Monday, January 8, 2024
Suddenly, a commotion breaks out in the food court. People whisper fearfully. I see several people rushing out of the mall restroom, some crying, others covering their mouths in horror.
"What's going on?" Victor asks uneasily, noticing the tense atmosphere.
A young woman comes running out of the restroom. She's pale, almost as white as a sheet.
"Miss, what happened?" I ask after she rushes past me. "Why is everyone going into the restroom and coming out looking like they've seen a ghost?"
"There's a dead woman in the ladies' restroom!" she says, horrified. "It's the Iris Devourer!"
"What?" I exclaim in shock. "I can't believe he's back!"
"Who, darling?" Victor asks, confused and worried.
"The Iris Devourer... He's a murderer who's been terrorizing the city for ten years," I explain, a chill running down my spine. "He's claimed several victims, and he always gouges out their eyes. It's as if he wants to leave his signature behind."
"It's as though history is repeating itself..." Victor says, shaken. "Hyeon-um did the same thing."
"Who is Hyeon-um?" I ask.
"He was a cruel man who did the same thing to his victims," Victor replies, visibly disturbed. "I can't believe he's been reincarnated here."
I can't believe the Iris Devourer is back. His last victim was nearly a year ago. This killer never leaves any clues. The police have been investigating these crimes for years, but they've never managed to track him down.
I asked Victor about the killer from his past life, but he refused to talk about him. Now I can't help wondering what happened in that other life to make Victor so terrified at the thought of a serial killer living in this city.
When I get home, I head straight to my bedroom, grab the spellbook, and sit on the bed beside Victor. He's still distant, lost in his thoughts.
"I swear I won't let anyone hurt you again," Victor says, pulling me into a tight embrace.
He begins to cry.
"Don't cry," I say, gently rubbing his back. "I don't know what happened to us in our past lives... but I promise it won't happen again."
I pick up the spellbook and begin flipping through its pages.
"You just have to ask, and the book will answer," Victor says, wiping away his tears.
"Seriously?" I ask incredulously. "Book... how do I get rid of Victor's cold and cruel personality?"
As soon as I finish speaking, the pages begin turning on their own until they stop at a particular page.
Soul Unification Potion
I write down all the ingredients and head out to buy them. When I return, I grab my electric kettle and put the herbs inside. As the water begins to boil, their aroma fills the bedroom.
Once the potion is ready, I tear out the page with the recipe written on it and place it over a cup, carefully straining the tea through it.
"I hope this works..." I say anxiously as I finish straining the potion. "Here, darling."
I hand Victor the cup.
"We'll be together forever," he says before blowing on the tea.
"Careful, it's really hot," I warn him worriedly.
"I'll cool it down," he replies, blowing gently on the surface.
A few minutes later, he finally drinks every last drop.
"Do you feel anything?" I ask nervously.
"No... I don't feel anything," he replies.
Suddenly, his body goes limp, and he collapses unconscious into my arms.
"Victor!" I scream in alarm, holding him tightly.
My heart pounds wildly.
"It must be the potion taking effect..." I whisper, trying to calm myself as I carefully lay him down on the bed.
I rest his head on my lap and begin stroking his hair, watching his face.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
I wake up to a hard blow to my back that sends me crashing to the floor.
"Aaaagh!" I scream as I hit the ground. "Ow..." I groan, trying to get back up.
When I finally stand, I find Victor staring at me coldly.
It's him. The cold, cruel jerk.
The potion didn't work.
"Did you just kick me?" I ask in disbelief.
"I warned you not to come into my room again," Victor says coldly. His voice seems to lower the temperature of the entire room.
"This is my room, you idiot!" I shout angrily. "If you ever touch me again..."
"What are you going to do about it?" he taunts, a cold smile playing on his lips.
My blood boils.
I glance at the bedside table and spot the lamp.
"Try me," I say, grabbing it and hurling it at him.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Victor shouts, dodging it at the last second.
The lamp hits the wardrobe and shatters on the floor.
"Get out of my room, Victor!" I order, trembling with rage.
"You're getting awfully bold," he says incredulously.
"I'm sick of you and your cold-hearted attitude," I reply, my voice cracking under the weight of my anger and exhaustion.
"If you're so sick of me, file for divorce," he shoots back.
"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" I retort. "You'd get to keep one hundred percent of everything."
"You're truly unbearable," he says.
"You're the one who chose me," I reply, crossing my arms. "So I can't be that annoying to you."
Victor doesn't answer. He simply stares at me for a few seconds... then leaves the room.
I can't believe it... The heartless jerk is back. The potion didn't work. It couldn't get rid of that insufferable personality.
I grab the book.
"Book, why didn't it work?" I ask in frustration as I open it. "I want a potion that will leave only my Crown Prince!"
The pages don't move.
"Why won't you answer me?!" I scream before throwing the book against the wall.
I'm so angry... I can't stand Victor anymore.
I take a shower to calm myself down. Then I head downstairs, but the moment I see Victor sitting at the table, I take a few steps back.
"Aren't you going to have breakfast with me, darling?" Victor asks without looking up from a folder.
"Why?" I reply as I continue down the stairs. "Can't you eat breakfast without me?"
"Just sit down already!" Victor snaps, shooting me a murderous glare.
The maid senses the tension and quickly leaves the room.
"I don't know how you put up with Mr. Ice all day," I say, glancing at Carlos.
"I pay Carlos very well, so he has nothing to complain about," Victor retorts.
"If you say so," I reply, rolling my eyes.
"The same goes for you. You live like a prince," Victor says, looking at me. "Apart from love, I give you everything you could ever want... even the whole world."
"Wow, how romantic," I reply sarcastically.
"I'm off to work, darling," Victor says mockingly as he stands up. "Come on, Carlos."
He turns his back on me and walks away.
I'm at my mother's house, sitting in the garden and having tea with her and Ana.
"I can't take Victor anymore," I say wearily.
"What did your husband do this time?" my mother asks before taking a bite of a cookie.
"He's unbearable," I reply in frustration.
"That's life," my mother says dismissively. "Your father was the same way."
"I don't want a marriage like yours," I say.
"You're being so dramatic," Ana says impatiently. "You have a rich husband who gives you everything. You should be happy he chose you."
"Listen here, Ariel. I don't want to hear you talking like that," my mother says, growing irritated. "Thanks to Victor, our family's fortune has increased sevenfold. Let's change the subject."
I don't know why I still waste my time venting to my mother. She's selfish and cares about nothing but money. She'd be the perfect wife for Victor.
I spend the entire day at the spa and shopping. I do what I do best: spend Victor's money.
When I get home, I immediately feel the chill in the air. I know the reason at once: Victor is in the living room.
"Did you have fun?" Victor asks.
"Yes, lots of fun," I reply, raising my arms to show him all the shopping bags I'm carrying.
"That's more like it... That's what I like to see," Victor says coldly as he stands up and walks toward me.
"I hope that when you wake up tomorrow, you'll have my prince's personality again," I say in frustration as I head toward the stairs.
"You like my other personality that much?" Victor asks, stepping in front of me.
"Yes. Do-hyun is kind," I reply with a smile. "And, even better, he loves me."
"I already know that whole story," Victor says impatiently. "The Crown Prince is in love with someone who looks like you... but it's not you."
"That was only at first. Later, he said he'd fallen in love with me," I retort.
"You're so naive, Ariel," Victor says with a cold smile. "Do you really think anyone could ever love you?"
His words strike my heart like a hammer.
"I can't stand you anymore," I say angrily.
"Then file for divorce," Victor replies with a cynical smile.
"Stop saying that!" I shout impatiently. "You know that if I could, I would've done it already."
"I forgot sweet little Ariel doesn't get to make his own decisions," Victor taunts.
"Why did you choose me?" I ask, my voice trembling. "You insisted that you would only marry me."
"Because you're a boring idiot," Victor replies coldly.
"I've reached my limit," I say, tears streaming down my face.
"That's not my problem," he retorts.
"Of course not... It's not as if you care about me," I say bitterly.
"If you're really that tired of living like this, slit your wrists," Victor says, staring at me coldly. "Maybe I'll manage to shed a tear at your funeral."
With that, he walks upstairs, still wearing the same cold expression.
I'm left completely speechless by Victor's cruelty. How can he say something like that with such indifference?
His words keep echoing in my head.
Maybe... this is the only way to free myself from this hell.