Chapter 28: Julian Was Scared

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Julian Was Scared

"Be buried with her? Heh... Don’t sully Cece’s path to her next life," Madeline Quinn said weakly, pushing herself to her feet. "Julian Fletcher, you will regret this. Just wait until you see the true colors of the woman in your arms..."

I stood behind Madeline Quinn and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Julian Fletcher, those who betray a true heart are meant to swallow a thousand needles..."

Julian’s gaze faltered, and he looked away. "As for the truth, you’ll all find out at my wedding the day after tomorrow."

’He was still so stubbornly convinced that I wasn’t dead.’

Outside the police station, Julian let go of Erin Whittaker. He cut a desolate figure.

"Julian..." Seeing that he wasn’t himself, Erin nervously grabbed his arm. He had nearly walked right into the iron gate.

Julian waved a hand. "I’m fine..."

"Julian, do you think it’s possible... that something really happened to Cece?" Erin asked in a small voice, testing the waters.

’I didn’t know why I had followed them out. I suppose it was because I wanted to tear them both limb from limb.’

"No!" Julian suddenly lost control and roared at Erin. "She’s not dead!"

Erin jumped, her face turning deathly pale.

Julian came to his senses and rubbed his temples. "Sorry... Erin, you should head back first... I still have things to deal with."

"Julian... you still have feelings for her, don’t you?" Erin asked, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Julian Fletcher, explain yourself." Seeing Julian about to leave, Erin chased after him, crying. "You said you only thought of Cecilia Caldwell as a sister! What are you so afraid of? If she died, wouldn’t that be perfect? That way, she could never bother us again."

Julian stopped in his tracks, turning to frown at Erin. "She is not dead! She will definitely be at our wedding ceremony the day after tomorrow."

"And what if she doesn’t come?" Erin asked guiltily.

"She will... She’ll be there."

’Julian seemed obsessed, repeating endlessly that I would appear.’

’I watched Julian with a cold sneer. He’s starting to believe I’m dead too, isn’t he?’

’What kind of lunatic pulls out all ten of their own fingernails to place them on another person’s corpse?’

’Julian Fletcher knew perfectly well that I screamed at the sight of a bug, let alone killing someone.’

’He couldn’t possibly be crazy enough to think I was the serial killer.’

Julian had the driver take Erin home, while he left on foot, walking alone into the night.

I followed behind Julian, watching him with a scornful gaze.

"I’m dead. Shouldn’t you be relieved?" I said in my hoarse voice, knowing full well Julian couldn’t hear me.

But he actually stopped, whipping his head around. Then, looking disappointed, he turned back and wearily rubbed his temples.

Taking out his phone, Julian opened my WhatsApp chat.

’This was the first time I’d seen Julian’s phone. He actually had my WhatsApp chat pinned to the top. How laughable.’

’Was it so he could find me faster when he wanted to bully me?’

’Or so he could summon me more quickly when he wanted to humiliate me?’

"Cecilia Caldwell... you win," Julian said in a hoarse voice as he sent a WhatsApp message. "Come back. Just come back... and I’ll call off the engagement with Erin."

He leaned against the wall, his tone a mixture of charity and pity.

’I guess the ten fingernails today really did scare him.’

I stood in front of Julian, watching him with scorn. "When I loved you... you shoved me into an abyss. Julian Fletcher, you killed me."

Julian sent message after message on WhatsApp, but it was impossible for me to ever reply.

’Julian Fletcher, I’m dead.’

’No one can save me now...’

’But the despair I feel now is nothing compared to when I was alive...’

’I still remember the day Julian found out I had a crush on him. His eyes were filled with disgust.’

"I see you as a sister! Our Fletcher Family provides you with food and shelter, and you have these filthy thoughts about me?" He tore up my love letter, his gaze full of reproach. "Focus on your studies. And don’t let me catch you getting into a relationship before you get into college."

’Now *that* was a look that could make a person despair.’

’The truth is, Julian never knew. The moment he tore up my love letter, I had already let him go.’

’He was the one who could never let it go, who refused to let me be.’

’If I got close to another guy, he would humiliate me. If a boy confessed to me, he would slander my name.’

’For the longest time, I was plagued by self-doubt, wondering if I was really so awful that he had to hate me that much.’

"Cecilia Caldwell... where the fuck are you!" Julian’s frustration turned to fury, and he yelled into Nocturne. "You win, alright?! Cecilia... you win! You succeeded! You fucking succeeded in making me scared! Come back! Come back..."

Julian squatted on the ground, sending message after message, begging me to come back.

’Watching him in his pathetic state, I suddenly found it all rather amusing.’

’What was this? Fear?’

’What did any of this count for now...’

’Suddenly, I felt a flicker of anticipation. I was looking forward to the day Julian finds my body.’

’I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face the day he finds out it was Erin who killed me.’

’And what about when he learns the whole truth? When he finds out I wasn’t the one who pushed Erin down the stairs, that I’ve never hurt anyone, and that, on the contrary, they were the ones bullying me behind my back?’