The Ruined Bride of Velvet Nights by Brick Moving Ant

Chapter 14

Lysander couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about the “reborn” Ophelia. A subtle but persistent distance separated them.

Her mannerisms, appearance, and voice nearly matched his memories perfectly, yet something felt

wrong.

Too perfect, too polished–like a program running flawlessly, but lacking the truly spark of life.

Lysander shook his head. Perhaps he was just imagining things.

As they strolled hand–in–hand through Columbia University’s campus, Lysander guided Celeste along the tree–lined paths.

They strolled past the historic buildings, pausing in front of the Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

Lysander’s portrait immediately caught Celeste’s attention, but what truly captivated her was Navier’s photograph beside his.

‘Navier was brilliant in her own right‘, Celeste thought, ‘yet devoting to this man dimmed her light simply by existing. She deserved better than that fate.”

‘Leaving Lysander was the wisest decision Navier had ever made. Away from his shadow, she could truly shine brighter.‘

After lingering on Navier’s photograph, Celeste finally tore her gaze away and offered insincere

praise.

“You were so impressive, Lysander!”

“If I hadn’t gotten sick back then, maybe… maybe my picture would be up here next to yours.”

her head in fabricated disappointment.

pulled out his phone to call

president.

want to finish your studies,

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Ruined Bride of

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Chapter 14

wall, all I have to do is make a

looked up at him with manufactured

could still go to college?”

excitement could build, she lowered her head again, biting her lip

if I should. Lysander, you know… I’m living in someone else’s body

fair. Even if I ever made it onto that wall, I’d want to

her voice tremble, just a little. Just enough

there’s something. After much struggle, I was reborn in this girl Celeste

life anymore and jumped into the river, which give me a chance to take

you before because I was worried you couldn’t accept it. But I wanted to be

to have lies between

truth with fiction.

would inevitably surface in Lysander’s investigation.

let him discover more than she

investigated, he’d only find that the old Celeste and the current one seemed

different people–reinforcing rather than undermining

she anticipated, Lysander’s suspicions largely dissolved after

sympathy for her only

still Ophelia to me. All that matters is having you