Chapter 8

A few days later, Leticia opened the door and went to the courtyard in order to get some fresh air. It seemed that Tristan had already left the mansion. As for the housekeeping staff, they had already left right after cleaning up the whole place. The entire mansion was extremely silent for the time being. Leticia gazed at the courtyard, where the white lilies were in full bloom. For the first time ever, she was appalled by the lilies' fragrance. Tristan had personally planted those flowers for her. In fact, he had gathered the best lily seeds from various spots in the world. Leticia remembered weaving the ropes of the garden swing that was installed near the courtyard wall with Tristan. He told her that he'd push her and their future child on the swing once they had a child together. The tips of the fence were meticulously polished by the builders in the past. This change stemmed from the time Leticia had accidentally wounded herself on the fence after venturing out into the courtyard in the middle of the night. Back then, Tristan had promised her that he would never let her get hurt anymore. Tristan was willing to do anything for her just to make her happy. So, which part of him was genuine? Which side of him was a façade? It was true that Tristan loved, cared for, and pampered her greatly. But at the same time, the fact that he had betrayed her stood true. Leticia no longer wished to look at the white lilies anymore. Hence, she turned on her heel and began making her way back to the mansion. At that moment, a pair of headlights shone through the gaps of the trees. The car stopped about 150 feet away from the front entrance. Soon, Tristan and Chelsea got out of the car together. Tristan could be seen walking around as normal. His legs were as healthy and strong as a regular human being's. Poor Leticia was dumbstruck by the sight. Since when had Tristan's legs recovered? Why didn't she know about such big news? She remained rooted to the spot, watching as Chelsea approached Tristan and wrapped her arms around his neck intimately. "Come on, Tristan. Stay with me for a little longer, hmm?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Haven't I stayed long enough with you?" Chelsea lowered her head shyly. Then, she nuzzled against Tristan's chin as though she was a kitten. "You know the answer, yet you're still asking me that question. Tristan, since Leticia doesn't leave the room at all, why don't I spend the night with you in your home?" Tristan's expression changed instantly the moment Leticia was mentioned. He removed Chelsea's arm from his body immediately. Even his tone became colder. "Don't you dare involve Letty in this. I'm warning you—stay the hell away from Letty from now on. You should know the consequences very well should you inform Letty of the things that have happened between us." Chelsea stuck out her tongue playfully. "Yes, yes. Don't be mad, alright? It was just a harmless suggestion." Leticia backed away from the courtyard slowly. Finally, she turned tail and fled back to her room. She could only cover her mouth while doing her best to not break down in sobs. Why? Why must Tristan do this to her? Just how many secrets did he keep from her? Leticia couldn't understand what Tristan wanted from her. Did he hide the fact that his legs had already fully recovered just so he could make her stay with him? Was it because he wanted her to devote her heart to him and swear to never leave his side? The only reason why Leticia chose to stay was due to Tristan's sincerity. Little did she know that his "sincerity" was nothing but false feelings as well. As the incidents piled up, the magnitude of their destruction was enough to reduce Leticia's mental fortitude into nothing but rubble. She was officially broken from the inside out. Leticia regretted her decision immensely. She regretted falling in love with Tristan. Moreover, she regretted staying in this world just for his sake. Her heart throbbed in immense pain. Leticia could only clutch her chest feebly, feeling as though she was about to drown in the abyss of despair. Just as she was about to collapse, she suddenly remembered the satchel that the system had left for her prior to its disappearance. The system had told her that she could open the satchel if she were to regret making this particular decision in the future. Leticia rushed toward the cabinet in the room like a lunatic. Almost immediately, she dumped out everything in the cabinet. Finally, she located the very thing the system had left for her in the last drawer. After tearing it open, all she saw was a short message. "Never put your sincerity on the line when it comes to a man. You will never win. Leticia, if you regret making this choice and still wish to return to your original world, there's only one way left for you to take."