Maria.

I watched Noah stand firmly on his ground, refusing to back down no matter how desperately the Quadruplets pleaded, and strangely enough, my heart melted instantly.

For a brief moment, the chaos around me seemed distant. Daniel was nothing but a nuisance, and every single time he appeared, trouble followed closely behind him like a shadow.

And as for the Quadruplets...they were exhausting, annoying and persistent pests that refused to disappear from my life no matter how many times I pushed them away.

Honestly, I wanted nothing to do with any of them anymore. I was tired of the confusion they constantly brought into my life.

And yet...as I stared at Davian’s unconscious body lying helplessly on the floor, I felt strangely numb.

The sight unsettled me more than I wanted to admit, and my thoughts became messy instantly.

If he dies...

The thought echoed repeatedly inside my head.

If he dies, then perhaps everything would finally become easier for me.

The healer clearly said someone had to become a sacrifice if the bond were to break completely.

Davian could become that sacrifice.

Then the mate bond would finally disappear, with no more emotional confusion, no more strange pulls and no more aching chest whenever one of them got hurt.

And honestly...If Davian died, it would mean one less problem for me to deal with.

One less Alpha constantly following me around.

One less voice trying to stop my wedding.

The remaining three would probably become destabilized from the loss as well.

Perhaps then, they would finally leave me alone, finally stop chasing after me and finally stop disturbing my peace.

But amidst all those thoughts, another one surfaced unexpectedly.

Wouldn’t it feel strange if they were suddenly just three?

The thought came so suddenly that it caught me completely off guard.

My brows furrowed immediately.

Why would I even think that?

But before I could suppress it, memories flashed through my head without warning—it was that of Davian pinning me gently against the wall, and his lips against mine. The way his hands had held me firmly yet carefully, and the look in his eyes whenever he stared at me.

I instantly fought hard to shove the memories away.

"Damn it," I muttered inwardly.

This stupid bond was ruining my senses.

A dull ache spread slowly across my chest, and I hated how deeply I could feel it.

That was when realization finally struck me.

My desire for Davian to live was greater than my desire for him to die.

And honestly, that irritated me.

Because after everything the Quadruplets had done to me, after all the humiliation and pain they caused, I should have felt nothing.

I should have wanted this, but I didn’t.

No...death would honestly be too easy for him anyways.

Davian still hadn’t suffered enough.

None of them had.

They couldn’t simply die and escape everything that easily.

I ransacked my brain desperately for another possible solution while the tension around us kept rising.

And then Adrien suddenly mentioned my blood.

The suggestion genuinely shocked me, because out of every possible solution...

Why did it have to be one that would hurt me instead?

After what felt like an endless moment of awkward silence, with everyone staring at me as though waiting for my final decision, I finally took a deep breath.

The atmosphere around us had grown unbearably heavy.

Davian still lay unconscious on the floor while blood continued staining the ground beneath him. Adrien looked desperate, Damien restless, and Aidan seemed seconds away from completely losing his mind.

Even the healer remained silent now, almost as though he was waiting for me to make the choice myself.

And honestly, deep down, I already knew something.

If Davian eventually died...and I knew I had the ability to save him but chose not to...I would forever live with that guilt.

That truth irritated me deeply.

Because after everything the Quadruplets had done to me, I should have been capable of turning away coldly.

But I wasn’t.

I hated it.

I hated how this bond kept affecting my emotions.

Slowly, I turned my face toward Noah.

He still stood firmly beside me protectively, his expression cold and unyielding toward the Quadruplets.

For some strange reason, that alone calmed me slightly.

"Noah..." I called softly before squeezing his hand gently. "Let’s just help them."

The words left my mouth quietly, yet the effect was immediate.

The Quadruplets all lifted their heads instantly.

Hope flickered visibly across Adrien’s face while Damien let out a breath that sounded almost relieved.

But I wasn’t done speaking.

I slowly turned to face them fully, forcing my expression to remain emotionless despite the storm inside me.

"This will be the last thing I ever do for any of you," I declared firmly.

The hallway became quiet again immediately and every single one of them stared at me attentively now.

"But before I help..." I paused briefly, making sure each word sank in properly. "...you three will have to take an oath."

Their reactions were immediate, as shock flashed across their faces almost simultaneously.

Even Noah turned to look at me with surprise clearly written in his eyes.

But honestly, I didn’t care.

If I couldn’t completely break this bond right now, then I needed something else instead—some form of assurance or rather some kind of peace because the way things were going, they would never stop chasing after me.

Never stop disrupting my life.

And I was tired.

Completely tired.

"What’s the oath about?" Damien finally asked after a few seconds, his brows furrowed deeply in confusion as he stared directly at me.

"It’s something very easy to do," I replied calmly while studying each of their expressions carefully. "There is no need to panic."

Aidan immediately tensed up.

"Maria, don’t try something silly," he said sharply, restlessness evident in both his voice and expression.

His reaction alone almost made me scoff.

For someone whose brother was lying unconscious on the floor, he still found the strength to be suspicious of me.

"Maria..." Adrien suddenly tried speaking as he stepped closer slightly.

But I cut him off before he could continue.

"Are you ready to save your brother or not?" I asked coldly.

My voice carried no warmth whatsoever, nor softness, nor hesitation.

The hallway went silent once more.

And this time, the desperation in their eyes became even clearer.