He Took My Life, I’ll Take His Empire

Chapter 5

On New Year's Eve during my senior year winter break, Cain's entire family had the rare chance to go to the capital for the holiday.

While I was setting off fireworks downstairs, I met Zayne Frost.

Half a year had passed since we last saw each other during summer vacation. He was holding a bag of fireworks, and the moment he saw me, he smiled warmly.

"Still only playing with the ones that don't make noise?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. I'm scared of the sound."

Zayne took out a bundle of extra-long sparklers from the bag and handed them to me. "Then, use these."

The fireworks behind him lit up his bright, gentle eyes. Smoke drifted around us, making the scene feel distant and unreal, like it belonged to another lifetime.

Looking back, Zayne was the only boy I had ever truly fallen for in my past life.

He was two years older than me and lived on the floor above mine. Even more coincidentally, his mother and my mother were coworkers.

He was a top student. Whenever I came across a question I couldn't solve, my mother would send me upstairs to ask Zayne.

In my past life, this was exactly how Zayne handed me a sparkler. The warmth in his eyes made me certain he had feelings for me.

That was why I asked, "Zayne, do you like me?"

A cold wind swept past. Cain's twisted and lifeless face suddenly appeared in my mind.

Before Zayne left for college, I went with him to the airport.

At the security checkpoint, just as Zayne pulled me into a hug, Cain suddenly rushed out from the crowd.

The airport instantly descended into chaos. There were screams and people fighting. By the time security arrived, Zayne's head was already covered in blood.

I remembered what Cain said about that factory worker's son. He had also been left bleeding from his head.

Cain had learned martial arts. Whenever he attacked someone, he always aimed for the head, especially the temples.

Later, Zayne was forced to take a long leave from school because of bleeding in his skull. His mother came to my house and caused a huge argument. She and my mother ended their friendship because of it.

I couldn't blame her.

In front of my family and the Frost family, Cain had declared that I was his girlfriend. Yet during winter break, he accused me of secretly being with Zayne behind his back.

I told them it wasn't true.

My mother still slapped me and said I had let them down.

I couldn't hurt Zayne again. I had to stay away from him.

I looked away and said coldly, "I don't like this."

Zayne froze.

As I walked past him, he reached out and grabbed my sleeve.

"Isabella, did you get a boyfriend?"

I looked at his hand holding my sleeve, then slowly raised my eyes. "Is there a problem?"

Zayne pressed his lips together and let go. "Isabella, your studies are more important right now. Love... there will be plenty of chances in the future."

"I understand. Thank you." I turned around and started walking upstairs.

Zayne stopped me again.

He was breathing slightly faster as he looked at me, forcing a smile. "Isabella, are you still planning to study at Portdale University?"

When we met during summer vacation in my past life, I had told him with excitement that Portdale University was the college I wanted to attend the most.

Because he was there.

"I changed my mind. I want to go to Capitol University."

Zayne's hand slowly slipped down. The gentle smile on his face froze.

"If there's nothing else, I'll go home first. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

I stepped into the dark stairwell.

Tears slowly filled my eyes.

I clenched my fists tightly.

What did having a second chance change?

In this world, was there anything that didn't come with a price?

This life was never meant for me to live freely.

I came back to send a demon back to hell. The only problem was that the right time had not come yet.

I was still waiting for one person.