Chapter 42 Malice and Treasure
Evelyn's POV
When I walked into the bathroom, sure enough, the bathtub was already filled with warm water. This time, jasmine flowers floated on the surface, and a light fragrance filled the air, helping my nerves relax a bit.
I happily got into the tub. The warm water wrapped around my entire body, washing away the exhaustion and tension from the whole evening at the ball, along with the sweat and makeup. My calves finally felt much better in the warm water.
I closed my eyes, letting my body soak in the water, but my mind kept replaying every moment from tonight—Kane's gentleness, how in sync we were while dancing, how cooperative Kane was during the photos. The more I thought about it, the warmer my chest felt, as if those memories were still swirling around me like the steam rising from the bath.
After finishing up, I walked out of the bathroom while drying my hair, and looked at the priceless fire opal jewelry set on the table, still shining with a captivating glow under the lights.
It was Kane's. I was supposed to return it to him tonight, but...
I cleaned each piece with a soft cloth and closed the box.
"I still need to return these to Kane tomorrow."
I muttered quietly, my fingers tracing the patterns on the outside of the box.
Only after all this did I finally climb into bed, wrapping myself in the soft blankets. Moonlight streamed in through the window, mixing with the starlight patterns on the wall, creating a dreamy atmosphere.
Maybe it was because I'd just confirmed a relationship with someone I liked, but the room seemed filled with pink bubbles and a touch of sweetness.
The room's lights automatically dimmed to a warm tone suitable for sleeping.
But I was too excited to sleep. I took out my phone and opened the photo album, wanting to look at the pictures Kane and I took.
I'd only glanced at them before without really looking closely. Seeing them again, I still loved them. In the photos, I was smiling with my eyes curved into crescents. Though Kane's expression was somewhat cold, his eyes were very gentle, and you could see his lips slightly turned up at the corners.
"They turned out so well."
I couldn't help but poke at the two people on the screen with my finger, unable to suppress the smile on my face. People in love really do find everything sweet.
My heart felt like it had been filled with honey—that happiness was so intense it made me a bit dizzy.
I exited the album, and when I returned to my phone's home screen, I saw the Nebula Chat icon. I clicked on it to see what everyone had posted tonight.
As expected, being the school's most popular forum, the plaza was buzzing with lively discussions and reflections about the ball.
[Tonight's ball was so beautiful! Even though I didn't find a partner, I ate so much good food! Thanks to the academy!]
[The mystery box game was so hard! My partner and I studied it forever and couldn't open it. We ended up just staring at the box—so embarrassing! But our gift was a bunch of candy, which was pretty tasty!]
[Showing off our gift—a never-wilting magic rose. I feel like it still has a faint fragrance.]
Looking at these posts full of everyday life, with complaints and joy mixed together, my mood lifted.
This kind of ordinary happiness was so precious.
I kept scrolling, my finger sliding across the screen unconsciously. Suddenly, my finger stopped.
A photo appeared on the screen, and the familiar composition and background made me instantly hold my breath.
Again... Kane and me.
After all, the last time I came across us here wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.
The photo was taken in the dance area, from a somewhat distant angle, but you could still clearly see us very close together, dancing gracefully to the music. Moonlight fell on us, as if coating us with a silver edge, outlining our closely pressed silhouettes.
I was wearing a white gown with a flowing skirt, and Kane was in a dark purple suit, tall and straight. We were spinning among the crowd, becoming the only clear focus against the blurred background.
The image was so beautiful it was almost like a painting, full of dreamlike and romantic atmosphere.
Whoa... which master photographer was behind this? This is gorgeous! They caught the one moment that means everything to me.
Just as I was enjoying it and about to like the post, my eyes fell on the caption.
My previously upturned lips dropped the instant I saw the text. These words were really hard to take.
[Is this the girl companion that Phoenix Clan freak bought? She's dressed pretty beautifully, but she's born poor, it's really hard to look at.]
[I heard she's following that freak around just to get something, really willing to do anything for money, so disgusting.]
[See that jewelry set she's wearing? How would she have that? Who knows what dirty methods she used to get it!]
Looking at these messy comments, it was hard not to be affected. Each word was like a poisoned knife stabbing viciously into my heart.
I hated them insulting Kane. My hand holding the phone started trembling. Kane, who had always protected me and been so gentle with me, wasn't like that at all.
These comments all made me feel terrible. I exited the post, not wanting to look anymore, only to find another photo someone had posted of us in the woods, sitting on the tablecloth opening the box.
That moment, which should have been worth celebrating, was maliciously interpreted.
[These two actually used the school's tablecloth as a mat, who knows what shameless things they were doing.]
[That girl doesn't deserve such expensive gifts at all.]
Looking at these harsh words, my heart twisted painfully. That feeling of being misunderstood and slandered was really hard to bear.
I didn't understand why everyone viewed Kane and me with such malicious eyes. Why, in these people's eyes, were we so contemptible that even normal interaction could make them say such awful things?
Apart from being a bit quiet, Kane had never done anything against them.
Why would they speculate about Kane so maliciously?
I immediately turned off my phone, not wanting to look anymore, trying to shut out those malicious voices. But I found that the more I did this, the easier it was to overthink.
So I picked up my phone again and saved the photo I liked—the one of Kane and me dancing.
I long-pressed the screen and selected "Save Image." No matter what you all say, Kane and I will stay together.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, and set the photo as my phone wallpaper. Looking at Kane's affectionate gaze on the screen, the gloom in my heart slowly dispersed, replaced by a firm strength.
"Kane, I'll protect you from now on."
This time, I completely turned off my phone and closed my eyes—I didn't want to think about anything anymore, I just wanted to get a good night's sleep.
Those vicious words: "Let them stay in the darkness. Tomorrow, the sun would still rise, and its light would dispel the darkness."