Minutes later, Verena had Evelyn tucked into bed, propping her up against the pillows while cracking open a window to let the crisp night air cool her overheated skin.
She even pressed a glass of water into Evelyn’s trembling hands, watching as the girl took slow, unsteady sips.
With a sigh, Verena plopped down beside her, rubbing her temples. "Why did you do that?"
Evelyn hesitated, her fingers curling around the glass. "I thought... that was how you’re supposed to do it..."
"What do you an?"
"I an..." Evelyn squird under her gaze. "You wrote about seduction, right? But I thought it had to be like... like that because of... Raphael."
Oh.
That explained everything.
Verena grimaced.
Of course Evelyn thought that way.
The first novel had been riddled with scenes where Raphael, the supposed "perfect" male lead, seduced the heroine through sheer persistence, which, in reality, was just a thinly veiled excuse for relentless sexual harassnt.
He’d made her feel desired through forcefulness, and in the end, she’d mistaken that for love.
No wonder Evelyn thought that was how things were supposed to go.
Nobody in this world has a healthy perception of love at all!
But then again...
Did she?
Honestly, this girl really wasn’t getting it.
She was right. Character developnt wasn’t going to happen overnight.
As much as Evelyn was making an effort, there were still plenty of cracks in the façade.
And Verena couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that Evelyn had sothing to do with Beatrice’s death in her previous regression.
The dilemma gnawed at her.
Could she actually believe Evelyn?
Could she forgive her?
Verena wasn’t sure.
She was just trying to survive in this ss of a world, after all.
But one thing was becoming painfully clear.
If Evelyn had changed this much, the others were bound to follow suit.
Introducing love to lovesick people was like throwing gasoline on a fire. They’d all go a little crazy in the end.
"Do you know why I gave you that paper?" Verena asked, her voice steady but carrying a hint of sothing more. Sothing serious.
"Why?"
"High society is unforgiving," Verena said, her tone dropping a notch as she leaned in closer. "There will be monts when you’ll need it. But let tell you sothing—" she paused for effect, "Did you also read the part about self-respect?"
"Yeah... I did."
"You love , right?" Verena’s gaze softened, but only just. "Then respect ."
Evelyn’s brow furrowed in confusion. "I don’t understand..."
Verena sighed, leaning back and inhaling deeply.
Her love life was truly a ss.
It felt as though she was sitting across from an ex-lover, giving them a lecture on how to treat her right, almost as if begging them to change.
It was frustratingly ironic.
At this point, it was Verena who lacked self-respect. She hadn’t even processed her own recent heartbreak.
"I’m not just here for your convenience or your whims. If you want soone to treat you well, you need to start by respecting yourself first. Because how can you expect others to do it if you don’t?"
"But... I don’t understand."
"That’s the problem, Evelyn. You don’t even respect yourself. You think love is all about what you can take or force, but it’s about giving, too. You need to learn your worth before you demand it from anyone else."
In a sudden, dramatic burst, Evelyn clasped Verena’s hand tightly, eyes sparkling with determination. "Okay then..." she took a deep breath, her voice firm.
"I’ll harm anything that gets in your way!"
"That’s not what I ant!" she exclaid.
Frustrated beyond asure, Verena gave Evelyn one last exasperated look before grabbing her by the shoulders and practically tossing her out of the dorm room. "Out! Now!"
As midnight rolled around, Sera finally returned to the dorm, her steps light but cautious.
She glanced over at Verena, who was sprawled out on the bed, looking utterly drained.
"You look like shit," Sera remarked, half-amused, half-concerned.
"Thanks," Verena replied flatly, not even lifting her head.
Sera froze for a mont, surprised.
Normally, Verena would’ve fired back with so biting remark, but tonight, she was quiet. Too quiet.
After a long pause, Sera hesitated, glancing around the room as if unsure of what to do.
She’d never been the comforting type, especially not when it ca to Verena.
But tonight felt different. She walked over slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed, her fingers awkwardly tapping against the sheets.
"You... okay?" she asked, her voice surprisingly soft.
Verena didn’t answer imdiately, just stared at the ceiling, looking exhausted in every sense of the word.
Sera, not sure what to do with herself, reached out and patted her shoulder awkwardly. "I an... I don’t do this whole comfort thing often, but, uh..." She cleared her throat. "If you wanna talk, I’m here. Or... whatever."
Verena let out a soft chuckle, almost inaudible, but it was enough to make Sera sigh in relief.
"Thanks, Sera. I didn’t expect that from you." Verena’s voice was barely above a whisper.
Sera shot her a small, uncertain smile. "Yeah, well, don’t get used to it."
She shifted uncomfortably, not quite sure what to do with herself.
She couldn’t just sit there and not try sothing, could she?
So, in her own way, she attempted to comfort Verena, but it ca out more like a challenge than anything.
"Look," Sera grumbled, jabbing a finger at Verena’s shoulder, "you’re not gonna get any sympathy from by lying there all defeated. You’re Verena, for crying out loud. You’re supposed to be the one with everything under control."
Verena shot her a tired, half-lidded glance but didn’t respond.
Sera’s patience was running thin.
She huffed and leaned closer, her voice turning sharp. "You wanna wallow in this? Fine. But don’t expect to pity you. If you’ve got problems, deal with them. You’re stronger than this," She threw up her hands, a little too forceful. "Get your shit together, or stop pretending you’re fine!"
There was a long silence before Sera sighed, muttering under her breath.
"Okay, maybe that was too much. Whatever. I’m gonna sleep now."
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