"Of course I know who you are." Stefan's gaze was cold, his tone vague. "I thought you were dead." Previously, Seraphina had threatened Renee with a video of Renee accidentally pushing Briar off a cliff. Thanks to that, Renee and Stefan had lost so much time with each other. Stefan had thought that Briar was dead given the surging waves below the cliff, but he was ultimately relieved to see her.Briar cried under the mask. She looked at Stefan and asked, "How did you feel when you saw that I'm alive?""I was thankful." Stefan didn't hesitate. "I'm thankful that you're alive and that I can still talk to you." "Do you mean it?" Briar was surprised. "I thought you hated me and wanted me dead." "Yes, I do hate you. Ren and I wouldn't have wasted so many years if not for you, but... I'm thankful that you're still alive. It means that Ren doesn't have to carry all that guilt. She doesn't have to turn herself in," Stefan said honestly.Briar staggered back, feeling like she had just be
"So, you're not that stupid after all—you know that my brother was the best man you've ever met. Unfortunately, you were never sincere towards him. You're unworthy of his love!" Stefan snarled, his fingers digging into Briar's neck. He took a deep breath, trying his best to hold himself back. If his deceased brother knew that his beloved woman turned out to be such a wicked and hypocritical witch, he might not rest in peace. "I admit that I've wronged your brother, but who do we blame? You, of course!" Briar didn't flinch even though Stefan almost broke her neck. She held his arms, tears in her eyes from the pain as she stared at him. "If it weren't for you, your brother wouldn't have died. I would still be with him, and I might have even fallen in love with him as time went by. What right do you have to criticize me?"Stefan's heart skipped a beat. That was Stefan's sore point, and something he had hidden from others. Yes, Briar was not a nice person—she had never loved Tristan and
Stefan's grip on Briar's neck tightened. Time was life; the more they delayed the more at risk Renee was. Stefan had to get the answer now."Yes, I did," Briar said instantly."Do you have a death wish? How can you be so wicked?" Stefan growled, unable to control his anger. He didn't expect Briar to be so cruel; she clearly felt no guilt or remorse even though she had harmed another person. Stefan was in disbelief. "Am I wicked?" Briar sneered. "I just let her have a taste of her own medicine. She put me in a living hell, so I did the same to her. What have I done wrong?""I watched that video. She didn't push you down the cliff on purpose, she was just trying to protect herself. It was you who tried to kill her!" "I'm not talking about her pushing me down the cliff..." Briar watched Stefan calmly, then said nonchalantly, "She put me in a living hell by snatching you away. You and I were a couple, and everything was going smoothly. Even though it was fake, I believed that we wo
Stefan sneered, feeling like Briar was crazy and without any self-awareness. "The most pathetic thing someone can do is overestimate themselves. I know what kind of woman I want, and she's already mine. Even if Renee never existed, I would never be with you. Not in this life, my next life, or any other life!" Since young, Stefan had always attracted women because of his good looks and personality, so he was good at turning women down, but this was the first time he had done it so cruelly. Briar had no morals, so he felt he didn't need to be polite to her."Stefan, aren't you afraid your claim will get shot down in flames?" Briar grinned at him as if she expected such an answer from him. She had always known that Stefan felt nothing for her, that his heart was locked without a key. She could never make him open up to her no matter how hard she tried, and it had nothing to do with Renee. Stefan was right—it was impossible between Stefan and Briar even if Renee was not around.But love
"Cut the crap, Briar!" Stefan clenched his fists tightly, his eyes bloodshot. "Do you think I can't do anything about you? The medical field is very advanced now, and I have ways to cure her even if I don't know what you poisoned her with. And you... have lost your only chance to run away."Briar didn't even blink as he threatened her, and became even more arrogant. "Really? Do it then! You can do what Renee did and push me down the cliff. After all, my life doesn't matter, so it's worth it if I die in your hands. But… I just feel bad for Renee. She has to suffer so much, and she'll lose her only chance of survival because of your ridiculous chauvinism.""How dare you!" Infuriated, Stefan raised his fist, but he didn't punch her. He hissed out a breath and snapped, "So, what is it you want?" At the moment, he couldn't be irrational—Briar could determine Renee's life or death. Briar had probably planned all this, so there was no way she would let Stefan get what he wanted without some
"Let's not hurry. It's a long night, and there's so much we can do..." Despite Stefan's anger, Briar was calm."Forget it if you don't want to say it. I don't have time to waste on you." Stefan glared at Briar coldly and turned to leave. He wasn't intending to leave, he just wanted to make Briar think he was."Wait!" Briar became anxious as expected, and stopped him immediately. "Shouldn't you give me something in exchange for the information?"Speechless, Stefan turned back to Briar."I know that we can't be a couple. I don't care about forever as long as I have it once... You have to stay with me from now until tomorrow morning. If you make me happy, I'll give you the components of the poison," Briar said finally. She hadn't been teasing Stefan earlier—she really did want his body. "Enough is enough, Briar!" Stefan's disgust for her grew. He thought that Briar was merely joking, and didn't know a woman could be this shameless. "That's the only thing I want. Stay if you're wi
After that, Briar boldly stood on tiptoe and hooked her arms around Stefan's neck. Stefan remained silent and didn't push Briar away. His thoughts were unknown.-Renee woke up from heart-wrenching pain the next day."Stefan, Stefan..." She subconsciously shouted Stefan's name. Her pain had subsided a little ever since Stefan had found out about it, and she even considered him her painkiller, but something felt off today. Stefan always appeared whenever she called for him, but she had heard nothing from him since yesterday. She had no idea where he was. "What do you need help with, Ms. Ren?" Margaret rushed into the room when she heard Renee crying out pitifully. She felt very sorry for Renee. "Margaret, it hurts. It hurts so much..." Renee stopped acting strong when she heard Margaret's voice, and burst into tears. Margaret was the nanny who had raised Renee, and often acted like Renee's mother. People needed their mothers the most when they were in pain. "I'm here, Ms. Ren
"What should we do?" Margaret anxiously watched Renee writhe and moan in pain. At her wits' end, she put her palms together and looked up, sobbing. "Sir, Madam, please bless Ms. Ren if you feel sorry for her. Please let Mr. Hunt come back right away!"And suddenly, just like a miracle, the door to Renee's bedroom swung open, and in walked Stefan."Thank God you're home, Mr. Hunt! Ms. Ren really needs you right now!" Margaret said in relief, wiping her tears away. Renee's parents probably couldn't stand to see their daughter suffer such pain, so they sent Stefan home."I'm sorry I'm late. I'm sorry!" Stefan looked exhausted. His perfect appearance was gone—his chin was full of stubble and his puffy eyes had dark circles underneath them. He looked like he had lost his soul. "I'm here. It'll stop hurting soon..." Stefan rushed to Renee's bed and held her hand tightly like he never wanted to let it go."You're annoying. Where did you go?" When Stefan's hand touched hers, her anger surp