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Chapter 2

I woke up with a start, the sudden noise yanking me out of sleep. As I sat up, I realized I was back in my dorm bed.

The place was empty and creepily quiet.

Freaked out, I grabbed the amulet around my neck. The second I touched it, my heart calmed down.

Thank God, it was still there.

But wait, wasn't I just in the auditorium? How did I end up back here?

Just as I was trying to make sense of it all, my phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was my mom, Mia, calling.

I took a deep breath, tried to calm down, and answered, "Hey, Mom, what's up?"

There was a pause before Mia's slightly raspy voice came through, "Emily, did you go against my wishes and get involved with someone you shouldn't have at school?"

Her words left me speechless.

For the first time, she hit the nail on the head.

Since leaving the village, a bunch of classmates had confessed to me.

Back then, I was all about my studies, wanting to prove myself. So, I turned them all down.

I spent my days buried in books and lab work, surrounded by animals.

Guys were a mystery to me, and honestly, they seemed like a hassle.

The mystery was the guys, and the hassle was Mia's constant nagging about weird stuff.

Like now, Mia's voice suddenly got louder, "Emily, are you even listening to me? I've been telling you since you were little, you can't get too close to guys. You're with Satan..."

Hearing that, I cut her off, "Enough! For years, all I've heard about is engagement and Satan. Not getting close to guys has made me so cautious that I don't even have a single friend. This is just an excuse to control me! Fifteen years of this, isn't it enough?"

I blurted it all out and hung up, tossing my phone on the bedside table as I got out of bed.

The phone started buzzing again, but I ignored it and headed to the bathroom.

I turned on the faucet and splashed my face with cold water, trying to clear my head.

Feeling frustrated, I splashed more water. My words from earlier now felt especially harsh.

After all, Mason and Mia were just looking out for me. Raising me all these years hadn't been easy; I shouldn't have said that.

I quickly turned off the faucet and grabbed my phone.

When I checked it, besides Mia's missed calls, there was a voice message from Mason.

"Emily, your mom's just worried about you. That illness when you were three really scared Mia. She often wakes up at night, holding the red blanket you used as a child, crying all night. She just can't stop worrying about you. But what we're saying is true, Satan is your savior. You must respect him, stay away from other men, and uphold your virtues. Remember, you must not cross the line!"

After listening to the message, any guilt I felt disappeared.

Since school started, most of my calls with my parents were about this mysterious Satan. Because of him, our fights got more frequent.

I put my phone on silent and blocked my parents' messages altogether.

They really tried everything to keep me from dating.

Mason and Mia took turns, afraid I wouldn't meet their expectations.

I leaned against the bed, staring blankly.

My good friend Amelia Martinez suddenly burst through the dorm door, her eyes wide when she saw me, "Emily, you're awake! Are you okay?"

I was stunned for a moment, and before I could explain, she grabbed my arm and sat me down on a chair.

Amelia stood in front of me, squinting like she was about to interrogate me, "Spill it, how do you know our new teacher? Such a hottie, and you didn't share him with me!"

I blinked, confused, "What new teacher?"

Amelia lightly punched my shoulder, pouting, "The one who carried you back to the dorm after you fainted. When I got there, the new teacher picked you up with one hand, his rolled-up white shirt showing off those bulging veins, and he didn't even break a sweat. It was like something out of a movie. And he's got these broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, an amazing body, and a face that could rival any top male celeb."

She continued, "The whole scene was perfect. It was dark, with this warm yellow light shining on you two. You were leaning on his shoulder, your hair flowing, and he had one hand on your waist and the other supporting your head, looking super worried about you. Next to him, James looked like a total nobody."

Amelia's eyes sparkled, making me feel a bit uneasy.

"Amelia, you're probably reading too much into it. He was just helping out a student."

But even as I said it, I felt this weird discomfort, like something was stuck in my chest.

Amelia wasn't buying it. She grabbed my arm and whispered, "I heard there's a freshman mixer tonight organized by the student council, and that teacher will be there too. Wanna go together?"

I hesitated, "Maybe not."

Even though I didn't believe my parents, I still didn't want to get too close to unfamiliar guys.

Amelia held my hand, gently swaying it, "Emily, please, just come with me, okay?"

I couldn't say no and ended up nodding.

"Awesome! Wear that red dress you have on tonight. You already look gorgeous, and it makes you even more stunning. And seriously, your tiny waist makes me drool."

Amelia pinched my waist playfully and jumped aside.

But my hands and feet felt cold, and I couldn't feel happy at all.

When I went to the auditorium, I was wearing a light purple dress.

This red dress just appeared out of nowhere. And who was that teacher?

Standing there, I felt a bit agitated.

If I hadn't fainted, I might already be James's girlfriend by now.

James, who was the object of so many people's affection.

When a guy like that looks at you with adoration, who wouldn't be moved?

What a pity.

Seeing my silence, Amelia hooked her arm around my shoulder, saying, "If James gives up after one rejection, then he's not worth it. He's everyone's crush, but you're also the princess in the hearts of the boys in our college. If he gives up easily, I say go for the new teacher. I think he suits you better than James."

She opened her phone and showed me a picture.

The image was a bit blurry, but the tall figure holding someone was clearly me.

The scene was just as Amelia described, hazy and ambiguous, making my heart flutter.

I reached out and gently brushed my finger over that unfamiliar figure.

The amulet on my chest suddenly heated up, and my head felt dizzy.

I turned off the phone and quickly crawled into bed, falling asleep in a daze.

After I fell asleep, the amulet emitted a faint light, and in my hazy state, a handsome man appeared before my eyes. He was even more handsome than James.

"That kind of guy doesn't deserve to be compared to me." It was like he could hear my thoughts; his expression instantly turned icy, and his fingers tightened their grip on my earlobe.

I wanted to push his hand away, but I couldn't move at all.

I could only watch as he slowly leaned down and bit my earlobe hard.

"Remember, you are my wife. Don't cross that line again"

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