Adrian’s every word was grim, as if he’d come from Hell itself.

His face was unnaturally pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his skin.

He summoned all his strength, truly intending to kill.

He slowly tightened his grip, nearly lifting Mia Kane off her feet with one arm.

The feeling of suffocation overwhelmed her. She struggled in agony but couldn’t budge him an inch.

Mia Kane’s consciousness began to fade. Suddenly, her body went limp, and she fell.

Before she lost consciousness, she thought she heard Adrian’s voice.

It was incredibly weak and quiet—so quiet, she wondered if she was hallucinating.

"Don’t you get it yet...? This pathetic hypnosis is useless against me. Only you... can truly hurt me."

"Adrian Preston will do anything for you..."

"Mia Kane, you owe me... Don’t let there be a next time. If there is, I won’t forgive you..."

His last words struck her to the core.

That was the last thing she heard from Adrian.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, she fell into a warm, strong embrace. The familiar, cool scent of mint seemed even sharper in that moment.

She struggled to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt as heavy as lead, refusing to budge.

She knew... he was back.

Mia Kane lost consciousness.

She had a long dream. She and Adrian Preston went to the movies, had dinner...

Everything had been perfect, but suddenly, his expression twisted into a demonic mask. He was choking her, demanding to know why she had done it.

"Don’t you know you committed murder?"

"I was a living, breathing person! What did you take me for?"

"Mia Kane, how could you be so cruel...?"

Mia Kane’s eyes snapped open. She shot up, her hands clutching her neck.

’No one was choking me. It’s over.’

"You’re awake."

A familiar voice spoke from beside her.

Mia Kane stared at his face, feeling as if a lifetime had passed between them.

Even though she saw him every day, it felt as though she had lost him long ago.

She couldn’t stop her eyes from welling up. Large teardrops clung to her lashes, stubbornly refusing to fall.

Adrian Preston quickly pulled her into his arms, gently patting her back.

"It’s all over. He’s... gone."

"Gone...? What do you mean, ’gone’?"

"I can’t feel his presence anymore. It seems he chose to self-destruct."

Hearing this, Mia Kane’s body went rigid, and her mind went completely blank.

’Did I really kill someone?’

Adrian Preston felt her stiffen, and his heart ached for her.

The only person in the world who could kill the second personality was Mia Kane.

Because his obsession had been born from her.

When he was kidnapped and his sister had her accident, that darkness was born within him.

He could have easily become a villain. With the Preston Family’s power, it would have been much easier to deal with those wicked people.

But because of Mia Kane, he suppressed all those malevolent thoughts.

He didn’t fight fire with fire. Instead, he chose the most difficult, arduous path.

Whenever he felt lost and confused, Mia Kane was like a beacon of light, illuminating his way and preventing him from losing himself over the years.

The second personality was born because of her. From the first moment he saw her, he was consumed by a greedy desire to possess her.

He was inherently paranoid, selfish, and ruthless in achieving his goals.

But Mia Kane showed him a different way.

"Adrian Preston, please leave. I want to be alone."

Adrian Preston went to the doorway but didn’t dare go far, worried she would let her thoughts run wild.

Mia Kane curled into a ball, hugging herself tightly as large tears streamed down her face.

This time, she wasn’t crying for Adrian Preston, but for the other one.

’He said that when she was better, they would go camping, hiking, and see movies.’

’He’d said he was a person, too—a living, breathing person.’

’He wasn’t Adrian Preston’s appendix, not a gallstone or a polyp that could simply be cut out and forgotten.’

’He had his own thoughts; he could feel pain.’

’She had won his trust only to betray him. Adrian must have been in utter despair.’

’He... he’ll never forgive her in this lifetime, will he?’

’Why was she so heartbroken over someone she had only known for a few days?’

’She had killed someone without drawing a single drop of blood...’

Mia Kane was in agony.

Adrian Preston stood at the door, his heart twisting in knots. The psychologist limped over to him.

"I think Miss Kane needs my help. The conflict between you and your alter should have been resolved between the two of you, but Miss Kane took sides. That wasn’t fair to your alter. She won’t be able to get past this on her own..."

"I’ll help her through it. Your services are no longer required."

Adrian Preston looked at him with unconcealed hostility.

"First of all, I am a doctor. You can question my character, but you cannot question my medical ethics. I would never entertain any fantasies about a patient..."

"See the doctor out."

Adrian Preston commanded.

After seeing the man out, Theo Thorne returned.

"Adrian, when are you going back to the Preston Group to handle things? I’ve been taking care of everything for the past few days."

"It’s not urgent. Once things here are..."

Just then, Mia Kane’s clear, cold voice came from behind him. "You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine. You should go take care of your work. The Preston Group can’t function without you."

"Mia..."

"I’m going home."

She started to walk away, but Adrian Preston grabbed her wrist, refusing to let go.

She struggled, but couldn’t break free. "What do you think you’re doing? Let me go!"

Adrian Preston wrapped his arms tightly around her from behind. Seeing this, Theo Thorne quickly excused himself, leaving the two of them alone.

"Don’t leave me. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’ll become."

"Adrian Preston, you promised you would let me go!"

"So what if I did? It’s not the first time I’ve gone back on my word. Why did you do everything in your power to wake me this time? Mia Kane, why won’t you admit your feelings? You’ve fallen in love with me, haven’t you?"

Mia Kane’s face went deathly pale.

"Have you forgotten that you’re engaged to Charlotte? It was all over the news. First, I will not be with someone who violated me. And second, I will not be a homewrecker!"

"Let me go!"

The resolve in her eyes made Adrian Preston’s brow furrow.

Still, he selfishly wanted to keep her.

He didn’t let go. Seeing this, Mia Kane steeled herself and pulled a small paring knife from her sleeve, holding it up to him.

Adrian Preston’s face showed no fear. Instead, he took two steps forward until his chest was pressed against the sharp point of her blade.

Any more pressure and it would pierce his clothes and plunge into his chest.

"If I let you stab me, will you stay?"

His eyes held a crazed obsession.

The hand Mia Kane used to hold the knife trembled uncontrollably.

She didn’t even need to threaten him; it looked as if Adrian Preston would throw himself onto the blade in the very next second.

She let out a shaky breath, a sudden clarity washing over her.

"You’re mistaken."

With those words, she turned the point of the knife toward her own chest, closed her eyes, and plunged it in without the slightest hesitation.

DRIP. DRIP.

Large drops of blood splattered onto the floor, the sound sharp in the silence.