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.

as the flame took hold, her phone rang, shrill and

the screen,

and annoyed, came through immediately. “Lily, don’t overthink this. Today was an accident. There’s nothing between me and Elsa. I won’t let her come to our house again. If you

“Mm.”

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in

hung up, blocked his number,

standing by the

there, he could’ve seen the silk tree

could’ve seen her burning the box, burning their promise

But he hadn’t looked.

was too busy comforting Elsa. Too

burned undisturbed–just like how she would walk out of his life, marry someone

hotel, she got a call from the production team behind

the audition–they wanted her to sign the contract

Lily was overjoyed.

out right

“She’s Lily!”

stepped out of the hotel when

an instant, a crowd

Among them were reporters.

shoved in her face as furious

and Ms. Elsa are already married! Their love

shameless! You’re not afraid of people pointing at your

people’s relationships? If you’re

Lily! Trying to steal Elsa’s man–your whole family

Σ

people in

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anger rose in sync with the reporters‘ sharp questions, raining curses and venom down

instinctively pulled