The Broken-hearted She And The Icy He

Chapter 20 Burn It All and Walk Away

She didn’t believe for a second that John didn’t understand Elsa’s little games.

But every single time, he chose to let them slide.

And honestly–maybe that was for the best.

He and Elsa could cling to each other all they wanted. She was marrying James in just fifteen days.

After that, they’d all stay out of each other’s lives.

That was fine. That was perfect.

As she walked downstairs, Lily didn’t leave immediately.

Last time, when she moved out, she’d only focused on clearing out her and John’s belongings. She had forgotten the small iron box buried beneath the silk tree in the backyard.

There was a tradition in her hometown:

Two people in love would each cut a lock of hair, tie them together, and bury them beneath a silk tree–so they could be together for all eternity.

Back then, she had loved John so deeply, so irrationally, that she’d blindly followed that custom. She had braided their hair together, sealed it in an iron box, and buried it beneath the tree.

But now… she didn’t want to be with him anymore.

So she was here to destroy it all.

She had come prepared.

The box wasn’t buried deep. She unearthed it quickly.

Inside, their hair was still tightly entwined–indistinguishably close, intimately bound. A bond that now felt like mockery.

She lit the lighter she had brought with her and set fire to the hair–burning not just the strands, but her heart, her love, everything she had ever given him.

hold, her

John’s name on the screen, she hesitated–then

accident. There’s nothing between me and Elsa. I won’t let her

“Mm.”

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Elsa in his

She simply hung up, blocked his

standing

there, he could’ve seen

could’ve seen her burning the box,

But he hadn’t looked.

busy comforting Elsa. Too

out of his life, marry

got a call from the

passed the audition–they wanted her to

Lily was overjoyed.

right

“She’s Lily!”

of

an instant, a

Among them were reporters.

her face as furious voices

Their love is beautiful–why are you playing the mistress and

You’re not afraid of people pointing at your back for the

not to interfere in other people’s relationships? If you’re like this at your age, your parents must be

to steal Elsa’s man–your

Σ

of the people in the crowd

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sync with the reporters‘ sharp questions, raining curses and

instinctively pulled her