The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 140: [Volume 1] - - Soul gate.
Esme slammed her hand onto the table, the sharp crack of contact reverberating through the air like a thunderclap. The sound was jarring, and for a moment, everything around her fell silent. She couldn’t believe the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her—anger, shame, and an overwhelming sense of betrayal. How could she have been so wrong?
The realization hit her like a cold wave crashing against the shore, relentless and unyielding. She pressed her palm against the cool surface, willing herself to absorb the shock of her own actions. The Aron brothers—had she really used them as mere instruments to alleviate her guilt? The thought churned in her stomach, making her feel nauseous. They were not pawns in a game; they were real, complex people, with hopes and feelings of their own.
She had convinced herself that she was seeking justice, a path to redemption, but deep down, she knew that had been a lie. The cold, hard truth was that she had sought solace in their presence, hoping they would fill the emptiness left by Cain. Instead of facing her pain and unraveling the complexities of her past, she had buried herself in distractions, clinging to the brothers as a way to escape the guilt that gnawed at her insides.
"What have I done?" she thought, the question echoing in her mind. Each time she had laughed or shared a moment with them, she had masked her inner turmoil with a façade of happiness. It felt easier to lean on them, to use their strength and camaraderie as a shield against her demons, rather than confronting the deep-seated issues that haunted her.
Esme felt a wave of shame wash over her as she recalled the moments she had stolen from them. The late-night conversations that had turned into meaningless banter, the moments of intimacy she had shared without being fully present. She had allowed herself to bask in the warmth of their company while hiding the storm of unresolved feelings within.
The thought that she had manipulated Cain memories and the Aron brothers as a means to escape her own reality was suffocating. It felt like a heavy weight pressing down on her chest, constricting her breath and making her heart race with guilt.
How could she have made a mockery of Cain’s love like this? She had danced around her feelings, using their affection as a crutch to support her own fragile state of mind, and now, that realization churned within her like a violent storm.
Esme clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as the truth of her actions clawed at her conscience. She had laughed, played, and shared moments with them, but beneath the surface, her heart had been wrapped in shadows.
She was using them, all of them—Cain, the Aron brothers, anyone who dared to care for her. The realization struck her with the force of a tidal wave, overwhelming and relentless.
Why? The question echoed in her mind like a haunting refrain. What had driven her to treat their love as a mere distraction? The pain of loss was so deep that she had built walls around her heart, pushing away the very people who sought to draw her back into the light.
The thought of manipulating their feelings left her feeling sick. They had offered her warmth, companionship, and understanding, yet she had turned it into a game of avoidance.
Esme recalled the laughter shared over meals, the late-night talks where secrets were whispered in the dark, and the moments where she had felt a fleeting sense of joy. Those moments should have been genuine, but instead, they were marred by her self-deception.
She had played the part of a carefree girl, desperately trying to forget the ghosts of her past, but all she had done was trap herself in a cycle of pain and denial.
"What kind of person am I?" The question felt like a dagger, sharp and piercing. Each time she had sought solace in Cain’s memories or found comfort in the brothers’ laughter, she had unwittingly trivialized the depth of their emotions.
They were not just characters in her story; they were real people with hearts that beat for her. And yet, she had twisted that love into a means of self-preservation, a shield to protect her from confronting her grief and regret.
As the weight of her actions settled heavily on her shoulders, Esme felt a fierce wave of determination rising within her. She could no longer afford to hide behind the façade of innocence. It was time to confront the chaos she had created.
The thought of facing Cain after her death twisted like a knife in Esme’s gut. What would she say to him? The very idea of standing before him, even in the realm of her imagination, made her heart race with dread.
"You were right," she would whisper, her voice trembling. "I am just like the others—just like your mother. I used you, twisted your love into something selfish, and then discarded you."
The reality of her actions gnawed at her insides, suffocating and relentless. Would she confess that she manipulated his memories, reshaping their moments together to fit her own narrative? The pain of that admission felt unbearable.
"I took everything from you, and for what?"
Esme envisioned the garden, awash in golden light as the sun dipped toward the horizon, where everything had begun and ended. The flowers around her swayed gently, as if echoing the memories of the love they once shared.
"You were supposed to be different," she imagined Cain saying, his deep red eyes filled with hurt, disappointment, and perhaps even betrayal.
"How could you, Esme?" Each accusation pierced her heart, leaving her feeling hollow. She could almost hear him say, "You promised me a love free from lies."
In her mind, the vibrant colors of the flowers and the lush greenery blurred into a haze of emotions.
And so, the idea of meeting Cain again became both a terrifying prospect and a distant longing.
