Chapter 1881


    Though they had seen much of life''s harsh realities, the children at the local orphanage couldn''t


    fathom the depths of darkness that might dwell in the heart of a seven-year-old girl who had just lost


    her parents.


    Serana kept to herself, a solitary figure in the corner, quiet and well-behaved in ss, and equally


    so during recess, watching the others y with an expressionless demeanor, like a still pond devoid


    of life.


    Perhaps they sensed a kindred spirit in her, or maybe it was pity, or a thick ther of curiosity, but


    from that point on, Boyd had someone else woven into the tapestry of his childhood.


    From then until now, Serana had be a thread running through the narrative of his life.


    In their daily interactions, Serana was the picture of innocence, speaking in gentle whispers, looking


    at people with sincerity and care. Even as the years passed and she grew, she never changed –


    tender and fragile, yet brave and stubborn.


    Outwardly, she seemed as delicate as a ss figurine, always needing protection, yet she fiercely


    tried to prove her strength, insisting she didn''t need anyone''s care and could even protect others.d2


    Such a girl was irresistibly endearing – tender and attentive, pure and kind, brave, stubborn, and


    resilient.


    Like her long, dark hair, the number of people drawn to her grew day by day. And it was true what


    they said – girls should have long hair.


    Yasmine was beautiful but frosty by nature. Others kept their distance. From start to finish, Boyd


    was her only constant, and she never felt lonely. At least, not until she suddenly realized what


    loneliness was and found that certain things had be inevitable.


    Boyd''s time was no longer solely dedicated to her as he began to learn deeper subjects beyond the


    basic curriculum.


    Companion? She had never considered Boyd''s presence aspanionship before.


    But when did it start? It wasn''t when Boyd''s time began to scatter, leaving more for Serana.


    Was it from the moments they shared meals together, or those asional breaks when they sat


    beside the flower beds?


    Or when they nted a lily bulb together, one digging a hole, the other tenderly cing the bulb


    inside?


    She never felt it then.


    But somehow, Serana began to irk her. And in their routine, she''d find herself unintentionally


    showing indifference or even hostility towards Serana.


    The other kids at Angel''s Haven Orphanage noticed too, whispering behind their backs, but she


    never bothered to refute them.


    Because she knew it was true.


    When did it start, exactly?


    Perhaps it was when the lilies in the garden bloomed exceptionally beautiful, and the two


    silhouettes sitting together appeared so harmonious.


    And then, a few dayster, she found the desecrated lilies, and realized something had changed.


    The garden''s vibrant lilies had been a captivating sight at Angel''s Haven Orphanage. Now, they


    were mostly dead, their petals scattered, leaves shredded, and stems snapped. Such an act was a


    significant event in the otherwise tranquil orphanage, and the investigation began.


    "It was Yasmine. Just days after nting, I saw her by the garden, holding a trowel and looking


    pensive," said one.


    "I saw her too, uprooting the seedlings with that trowel," added another.


    "Recently, her gaze towards the garden was frightening, like... like when she looks at Serana," a


    third chimed in.


    "She doesn''t like Serana. We all know that. The lilies were nted by Serana, so it must''ve been


    her," concluded another.


    The usations piled up, but Yasmine just smiled.


    She had merely added extra seeds after Serana nted, knowing the germination rate was low.


    And when the seedlings grew too dense, she thinned them out so the others could flourish.


    They didn''t understand these simple gardening concepts and med her out of ignorance, which


    she found both frustrating andughable.


    Serana said nothing, just knelt by the ruined garden, picking up petals with tears streaming down


    her face. Her tears drew even more displeasure at Yasmine, but the children''s naive and ignorant


    gazes didn''t warrant her concern.


    "I don’t have any particr feelings about Serana. There''s no motive. It wasn''t me," she stated


    inly.


    The head of the orphanage didn''t jump to conclusions based on the children''s words, agreeing with


    Yasmine''s simple statement. After all, the lilies thrived mainly because of Yasmine''s care.


    The matter was dropped for the time being, and the investigation continued quietly, possibly leading


    to a private reprimand for the culprit.


    Boyd, who hadn''t visited the scene of the "crime," seemed indifferent to the whole ordeal.


    The following afternoon, during a rare appearance in craft ss, he paired up with Yasmine, who


    had been working alone at a long table, as Serana was already working with someone else.


    Yasmine, ying with colorful paper, greeted him casually. "Rare sight," she remarked.


    Boyd set down the heavy finance books he''d been carrying – a surprising choice for someone his


    age that she''d grown ustomed to.


    Without a word, he shook the books, and out fluttered colorful petals. One book after another, until


    Yasmine saw the table covered in the petals of lilies, pressed t and still vibrant.


    Her heart felt inexplicably heavy.


    She looked up at him, his eyes serene but his lips curved in a casual smile. "I recall Serana was the


    one who gathered up all those flower petals."


    Boyd regarded her with a detached gaze, standing by the table, not much taller than the piece of


    furniture itself. However, those eyes seemed to hold a universe of secrets, now veiled with a frosty


    film.


    "You don''t seem to care much about them," he observed.


    Yasmine nced at the petals and let out a light chuckle. "And what, pray tell, should I feel about


    them?"


    He stared at her for a long moment. "Indeed, Serana picked them up. She cried over them for an


    entire day."


    She paused, tearing off excess edges from the colored paper in her hands. "So, you think I should


    have a good cry over them too?"


    "You look rather happy as it is."


    Yasmine was all too ustomed to Boyd''s way of conversation. Always skirting full disclosure, they


    nevertheless understood each other''s unspoken words with ease.


    Her heart continued to sink, a suffocating weight. "Don''t I have the right to be happy?"


    She hesitated for a second before continuing, "Do you think I had something to do with this mess?"


    Boyd ran his finger over the petals. "Didn''t you say you had no motive?"


    Suddenly, Yasmine froze, her heartced with an inexplicable guilt.


    Motive. Perhaps there was one, shadowy and blurred. She had no particr fondness for Serana,


    and those lilies had indeed been an eyesore.


    The reason was rooted deep within her, yet she took a deep breath and brushed past the issue.


    "Yeah, I have no motive. What makes you suspect me?"


    Boyd sneered. "Since when does disliking someone need a reason?"


    Yasmineughed in spite of herself, but his words rang true. Dislike was reason enough.


    "Why would I have a problem with her?"


    Boyd watched her for a while before responding. "You''re asking me?"


    Yasmine pursed her lips. "Even so, it''s just a matter of probability. There are plenty who don''t like


    her. Why are you so convinced I''m the culprit?"


    Boyd took a piece of green paper and began gluing petals onto it, clearly reconstructing the lilies.


    Yasmine watched coldly.


    After a while, he muttered, "Yasmine, in the entire orphanage, you are the most cunning and


    unpredictable one."


    That craft ss, Yasmine hadn''t managed to create anything, her desk littered with scraps.


    Boyd patiently pieced together the petals into a vibrant bouquet of lilies, carefully wrapped in


    colored paper, which he then handed to Serana.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    "Put them in an airtight jar, and they''llst as long as you want." His tone was still cool, but


    tempered with an unusual gentleness.


    Serana''s eyes sparkled with joy and gratitude. "So beautiful, thank you."


    Boyd nodded, with a hint of a smile on his lips.


    Too young to understand, Yasmine didn''t know why her heart ached. She thought it was just unfair.


    Boyd didn''t trust her. She was too scheming for anyone''sfort.


    Hmph.


    Innately aloof.


    If that was how he saw her, then she had no need to entangle herself with him any further. She


    didn''t need a friend who was so blind and heartless.


    She returned to her solitude. She had been alone before. Only now, she understood what loneliness


    felt like.


    It was during this time that Ava appeared. When loneliness was slowly consuming her, Ava''s arrival


    was, she admitted, desperately weed.


    At least there was someone to alleviate her solitude and distract her from the pity she felt for


    herself.


    She wasn''t so pitiful that she needed to prove herself to those who didn''t trust her. Why should she?


    Those who doubted her weren''t worth proving anything to.


    She had been indifferent to Serana before, but now, her disdain for Serana was unmistakable.


    Everyone said she hated Serana, and indeed she did. If not, it would be an injustice to the animosity


    they had fostered.


    Moreover, Serana had truly turned her life upside down.


    Yasmine had followed the school curriculum at her own pace, and when bored, she would delve into


    books with Boyd, often beyond their curriculum or age.


    Initially, it was just because he liked them, and she had nothing better to do. Subtly, she didn''t want


    to fall too far behind him, to losemon ground and drift apart. Later, she continued reading those


    books, perhaps out of boredom or perhaps out of habit, but eventually, she realized that shared


    interests andmon topics weren''t enough to maintain a rtionship.


    She had only aimed to keep up with Boyd, not to be left in the dust. Now, she thought, maybe


    people needed toplement each other.


    Maybe Boyd didn''t need someone to match his every step, someone who always had something to


    talk about. Maybe when he was tired, he needed someone else''s interests and passions to ease his


    weariness.


    No one enjoyed a monotonous life. Nor should they settle for such a dull existence.


    Serana was gentle and sweet, interested in things any girl would like, things Boyd would never


    touch on his own.


    For him, it was a whole new world to explore, discover, and findmon ground with Serana. From


    his expressions, it was clear he relished the experience.


    Yasmine felt even more ridiculous. Wasn''t Boyd now just like she had been once?


    Those two had a world where even one extra person was too much.


    Yasmine''s distance from everyone else grew. Yet some people, perhaps driven by an innate desire


    to conquer, refused to give up.


    About half a monthter at lunch, Boyd approached with his tray and sat down beside her. Yasmine


    gave him a cold nce and continued to eat her food.


    Nearly ten years old and since he''d known her, she''d always carried herself with an indescribable


    grace. Many called her pretentious, but she never cared.


    She had always been this way, independent and proud. What she believed to be right, was right,


    regardless of others'' opinions.


    "Are you avoiding me?" Boyd tossed a forkful of sd into his mouth with an air of nonchnce.


    Yasmine didn''t even look up. "Why on earth would I be avoiding you?"


    "What about these past couple of weeks, then?"


    Chewing leisurely, Yasmine lifted her gaze, her eyes curving into crescents of mirth. "So, what, I''m


    supposed to orbit around you like you''re the center of the universe?"