Chapter 75 Chapter 75. Lysander Appears in Rain
It was already too late for birth control pills. She might as well take abortion pills directly. If they damaged her uterus and left her unable to get pregnant for the rest of her life, that would be even better.
Zoria found a remote, inconspicuous pharmacy and bought two boxes of medicine—one bottle of vitamins and one box of abortion pills. After paying, she put them into her bag, went to a shopping mall, entered the restroom, poured out all the vitamins, and transferred the abortion pills into the vitamin bottle.
It was still early, and Zoria didn’t feel like going home just yet. She drifted aimlessly through the shopping mall, wandering until she somehow ended up at the movie theater. Thinking back, the last time she had watched a film was five years ago, with Zephyr.
The theater was crowded, with small groups gathered throughout. Zoria casually bought a ticket and joined the line inside. She chose the most secluded seat she could find. When she sat down, there was no one around her, but not long after, a male walked over and dropped heavily into the seat beside her.
The lights in the theater were very dim. Zoria turned her head and glanced at him, but couldn’t see clearly—only that he looked vaguely familiar, as if she had met him somewhere before.
At that moment, the sound rose and the movie began. Zoria turned back and fixed her gaze on the large screen. She had come in only to kill time, nothing more.
It was an art film, telling the story of a couple in love. In the end, the male lead betrayed his lover, and the female lead, driven by despair, jumped into the river to end her life.
The plot was old-fashioned, but the emotional weight was crushing. Grief and hopelessness poured relentlessly through the screen. Zoria sat there in a daze, one hand unconsciously pressing against her chest. From time to time, a dull, familiar ache spread from her heart, like a scar that had never quite healed.
"So stupid. She was so cowardly she chose to die like that. If it were me, I’d kill that bastard who betrayed her."
The male’s voice beside her rang out suddenly, cutting through Zoria’s thoughts—and severing the pain that had just begun to rise in her chest.
The film continued. In the latter half, it told of how the female lead was saved and gradually forgot the male lead. Suddenly, Zoria felt a weight on her shoulder. Her body stiffened. When she turned her head, she saw that the male beside her had leaned against her shoulder, fast asleep.
In the darkness of the theater, borrowing the faint light from the screen, Zoria quietly studied his face. It was so handsome it almost stole her breath away. His features were deep and sharply defined, as if carved with a blade—strong, yet mixed with an inexplicable softness. A faint Alpha scent lingered around him, making the Omega instincts in Zoria stir despite her efforts to stay calm.
Zoria snapped back to herself and lightly patted his shoulder. "Hey, wake up."
His long lashes fluttered slightly, but he didn’t wake. Instead, he tilted his head, lips moving faintly, and sank into an even deeper sleep.
Frowning, Zoria reached out to push his shoulder, trying to move him away. Unexpectedly, his upper body slid forward and fell straight into her arms. Zoria froze, staring at him, unsure what to do. Inside the theater, she didn’t dare make a scene. She took out her phone. The screen showed more than a dozen missed calls—all from Zephyr.
Zoria turned off the screen without calling back. She checked the time and realized she had been in the theater for over an hour. The movie was probably nearing its end.
By now, she had completely lost interest in watching it. She counted the minutes, waiting. Nearly half an hour later, the film finally reached its conclusion. Seeing those in the rows ahead begin to stand up, Zoria let out a quiet sigh of relief and shook the male resting against her chest.
"Wake up. The movie’s over."
Only then did the male slowly open his eyes. His pale golden gaze flickered with laziness and casual ease, carrying a hint of allure. His striking looks were both seductive and dangerous, like an Alpha hiding his fangs.
"I haven’t slept this well in a long time." He rolled his neck to ease the stiffness, then looked at Zoria and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. I was just too sleepy. To make it up to you, how about I buy you a coffee?"
He was undeniably beautiful, but Zoria instinctively resisted him, unwilling to get any closer.
"No need." Zoria stood up, intending to walk around him and leave.
Unexpectedly, he reached out and grabbed her hand, smiling as he looked straight into her eyes. "Since we ended up sitting next to each other like this, why don’t we talk a little more?"
"No need. I have to go home…"
Under his unwavering stare, Zoria felt as though she were being stripped bare, seen through inside and out. She pressed her lips together, slipped past him, and quickened her steps toward the door. Only after she got outside did she realize that a heavy rain had started at some point without her noticing.
"In rain like this, you won’t be able to get home anyway."
The familiar voice sounded behind her. Zoria turned around, and sure enough, it was the same male from before.
"Let’s be friends. My name’s Lysander Valerius."
Zoria looked at the hand extended toward her, hesitating over whether to take it. Lysander was far too handsome, the kind of male who drew attention without trying, and Zoria hated being the center of anyone’s gaze.
She let out a soft sigh and finally reached out her hand. "I’m Zoria."
Lysander smiled with clear satisfaction, his eyes openly meeting hers without the slightest restraint. "Now that we know each other’s names, that makes us friends. And if we’re friends, then having a meal together and getting to know each other a bit sounds perfectly reasonable, doesn’t it?"