Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 20. Belong Nowhere

“No, Gabriel! You can’t do this to me!” Rachel hysterically argued when what was supposed to be a passionate night suddenly turned cold the moment Gabriel decided to leave.

The sharp roar of the car engine echoed through the quiet parking area as Gabriel opened the driver’s door without hesitation.

“Of course I can,” he answered coldly while gripping the steering wheel. “You think you can control me already just because we’re engaged? Well, you’re wrong.”

Rachel stared at him in disbelief as he started the engine. The cold night wind brushed against her skin while fury burned in her eyes.

“Gabriel!” she screamed one last time, but he ignored her completely.

The black car sped away from the estate, leaving Rachel standing alone in humiliation.

“Ugh! That Crystal is such bad luck, as always!” she hissed through gritted teeth. “This was supposed to be our first night as an engaged couple!”

Her fists clenched tightly at her sides as anger consumed her entire body.

“Lady Rachel, your grandfather is already waiting for you.”

Rachel sharply turned around upon hearing Jack’s calm voice behind her. The young butler stood straight with his hands respectfully clasped in front of him.

“What does the old man want from me now?” she snapped irritably while walking toward the elevator. “Do you even know how far this place is from the city? Driving all the way here is exhausting. Why can’t he just stay in his mansion in Creekwood instead of this isolated place?”

Jack remained silent, as always, simply guiding her toward the private lift.

Rachel groaned in annoyance and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

“Damn Gabriel,” she muttered bitterly while waiting for the elevator doors to open. “Why does he keep rejecting me?”

The elevator arrived with a soft ding.

As they stepped inside, Rachel glanced sideways at Jack.

“Jack, don’t you have any idea why Grandfather suddenly called for me?”

“I apologize, Lady Rachel,” the butler answered politely.

“Master did not disclose the reason.”

Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Ugh. He better not lecture me again,” she whispered under her breath.

The elevator doors opened moments later.

Jack led her through the quiet hallway of the luxurious estate. The atmosphere felt strangely tense tonight. Even the servants they passed avoided eye contact.

When they finally reached the study room, Jack opened the large wooden doors for her.

Rachel entered confidently, but the moment she stepped inside, her expression faltered.

Her father was there and seated behind the massive desk was her grandfather, whose face was dark with fury. His sharp eyes moved between Rachel and her father in heavy silence.

The tension inside the room was suffocating.

“Dad?” Rachel uttered softly, suddenly uneasy.

Her father avoided her gaze entirely.

“Sit down, Rachel,” her grandfather ordered in a cold voice.

For the first time that night, Rachel felt fear crawl down her spine.

_____________________________________________

“How are you feeling now?” Pearl asked worriedly as she handed Crystal a bottle of water.

The salty sea breeze brushed gently against them while the distant sound of crashing waves filled the silence between them.

Crystal held the bottle with trembling hands, though she never opened it. Her swollen eyes stared blankly at the ocean ahead.

“What should I do now?” she whispered brokenly. “Why did she deny me?”

Her voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes again.

“I don’t understand…” she continued weakly. “I spent so much time searching for help to save my parents… and now everything feels hopeless.”

Pearl sighed softly while scrolling through her phone.

“Don’t you have anything that can prove you’re really Christian Alonzo’s daughter?” she asked carefully.

Crystal slowly shook her head.

Pearl frowned in disbelief.

“This is so strange,” she murmured. “I tried searching for your family online, but there’s nothing. No photos, no articles, no records. It’s like your family never existed.”

Crystal lowered her head.

The two of them had stopped at the seaside boulevard after Crystal cried almost nonstop during the drive. The horizon was still dark, though faint traces of dawn were beginning to appear far away.

Crystal stood near the edge, facing the endless ocean while Pearl leaned against the waist-high concrete barrier behind her.

“Thank you so much for helping me, Pearl,” Crystal suddenly said softly while wiping her tears away.

Pearl straightened herself.

“Crystal… would you mind finally telling me the truth?” she asked gently. “If you really are Christian Alonzo’s daughter, then why are you only appearing now? Why did Rachel deny you? Why does it feel like your entire family has been erased from the world?”

Crystal remained silent.

Her empty gaze stayed fixed on the dark waters ahead.

“The sun will rise soon,” she muttered lifelessly. “And I still have no one to help me save my parents.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

“If only she allowed me to see Grandpa… I know he would save them.”

Pearl looked at her sympathetically.

“There has to be another way,” she whispered.

Suddenly, Crystal’s eyes widened.

“Gabriel.”

Pearl blinked in confusion.

“Gabriel?” she repeated.

Crystal turned around quickly, hope suddenly returning to her exhausted face.

“Right! Gabriel!” she cried. “Father told me to find him before we got separated!”

“Who’s Gabriel?” Pearl asked.

“Gabriel Anderson,” Crystal answered hurriedly. “My father said he would help me.”

Pearl hesitated.

“Are you sure he remembers you?” she asked cautiously. “What if he pushes you away too?”

“No,” Crystal said firmly while shaking her head. “He stayed on the island with us before. There’s no way he forgot me.”

For the first time that night, a small smile appeared on her face.

“Alright,” Pearl sighed while typing on her phone. “Let’s search for him first.”

“Gabriel Anderson, right?”

“Yes!”

A few seconds later, Pearl’s expression suddenly changed.

“Is this him?” she asked slowly, showing her phone screen.

Crystal’s eyes widened immediately.

“Yes! That’s him!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Do you know where he is?”

But Pearl didn’t answer right away. Instead, she hesitated before slowly turning the screen fully toward Crystal.

“Crystal…” she whispered uneasily. “This is insane.”

Displayed on the screen were photos of Gabriel and Rachel together at a glamorous engagement party. Both of them were smiling brightly while reporters surrounded them.

“He’s Rachel’s fiancé,” Pearl said quietly. “Their engagement was announced tonight.”

Crystal froze.

The small hope inside her shattered instantly.

“No…” she whispered faintly. “This can’t be.”

Her lips trembled.

“Why?”

Pearl looked at her with concern.

“So… are we still going to find him?”

Crystal lowered her gaze while tears streamed down her face once more.

“They were right about him,” she whispered painfully. “He’s engaged… and he’s never coming back to me again.”

Her breathing became shaky.

“He broke his promise…”

Before Pearl could say another word, Crystal suddenly climbed over the concrete barrier and jumped onto the rocky shore below.

“Crystal!” Pearl shouted in panic. “What are you doing?!”

Ignoring her completely, Crystal ran toward the water.

The freezing waves splashed against her legs as she stepped deeper into the sea.

“Why are you doing this to me?!” Crystal cried toward the brightening sky. “Why must my mother suffer just because she fell in love with a human?!”

Pearl stopped at the rocky shore, terrified.

“Crystal, come back!”

But Crystal continued.

“Wasn’t the curse enough?!” she screamed emotionally.

“You cursed me! You drove my mother away from her people! Why do you still want to take everything from us?!”

Her voice cracked from overwhelming grief.

“My parents always told me the Spirits were kind,” she sobbed. “They trusted you their entire lives… they served you faithfully… they never once betrayed you…”

Crystal clasped her shaking hands together desperately.

“Please,” she begged through tears. “Save them. Take me instead if you must. I’ll give my whole life serving you… just spare my parents.”

Pearl’s chest tightened painfully while listening to her cries.

“Crystal…” she whispered helplessly.

“Pearl,” Crystal suddenly said softly without turning around, “thank you for helping me. But you should leave now.”

“What?” Pearl immediately objected. “No! I’m not leaving you here!”

Crystal gave a weak, broken smile.

“No one can save me anymore.”

“That’s not true,” Pearl argued firmly. “I’m here, aren’t I? Just tell me everything. We’ll figure something out together.”

Crystal slowly shook her head.

“You won’t understand,” she whispered. “Just like Gabriel… eventually, you’ll turn away from me too.”

Pearl frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

Crystal looked down at the water surrounding her.

“Because I’m different,” she said quietly. “I don’t belong in your world… but I don’t belong underwater either.”

Her voice grew weaker.

“I have no place left now.”

Pearl stared at her in confusion and concern.

But instead of answering further, Crystal simply turned back toward the ocean.

The sky was slowly growing brighter. Then, slowly, Crystal slipped her trembling hands beneath her dress and lowered her underwear beneath the water.

Pearl furrowed her brows in confusion.

“What is she doing?” she whispered to herself.

Suddenly, Crystal gasped painfully. Her body trembled violently before collapsing deeper into the water.

“Hey!” Pearl cried out in alarm. “What’s happening to you?!”

Crystal winced as if enduring unbearable pain.

Pearl hurried closer, but halfway through, she froze completely.

Her eyes widened in horror.

“Wh-What are you…?” she stammered fearfully.

Where Crystal’s legs once were, a massive shimmering green tail now swayed beneath the water, glowing beautifully under the faint light of dawn.

Crystal slowly lifted her tear-filled eyes toward Pearl.

“I’m Crystal,” she whispered sadly. “The cursed daughter of Christian and Aya Alonzo.”

Her voice trembled.

“Now tell me… where am I supposed to belong?”

Pearl lost all ability to speak.

She could only stare at the breathtaking creature before her.

A siren.

Crystal gave her one last empty smile.

“So… I guess you don’t have the answer either.”

Tears slid down Crystal’s cheeks and dropped into the ocean. But instead of disappearing beneath the waves, they hardened into small glowing pearls.

Then, without another word, Crystal turned away and disappeared into the deep sea.

Pearl remained frozen in place long after Crystal vanished.

The only sound left was the crashing of the waves.

“Crystal…” she whispered shakily.

Then something sparkling near the shore caught her attention.

Pearl slowly bent down and picked it up.

A pearl.

She stared at it silently while her hands trembled.

“Pearls…” she whispered in disbelief, rolling the smooth gem gently between her fingers while the first light of sunrise touched the ocean.