing. His silence was louder than any denial.

My chest ached, but I raised my voice just enough. "We just weren't right for each other."

My deskmate frowned, puzzled. "But Thor's a great guy, and he treated you so well. How's that not right?"

My gaze darkened. Yes, he used to treat me well. Which made his indifference now feel all the more cruel.

I gave a faint, knowing smile. "People change. Some drift apart, and some find others who fit them better."

My eyes shifted to where Lina was feeding Thor a piece of fruit.

The others followed my gaze, and understanding dawned. No one asked more.

Thor's eyes flickered with resentment.

I ignored him completely.

Maybe to prove a point, he stopped hiding his affection for Lina. He openly doted on her—carried her when she was tired, massaged her ankle when she twisted it.

Once, that would've made me jealous. Now, it didn't stir me at all.

On the way down the mountain, the path turned slippery, and I almost fell—saved only by my deskmate's quick reflexes.

When I looked up, I caught a flash of worry and panic in Thor's eyes. He even took a step toward me, but Lina quickly caught his arm, leaned close, and whispered something in his ear.

His face darkened immediately. When his eyes met mine again, they were filled not with concern, but irritation.

I knew she was twisting the truth again. But then, any love that could be poisoned by a few whispers was never strong to begin with.

I turned away, letting the mountain breeze wash over me. I felt calm. To me, Thor was nothing but air now. It was as if I had never known him at all.

On the bus ride back, everyone grew bored and decided to play a dare game. Whoever drew a red slip had to follow the command written on it—or else run naked around the school track.

I got lucky and drew a blank slip.

Thor, however, drew red. The instruction: Choose someone here and kiss them.

Lina sat beside him, her cheeks instantly flushing pink as she ducked her head.

The others started cheering.

"Come on, Thor! Pick someone to kiss, or it's the track for you!"

Instinctively, Thor's eyes flicked toward me.

I turned away, refusing to look at him.

Lina's best friend spoke up loudly, feigning innocence.

"Thor, you and Aisha already broke up. Kissing her again wouldn't be right. Lina's right beside you. Why not kiss Lina?"

Others chimed in, grinning. "Yeah, you two are basically dating already! A kiss would just make it official!"

All eyes were on them now.

But Thor didn't look at Lina. His gaze stayed locked on me, as if waiting to see my reaction.

It was Lina who finally broke the tension. She lifted her head, her eyes sharp and daring as they met mine.

"Aisha, you and Thor broke up," she said sweetly. "So there's nothing wrong with me going after him now, right?"

My expression stayed composed, but my tone carried a chill.

"That's between the two of you. It has nothing to do with me."

And it was true—after the breakup, his affairs no longer concerned me.

At my words, the faint expectation in Thor's eyes dimmed, replaced by a mocking edge.

"You're the ex. Of course it has nothing to do with you."

With that, our connection was severed completely.

Then, without warning, Thor stood up, pulled Lina to her feet, and locked his eyes on hers. Under everyone's stunned gaze, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her hard.

A chorus of gasps and squeals erupted throughout the bus.

The kiss dragged on. Soon, silence fell—heavy, suffocating. Even the sound of breathing disappeared.

I sat frozen, staring.

My heart clenched so tight it felt like a thousand ants were gnawing through it. The pain spread down to my bones. My brain screamed for me to stop them, but reason held me still.

So I bit down hard on my lip, my nails digging into my palms, forcing myself to stay composed.

Their kiss went on and on.

I couldn't bear to watch anymore. I turned toward the window, staring out at the blur of trees rushing past.

When they finally pulled apart, someone shouted with a teasing laugh, "Thor! That's your kiss with a second girl. How does it compare to your first?"

Thor cleared his throat and replied, his voice carrying an unmistakable trace of fondness.

"Of course the second one feels better."

The words struck like a blade. Despite all my restraint, my vision blurred, and my eyes burned hot.

Because no matter how hard you try, love is the one emotion you can't control. And his cruelty was unbearable.

I pressed my hands over my ears, closed my eyes, and shut out the world. If I didn't see or hear, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

When the bus finally arrived, I was the first to get up, practically fleeing down the steps.

When I reached the restroom, I doubled over the sink and vomited. My head spun; my body felt weak.

The image of him kissing Lina kept flashing before my eyes. Tears spilled before I could stop them.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Love—how devastatingly real it could be.

After a long while, when the dizziness faded, I washed my face and left the restroom.

Passing by the men's room, I caught familiar voices drifting through the open doorway.

"Thor, wasn't it too much—kissing another girl right in front of her?"

"It's not too much. She keeps threatening to break up. This time, I'll teach her a lesson. Let's see if she dares to act out again."

"But she looked really shaken. Shouldn't you go talk to her?"

"I've been comforting her for years. I'm tired of it."

"Yeah, you spoiled her too much. That's why she keeps pulling the breakup card."

"Exactly. Once she realizes how serious I am, she'll come crawling back to apologize. Then she'll think twice before ever defying me again. It's the best way to keep her in line."

Their words chilled me to the bone.

So that was what he thought of me—that I was throwing tantrums, and he could train me into obedience. That even his kiss with another woman was just a punishment.

How laughably arrogant.

I let out a quiet, hollow laugh and walked away.

On the way home, memories of us kept replaying in my mind.

How he'd panic when I choked on food and rush me to the hospital.

When I had stomach cramps, he'd wake specialists in the middle of the night just to ease my pain.

Whenever I was sad, he'd do anything to make me laugh, even plan surprise trips to cheer me up.

He'd memorized everything—what I liked to eat, what made me happy, how I lived my days.

His care had once been flawless, all-consuming. And over time, I grew used to it. I believed that love, that devotion, was mine alone.

But in the end, even the strongest affection couldn't survive temptation.