I had known Mark for eight years, and I constantly yearned for his attention and longed to capture his heart during this whole time.

I loved him, and he knew it.

To make me give up, he brought back a girlfriend.

People in his circle said I was addicted to loving him.

They claimed I was a helpless lovestruck woman.But I didn’t care.

There was nothing wrong with loving someone wholeheartedly..

To what extent had I become addicted?

I had become addicted to the point where I didn't hesitate to get rid of any woman who got close to him.

I paid Mark’s new love interest to leave him.

She said that as long as she was with Mark, she never had to worry about money, so, she didn't care about this small amount.

In the end, she enacted a scene on the staircase, accusing me of intentionally pushing her down the stairs.

And I was sent to rehab by Mark.

When I just got out of rehab, I saw a parked Audi. This luxury car appeared out of place next to the small rehab center.

I glanced at it and was about to leave.

The person who got out of the car called me.

It was Mark.

He looked more mature than three years ago.

But I only took one glance at him..

My teacher at the rehab said it was impolite to stare at others, especially someone you liked.

Having spent three years at the rehab, I had been completely brainwashed by teachers there.

Mark told me to get in the car, and I obediently did.

I sat in the back seat, staring at my own pants leg motionlessly.

Mark sat next to me, and I could feel his intense gaze.

The atmosphere in the car was very subtle.

I didn't even dare to breathe.

However, I couldn’t help coughing.

It was an old habit.

The car stopped at Mark's old family mansion.

His grandmother lived there.

If I were to remember correctly, today was Mark's grandmother's eightieth birthday.

I had a rough idea of why Mark had come to pick me up.

"Mark, I didn't bring a gift." I looked at Mark's back, hesitated for a moment, and finally called out to him.

The moment Mark turned around, my heart pounded, and I quickly lowered my head.

I knew very well that my racing heart wasn't due to excitement; it was fear.

I didn't know when my courage seemed to have been shattered.

I became afraid as long as someone looked at me.

I would even have nightmares, dreaming of numerous pairs of eyes fixated on me.

"Come along." Mark ignored my words and instructed me to follow him.

He was as indifferent as ever, or rather, he was only this indifferent to me.

I had to jog to barely keep up.

"Girl, you're back, come in quickly."

Mark's grandmother was waiting at the door.

She had a youthful spirit, like that of a mischievous child, and she was incredibly kind to me.

Back then, she supported me in pursuing Mark and would secretly tell me Mark's whereabouts.

I walked up to her and called her " Ms. Anderson Sr."

“Girl, why do you seem so distant from me? Are you blaming me?"Mark's grandmother patted my head, full of affection.

I shook my head at her, indicating that I wasn't.

How could I blame her?

Three years ago, if it hadn't been for her assertive intervention, I would have probably ended up in prison.

The rehab center here was externally known as an "educational institution."

Only those who had been inside knew what it was really like: a fate worse than death.

During lunchtime, I focused on eating a loaf of bread.

I ate in complete silence, didn't even touch the other dishes, and devoured my food hurriedly as if I hadn't eaten in a month.

"Jennifer Hill!"

"I'm here!"

When I heard someone call my name, I reflexively put down my forks and stood up.

I even replied with "I'm here" while my mouth was still full.

My unexpected reaction not only surprised Mark and his grandmother, but also caught me off guard.

I glanced at their astonished expressions, then looked down at the neatly arranged tableware, even though I had put them down in a hurry.

I suddenly didn't know what to do. I forgot that this wasn't the rehab center.

I had no idea why Mark suddenly called me.

"You scared Jennifer, you rascal," Mark's grandmother scolded him, then turned to me and said, "Sit down, dear, Just make yourself at home. ."

I obediently sat down without touching the dishes in front of me.

"Grandma was talking to you, didn't you hear?" Mark spoke in an irritated tone.

I wasn't sure if he was annoyed because I didn't hear his grandmother or because his grandmother scolded him.

"Sorry, Ms. Anderson Sr., I was too hungry and didn't pay attention." I cast an apologetic glance towards her.

My teacher used to say that apologies should be sincere.

Actually, my haste wasn't due to extreme hunger but rather the fear of not finishing my meal promptly and facing criticism for leaving leftovers.

I vaguely remembered that Mark's grandmother had told me to eat other dishes and not just bread, but I heard it too late, prompting Mark to call me.

After the meal, I returned to my old house left by my grandfather.

"Thank you for taking me back." I politely nodded to Mark to express my gratitude.

Mark's grandmother suggested I stay over for the night, but I declined. I didn't want to have too much contact with them, so I had Mark bring me back.

"Are you sure about staying here?" Mark frowned.

I turned my head to look at the house behind me; no one had lived there for three years.

Weeds had grown unchecked.

I nodded towards Mark.

Apart from here, I had nowhere else to go, and I was penniless. The clothes I was wearing were still the same as three years ago.

The clothing inside the rehab center was all uniform, which was why I still only had this outfit.

I reached down to pull out the weeds, and it seemed to disturb the creatures living inside; they all scattered.

Cockroaches, mice, and even a lazy snake lying in the corner.

If it were in the past, I would have probably jumped onto Mark immediately.

But now, I simply looked at these creatures calmly, planning to find a stick to shoo the snake away.

Mark directly pulled me into the car.

"What's wrong?" I looked at him with confusion. I just noticed that Mark hadn't left yet.

"Didn't you see there's a snake there?" Mark's tone was rather unpleasant.

Oh, I forgot; Mark was also afraid of these cold-blooded creatures.

"I saw it. It's okay; I'll use a stick to move it. If you're afraid, you can go back first," I reassured him.

I opened the car door, ready to get out.

But Mark locked the car and drove it away.

I sat in the passenger seat, fastening the seatbelt in fear.

"Where are you... taking me?"

Mark didn't respond.

I didn't ask again.

Mark took me to his private residence.

He didn't say a word; he simply closed the door, and I couldn't get out because it had a password lock.

He then went to take a shower.

I suppose he must have felt uncomfortable after seeing those cold-blooded creatures.

I sat obediently in the living room.

It was probably an hour later when Mark came out of the bathroom..

He was wearing pajamas and his hair was still wet.

I avoided staring at him out of courtesy.

“You can move into your grandpa’s house once it’s tidied. Stay here for tonight,” Mark explained to me.

I thought about it and nodded, thanking him.

Grandpa’s house was quite spacious, and it seemed like it would take me until late at night to clean it all up on my own..

He approached me, and I stood up, waiting on the side like a servant.

Mark held my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

" You’ve quit your crazy addiction towards me?" A hint of inquiry appeared on Mark's face.

I nodded without a moment of hesitation.The three painful years at rehab had completely dispelled my affection towards him.

That night, I had nightmares.

In my dreams, there were many pairs of eyes.

These eyes held various emotions, including hatred, disgust, nausea, repulsion...

They all came from the same person, Mark...