MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 390: Escaping Reality

"Then . . . why didn’t you auction my portrait?" Seraphina asked, getting straight to the point.

So she was going to ask that. Xin thought, anticipating the question he knew was coming.

He had already rehearsed his response in his mind. It wasn’t like he could tell her that he didn’t want someone else to possess her portrait, hanging on their wall every night.

"Ah, that. In the end, I wanted to give it to you," Xin said, trying to sound casual.

"Really? But isn’t it a shame that you didn’t auction it? It would surely fetch a high price," Seraphina remarked.

Xin scratched the back of his head, pondering her words. "I guess, but ultimately, I just wanted to give you the painting."

Seraphina studied Xin for a moment before chuckling softly.

Did his lie went through?

"By the way, the painting that you brought, I will give you back half the million now and the other half in a few weeks," Xin said, changing the topic.

"You don’t have to," Seraphina protested, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the idea of taking back the money.

"I want to," Xin insisted firmly.

"Then how about we call it even with the portrait?" Seraphina suggested, trying to find a compromise.

Xin opened his mouth to retort, but before he could finish his sentence, Seraphina interjected with a smile.

"I’m sure that portrait would fetch a very high price, so that would compensate more than enough for what I shelled out."

Xin realized that he wouldn’t be able to change her mind, so he decided to let it be. "Fine then," he acquiesced, albeit reluctantly.

As they continued their conversation over brunch, Xin couldn’t shake off the feeling of gratitude towards Seraphina.

Despite their differences and occasional misunderstandings, she always seemed to have his best interests at heart.

With a sense of contentment settling over him, Xin finished his meal, feeling reassured about his decision regarding the portrait and the unexpected conversation of that morning.

It seemed that things were finally falling into place, even amidst the uncertainty and challenges of the upcoming reunion.

"By the way, I won’t be home this weekend," Xin informed her casually, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Are you going to your reunion?" Seraphina asked, her curiosity piqued.

"How did you know?" Xin questioned, surprised by her intuition.

"It’s the only thing that I can think about since you mentioned it before," Seraphina replied with a knowing smile.

Xin nodded. "It’s an overnight event, so I’ll be back the next day."

Seraphina didn’t comment further and simply continued to eat, her thoughts elsewhere.

As Xin watched her, he couldn’t help but wonder what was going through her mind. There was always a sense of mystery surrounding Seraphina, a depth that he couldn’t quite fathom.

But for now, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on enjoying their brunch together, knowing that the weekend reunion awaited him with its own set of problems for sure. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

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As the days passed, Xin found himself increasingly drawn into the virtual world of Guildbane, immersing himself in its landscapes and engaging gameplay.

His room became his sanctuary, a haven where he could escape from the pressures and responsibilities of the outside world.

Inside the game, time seemed to slip away unnoticed as Xin delved deeper into the game.

The hours melted into days as he tirelessly battled monsters, completed quests, and honed his abilities.

With each passing level, a sense of accomplishment washed over him, fueling his determination to reach level 100.

Victor joined him on this journey, their combat compatibility growing stronger with each shared victory.

Together, they formed an unstoppable duo, conquering dungeons and overcoming challenges with ease.

Meanwhile, Xiaxia was fully immersed in her own world, her guild activities and social life keeping her occupied.

Xin couldn’t help but comment at the frequent going outs with her friends. But he guessed that it was better than being on a date with Victor.

Xin found himself pondering when Victor would muster the courage to end their relationship. With each passing day, breaking things off would only become more challenging.

Xin couldn’t help but wonder if Victor was deliberately acting in a manner contrary to Xiaxia’s preferences in a partner, as they had discussed.

He sure hoped that Victor was embodying the opposite of what Xiaxia found attractive in a guy, to hasten their break up.

On the other hand, Seraphina remained busy with her work in their company, and she only came home during nights.

Xin surmised that Seraphina was likely occupied with her duties as the heir to the Feys company, leaving her with no time for a vacation.

Their mother, too, had her own commitments, her schedule filled with meetings and appointments.

Xin couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration as he heard about her plans to travel overseas with Michael Fey, citing work-related reasons.

Yeah right. Xin thought and wanted to rolls his eyes at the reason.

He was certain that Michael simply wanted to take his mother on vacation, just the two of them.

Perhaps this holiday would provide the perfect opportunity for Michael to confess his feelings to her.

The idea made Xin uneasy.

Maybe he could feign illness to dissuade his mother from going?

That seemed like an immature way to act, so Xin decided against it.

Besides, his mother was an adult. She could already decide for herself what she wanted.

She deserved to be happy in the end.

Xin decided to immerse himself in Guildbane to pass the time. The vibrant virtual world provided a welcome escape, its enchanting landscapes and thrilling quests captivating his attention.

As he delved deeper into the game, the outside world faded into insignificance, and Xin lost himself in the adrenaline-pumping adventures and exhilarating exploration.

This provided a temporary respite from the numerous thoughts swirling inside his head, offering him a brief reprieve from the worries and uncertainties that plagued his mind.

Yet, amidst the excitement of leveling up and mastering new skills, a sense of restlessness began to gnaw at Xin’s consciousness.

Deep down, he knew that he was only using the game as a means to avoid confronting the inevitable — the reunion looming on the horizon, scheduled for tomorrow.

Despite his attempts to distract himself, the anticipation of the upcoming event lingered in the back of his mind, casting a shadow over his otherwise immersive gaming experience.

With each passing moment, Xin found it increasingly difficult to ignore the nagging sense of unease that accompanied the approaching reunion.