[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322E1C3D0-314":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},314,100,"Chapter 100: The Broken Mirror in Room 302","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After half a month of recovery, Cassidy finally looked like a human being again. Her complexion had improved, and the dark, bruised rings around her neck and the bloodshot patches in her eyes had mostly faded.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Romeo scrutinized her and gave an approving nod. \"You’re heading back this afternoon.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Got it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Don't go making a scene. Tread carefully!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy furrowed her brows, her expression etched with impatience. \"I know!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Romeo looked down at her with a look of utter disdain. \"Hah! Fine. Good luck, then.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">For the past two weeks, she had been confined to this single room. She was kept under constant watch; peering through the window, she could see nothing but an unremarkable industrial warehouse. Yet, Cassidy knew this place wasn't as simple as it looked.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Romeo squinted, suspiciously observing her as she stared off into space. \"What are you thinking about?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Maybe you should just move into my head!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Still got a mouth on you, you noisy mutt. Don't you forget who’s holding the other end of your leash!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Romeo let out a cold scoff and strode out of the room.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That afternoon, several hulking men blindfolded her with a black strip of cloth and hustled her out. They didn't remove the blindfold until they reached their destination.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"An airport?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Where else, princess?\" one of the men retorted, his tone dripping with annoyance.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I thought I was going back the same way I came.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The man rolled his eyes, utterly speechless. \"You’ve got a vivid imagination. You think you own air traffic control? You can’t just fly whenever you feel like it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy bit her tongue, silenced.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Enough, quit stalling. Take the documents we prepared for you. Everything’s already been cleared, so don't go getting nervous.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Just like that, Cassidy escaped her nightmare.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When her plane landed, it was already dusk. She stood in the airport, staring at the bustling crowds, feeling completely lost. Kyoto was vast, yet there was no place left for her to stand. She had no luggage, only herself, drifting aimlessly.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The autumn wind chilled her to the bone. The seasons turned, everything felt the same, yet everything had changed. The once-celebrated second daughter of the Montgomery family was now nothing more than a pathetic street rat.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She found a shop she would have once turned her nose up at and bought two sets of casual clothes.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"How much?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Four hundred and eighty dollars.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy clutched the travel money the prison had given her—exactly five hundred dollars.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Hah. How benevolent.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She handed the crumpled bills to the clerk. With the remaining twenty, she bought a baseball cap. It was the first time she’d ever bargained for anything.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She pulled the cap low. Now, she was just another face in the crowd, someone no one would glance at twice. Cassidy caught her reflection in a window; her eyes burned with nothing but cold, jagged hatred.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Other matters could wait. The only thing she desperately craved right now was to see her son.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It was rush hour. She hailed several taxis, but they were all taken. A bitter, acidic sensation rose in her chest, and she tilted her head back to keep the tears from falling.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Miss, are you alright?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A woman’s voice drifted over, thick with genuine concern.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy forced a tight smile. \"I'm fine. Just... homesick.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Oh, dear. It’s never easy for young people out here trying to make a living. Don't cry, honey.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It had been a throwaway lie, but the woman’s voice reminded her so much of her mother that she truly did feel homesick. She’d almost forgotten: the Montgomery estate was no longer her home.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Without a ride, she was stranded. With no other choice, she checked into a cheap motel. She stared at the forged identity papers in her hand; the girl in the photo actually bore a slight resemblance to her. A terrifying idea flickered in her mind.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That night, she had fragmented, beautiful dreams—sweet enough that even the broken pieces gave her a surge of morbid hope.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. She curled her lips into a determined smirk. \"Cassidy, push harder. Everything will go exactly the way you want it to.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her monologue ended in a chilling, guttural cackle.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Two days later, she realized just how pathetic her plans were. Evangeline Montgomery was now a cloud floating in the stratosphere—impossible to touch, let alone target.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Dejected, she returned to lurk near the Harrison residence, hoping to catch a glimpse of her son. A security guard noticed her and stomped over, impatient. \"What are you doing here again?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm not going in. I’m just waiting out here.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The guard rolled his eyes with utter contempt. \"Trying to land a wealthy husband? Take a look at yourself—you’re so scrawny I wouldn’t even look at you, let alone the high-society types who live here.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You boot-licking guard dog!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As the insult left her lips, the guard’s sneer froze. He grabbed her by the arm and tossed her straight into a nearby hedge.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Get lost! You aren't allowed here!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy groaned as she hauled herself up, ignoring the pain. Her eyes locked onto the familiar face inside a car that had just whizzed past.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Jonah! Jonah!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She scrambled into her car, slammed her foot on the gas, and kept her eyes glued to the sedan’s path.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">For the past two weeks, Jonah had been dropping off and picking up his son, Owen, with clockwork precision. The pair’s interactions seemed unchanged on the surface, but something was subtly thawing between them.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Goodbye, Dad.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Goodbye.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Jonah reached out, his hand hesitating in mid-air. Just as he started to pull back in embarrassment, Owen leaned in and nuzzled his palm against Jonah's hand.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Watching his son dash away, Jonah felt a cocktail of complex emotions. A grown man, and yet he was less composed than a child.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Hidden in the shadows, Cassidy watched the boy run out of the car, tears of excitement streaming down her face. \"My child... my baby...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">This was a prestigious private school. Dressed as she was, and behaving so suspiciously, she was far too conspicuous. A plump woman grabbed her by the collar from behind.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Whose maid are you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Seeing her stutter, the woman frowned even deeper. The children here came from some of the most prominent families in Kyoto. There had been kidnapping and extortion attempts before. Cassidy’s current appearance was truly suspicious.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Can't say? Then I’m calling the police!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Panic flared in Cassidy’s chest. Her identity was fake; if the police got involved, she’d be exposed instantly. Summoning strength from nowhere, she wrenched herself free and bolted.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Stop! Catch that kidnapper!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The commotion drew everyone’s attention—including Jonah’s. Though her style and aura had changed, he recognized her instantly.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Ahead, a man swung a foot out, tripping her. Cassidy flew forward, skidding two meters across the pavement. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself up, refusing to look back. Her eyes burned with stubborn tears. *Jonah... he’s right behind me. He can’t see me like this!*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She scrambled to find her hat, which had fallen off. The crowd, previously shouting about \"kidnappers,\" went silent as they caught sight of her frail, pale face. A kind bystander picked up the hat and handed it to her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Here.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy snatched it back, jammed it onto her head, and bit back a groan of pain as she hurried away. Jonah sat in his car, watching the scene with cold, detached eyes, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Back at the motel, Cassidy stared at her reflection. Her pants were ripped, and her palms, which had just healed, were freshly torn. The thought that Jonah might have seen her in such a humiliating state drove her to the brink of insanity.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Agh!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Everything on the bathroom counter crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. She gripped the mirror with both hands, staring at her own hysterical face.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do all alone?!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She had overestimated herself. A woman at the end of her rope, dreaming of dragging others into the abyss with her—it was a sick joke.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She grabbed the vibrating phone, her voice dripping with venom. \"What?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"In a bad mood?\" the man on the other end teased.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I can't even get near them.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Hah. Five years in the slammer and it’s clearly rotted your brain. I expected better of you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Beep. Beep. Beep.* The line went dead.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Hello? Hello?! Agh!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy hurled the phone at the mirror. The glass shattered instantly. Every jagged fragment reflected a piece of her distorted, venomous face.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was like a vermin that couldn't handle the light, fated to rot in the gutter. Her capabilities couldn't sustain her monumental hatred. Like a dam breaking under the weight of ants, she slumped down and let out a broken, wailing sob.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">To Romeo, she was nothing but a stink bomb used to annoy the enemy—useful only for being a nuisance. No one was going to help her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Living like this was worse than death.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She stared at the shards of glass on the floor, mesmerized. With a cold, detached motion, she picked one up.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Will it stop hurting if I die?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As she whispered the words, she drove the sharp glass into her skin. The sudden, piercing pain sent a jolt of perverse excitement through her. The sight of blood welling up felt intoxicating.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*CRASH.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The door was kicked open, followed by a piercing scream.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Get an ambulance! Now!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Before Cassidy slipped into darkness, the last thing she heard was the motel owner’s furious, screeching voice.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When she finally woke up, she was in a hospital bed. She curled her lips into a self-deprecating sneer.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Am I so unforgivably wretched that even death is off the table?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Death? If you want to die, you damn well better do it somewhere else! If you died in my motel, how am I supposed to run my business? You’re ruining me! Do you hear me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The furious roar made her head throb. Just as she went to reach for her forehead, a sharp, icy voice cut the owner off.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Listen, lady, can you keep it down? You’re giving me a migraine.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The owner, who had been red-faced and screaming just a moment ago, suddenly looked as if she might cry. \"You’re so young... what could possibly be so bad that you’d want to throw your life away? It’s terrifying!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Cassidy caught a flicker of genuine pity buried beneath the anger. She gave a bitter, hollow laugh. \"I’ll pay for the damages to the room. Don't worry.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It’s not about the money! Your phone is busted—do you need me to call your family?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...I don't have any family.\"\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272915662]