Chapter 45
Asher said, “I had something going on last night, so I didn’t go home.”
Elara nodded. “Oh, really?”
Her nonchalant response made Asher realize that she didn’t care at all about his whereabouts. ‘She doesn’t even care if I came back or not?‘ he thought.
Elara continued, “There was so much happening last night. I just crashed as soon as I was done. Sorry about that. Did you wrap up everything?”
“Yeah.” Asher nodded and felt a bit foolish. Elara didn’t even elaborate further.
On the day of the exam results, Elara and Asher returned home together, and Lysander showed up. As Asher got out of the car, he saw Elara walk up to Lysander, speaking to him gently.
At that moment, Asher suddenly felt like they made a good pair. Especially now, Elara no longer trailed behind him and seemed like a different person, almost radiant. And her grades had noticeably improved.
Every time Elara claimed she was just acting with Lysander, Asher couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. ‘Even if it’s just acting, could it be too convincing?‘ Asher wondered.
Elara and Lysander entered the house, and Ursa said, “Ms. Kensington, your luggage is all here.”
Two large suitcases were sitting in the living room. Since they would be away until after Christmas, there was quite a bit to pack.
Elara said, “Let’s move them to the car.”
As Asher listened to their conversation, he realized Lysander was there to take Elara to the airport.
Elara went to her room, took off her school uniform, changed into her own clothes, and put on a white wool coat along with a hat. When she stepped out, she saw Asher standing in the hallway by the door.
Asher looked at her. “Is Lysander going too?”
Elara replied, “My dad is going directly from there. He wants me to ride with Lysander.”
Asher silently stared at her. Elara didn’t want to say much more. She didn’t even feel like giving him another explanation. “I’m leaving now.”
However, after taking just two steps, Asher grabbed her arm, instinctively pulling her back.
Asher held her shoulders, staring intensely into her eyes. “Are you and Lysander already together?”
His eyes were deep, the dark blue reflecting a hint of reluctance and a strong sense of fracture.
Elara had never seen him like this, angry, yet seemingly holding back. She had been acting for Asher, and until now, he had never suspected her.
Asher worked hard every day, saving money and studying, and it seemed he truly believed her words. Elara hadn’t expected him to suddenly start doubting her.
Elara denied it. “No, not at all.”
This was true. She and Lysander were both still in school. It was too early for them to define their relationship. They only studied together and shared meals, nothing more.
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Yet, even if there were no Lysander, even if she remained single there wouldn’t be a future for her and Asher either.
“I don’t believe you,” Asher said sternly. “Elara, I always feel like you’re lying to me. You and he will go to Starfield City and for so long. What else could you have been doing?”
“What could we possibly do?” Elara responded with the same atthude as before. “You’re overthinking this. Lysander isn’t like that. He’s not what you imagine.”
“Elara!” Asher tightened his grip on her shoulders, causing Elara to wince in pain. “Let go of me.”
Why is he getting physical when we’re just talking?‘ Elara thought.
Asher didn’t let go; instead, he held her tighter as if afraid she wouldn’t understand. “I admit that I had a thing with Daphne in the past, but since the last time we talked, I’m serious about you.”
Elara replied, “I’m serious too. What makes you think I’m not?”
“You’re not taking this seriously at all.” Asher could clearly feel her lack of sincerity.
He said earnestly, “I genuinely want to be with you. I’m even thinking about marriage. A couple of days ago, when Daphne came to see me, I turned her down.”
“So what?” Hearing him repeat this made Elara laugh.
She stopped trying to appease him, her expression turning cold. “Are you trying to say you’re so charming that even the school beauty likes you?”
Asher noticed that mentioning Daphne made her upset.
Knowing how much she cared about Daphne, he took a deep breath and said, “I just hope you can take our relationship seriously. I genuinely want a future with you. Since you like me, you should value what we have, right?”
He thought he had been behaving quite well lately. He couldn’t understand what she was still dissatisfied with, insisting on making things difficult for him.
Seeing his aggrieved expression, Elara smirked slightly. “Seeing me study with Lysander makes you upset, doesn’t it?”
Asher’s eyes reddened. “Yes. Even if you say it’s just studying, don’t you think you’re too nice to him? You look so happy every time you see him, while you don’t look at me that way anymore…”
She used to, but now, when she looked at him, her eyes were cold, like a bystander watching him embarrass himself. He didn’t like that calm gaze of hers. It felt as if he no longer deserved a place in her heart.
Elara raised her long, clean hand and placed it on his chest. She wore a new Hermès bracelet, and her delicate fingers suggested she had been pampered all her life.
Her father was the richest man in Brookfield, and she had never had to worry
about money.
But before her time travel, she had lived in poverty, scavenging for trash every day, her hands perpetually dirty and blackened.
The reason Elara ended up in that situation was that she cared too much about Asher.
Now, her fingers brushed against his sweater, feeling his heartbeat. Elara looked at Asher. “Does it hurt here?”
Asher grasped her hand. “Elara…”
He felt a suffocating sensation as if she had suddenly gripped his heart. Her eyes held a fragmented emotion he couldn’t
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Chapter 45
comprehend.
42%
Elara held back her tears, gazing at Asher. “I’ve felt that pain too. It might have hurt a thousand times more for me. I gave everything, only to be trampled by you. Asher, how could you possibly understand that feeling?”
She paused before continuing, “I’ve been polite to you, haven’t because I’ve
Chapter 45
Asher said, “I had something going on last night, so I didn’t go home.”
Elara nodded. “Oh, really?”
Her nonchalant response made Asher realize that she didn’t care at all about his whereabouts. ‘She doesn’t even care if I came back or not?‘ he thought.
Elara continued, “There was so much happening last night. I just crashed as soon as I was done. Sorry about that. Did you wrap up everything?”
“Yeah.” Asher nodded and felt a bit foolish. Elara didn’t even elaborate further.
On the day of the exam results, Elara and Asher returned home together, and Lysander showed up. As Asher got out of the car, he saw Elara walk up to Lysander, speaking to him gently.
At that moment, Asher suddenly felt like they made a good pair. Especially now, Elara no longer trailed behind him and seemed like a different person, almost radiant. And her grades had noticeably improved.
Every time Elara claimed she was just acting with Lysander, Asher couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. ‘Even if it’s just acting, could it be too convincing?‘ Asher wondered.
Elara and Lysander entered the house, and Ursa said, “Ms. Kensington, your luggage is all here.”
Two large suitcases were sitting in the living room. Since they would be away until after Christmas, there was quite a bit to pack.
Elara said, “Let’s move them to the car.”
As Asher listened to their conversation, he realized Lysander was there to take Elara to the airport.
Elara went to her room, took off her school uniform, changed into her own clothes, and put on a white wool coat along with a hat. When she stepped out, she saw Asher standing in the hallway by the door.
Asher looked at her. “Is Lysander going too?”
Elara replied, “My dad is going directly from there. He wants me to ride with Lysander.”
Asher silently stared at her. Elara didn’t want to say much more. She didn’t even feel like giving him another explanation. “I’m leaving now.”
However, after taking just two steps, Asher grabbed her arm, instinctively pulling her back.
Asher held her shoulders, staring intensely into her eyes. “Are you and Lysander already together?”
His eyes were deep, the dark blue reflecting a hint of reluctance and a strong sense of fracture.
Elara had never seen him like this, angry, yet seemingly holding back. She had been acting for Asher, and until now, he had never suspected her.
Asher worked hard every day, saving money and studying, and it seemed he truly believed her words. Elara hadn’t expected him to suddenly start doubting her.
Elara denied it. “No, not at all.”
This was true. She and Lysander were both still in school. It was too early for them to define their relationship. They only studied together and shared meals, nothing more.
1/3
18:27 Wed, Nov 6 W
Chapter 45
042%2
Yet, even if there were no Lysander, even if she remained single there wouldn’t be a future for her and Asher either.
“I don’t believe you,” Asher said sternly. “Elara, I always feel like you’re lying to me. You and he will go to Starfield City and for so long. What else could you have been doing?”
“What could we possibly do?” Elara responded with the same atthude as before. “You’re overthinking this. Lysander isn’t like that. He’s not what you imagine.”
“Elara!” Asher tightened his grip on her shoulders, causing Elara to wince in pain. “Let go of me.”
Why is he getting physical when we’re just talking?‘ Elara thought.
Asher didn’t let go; instead, he held her tighter as if afraid she wouldn’t understand. “I admit that I had a thing with Daphne in the past, but since the last time we talked, I’m serious about you.”
Elara replied, “I’m serious too. What makes you think I’m not?”
“You’re not taking this seriously at all.” Asher could clearly feel her lack of sincerity.
He said earnestly, “I genuinely want to be with you. I’m even thinking about marriage. A couple of days ago, when Daphne came to see me, I turned her down.”
“So what?” Hearing him repeat this made Elara laugh.
She stopped trying to appease him, her expression turning cold. “Are you trying to say you’re so charming that even the school beauty likes you?”
Asher noticed that mentioning Daphne made her upset.
Knowing how much she cared about Daphne, he took a deep breath and said, “I just hope you can take our relationship seriously. I genuinely want a future with you. Since you like me, you should value what we have, right?”
He thought he had been behaving quite well lately. He couldn’t understand what she was still dissatisfied with, insisting on making things difficult for him.
Seeing his aggrieved expression, Elara smirked slightly. “Seeing me study with Lysander makes you upset, doesn’t it?”
Asher’s eyes reddened. “Yes. Even if you say it’s just studying, don’t you think you’re too nice to him? You look so happy every time you see him, while you don’t look at me that way anymore…”
She used to, but now, when she looked at him, her eyes were cold, like a bystander watching him embarrass himself. He didn’t like that calm gaze of hers. It felt as if he no longer deserved a place in her heart.
Elara raised her long, clean hand and placed it on his chest. She wore a new Hermès bracelet, and her delicate fingers suggested she had been pampered all her life.
Her father was the richest man in Brookfield, and she had never had to worry
about money.
But before her time travel, she had lived in poverty, scavenging for trash every day, her hands perpetually dirty and blackened.
The reason Elara ended up in that situation was that she cared too much about Asher.
Now, her fingers brushed against his sweater, feeling his heartbeat. Elara looked at Asher. “Does it hurt here?”
Asher grasped her hand. “Elara…”
He felt a suffocating sensation as if she had suddenly gripped his heart. Her eyes held a fragmented emotion he couldn’t
2/3
18:27 Wed, Nov 6
Chapter 45
comprehend.
42%
Elara held back her tears, gazing at Asher. “I’ve felt that pain too. It might have hurt a thousand times more for me. I gave everything, only to be trampled by you. Asher, how could you possibly understand that feeling?”
She paused before continuing, “I’ve been polite to you, haven’t because I’ve gotten closer to Lysander, you can’t take it? Is your right?”
You’re living in my house without even paying rent. Just ride hurt? If you were in my shoes, you’d be devastated,
Asher wanted to refute her, to say, ‘I haven’t done anything. I just liked Daphne and didn’t want to get too close to you!
He could explain himself, but as he listened to her accusations, he found no words to counter them. ‘Did I really do something wrong?‘ he thought.
Tears fell from Elara’s eyes, tracing down her cheeks until they dropped from her chin. Just then, as the two of them faced off, Lysander appeared at the top of the stairs.
SEND GIFT
gotten closer to Lysander, you can’t take it? Is your right?”
You’re living in my house without even paying rent. Just ride hurt? If you were in my shoes, you’d be devastated,
Asher wanted to refute her, to say, ‘I haven’t done anything. I just liked Daphne and didn’t want to get too close to you!
He could explain himself, but as he listened to her accusations, he found no words to counter them. ‘Did I really do something wrong?‘ he thought.
Tears fell from Elara’s eyes, tracing down her cheeks until they dropped from her chin. Just then, as the two of them faced off, Lysander appeared at the top of the stairs.
SEND GIFT
