The very next mont, music flowed gently from her hands.
The piece lasted nearly forty minutes.
When it ended, the audience still wasn’t ready to let her go.
Clarissa rose, walked to center stage, and picked up the microphone.
“Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming tonight.”
“Besides performing my new piece, I have one more very important announcent.”
“I used to be very insecure. I’m grateful to everyone who loves —but tonight will be my last performance.”
A ripple of shock spread through the crowd.
“This concert is both the debut of my new work… and my farewell.”
“Because I fell in love.”
Her voice was steady.
“He has many flaws. He’s selfish. Violent. Jealous. Possessive.”
“Mhis love is heavy—sotis painful. Dark and oppressive. In the past, it often suffocated .”
“And yet… I still fell in love with him.”
“My boy is petty and selfish,” she said softly, a faint smile in her voice.
“So from now on, my love belongs to him alone.”
“Every piece I write from this day forward will be played only for him.”
“The stage is a beautiful, ethereal dream to . A dream only needs to be lived once.”
“He… is the rest of my life.”
He had built a magnificent, exquisite cage with his love—
and trapped her inside. She had tried to escape it countless tis.
But this ti— She walked in willingly.
Atticus,
I won’t run anymore.
I’ll stay by your side and never leave.
If you’re afraid… I’ll tell the entire world that I love you.
.....
Atticus stared at Clarissa on stage, completely stunned.
His mind went utterly blank.
The world around him faded into nothingness—sound, light, people—all of it vanished. There was only her. Her figure burned itself into his vision, forcing life back into a heart that had long since gone numb.
Clarissa felt it.
That familiar gaze.
Her eyes shifted instinctively, searching the crowd—then she found him, hidden in the shadows. Her heart jolted, joy flooding her chest—
And then it froze.
Not far from him, a dark gun barrel was aid straight at Atticus’s back.
He hadn’t noticed a thing.
Atticus—
The next second, she didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate.
Ignoring the shocked cries of the audience, Clarissa bolted from the stage.
Twenty years old.
That ruthless, cold-blooded villain—he was supposed to die at twenty.
No.
Clarissa scread inside her head.
Atticus saw her rushing toward him and instinctively turned, but before he could react, Clarissa leapt from the stage and threw herself at him.
“Atticus—watch out!”
Bang!
The gunshot exploded through the hall.
Her red dress flared violently through the air. Atticus’s hat was knocked clean off his head as the bullet tore through it, grazing past with a sickening hiss.
Clarissa slamd into him, tackling him to the ground.
Panic detonated instantly. Screams ripped through the hall. People ran in every direction as chaos erupted.
Atticus clutched Clarissa tightly, his voice shaking.
“Clarissa! Clarissa—are you hurt? Are you insane?! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?!”
Her face was pale, but she smiled faintly.
“I don’t know… my head just went blank. When I realized what I was doing, I was already moving.”
She lifted her hand and gently touched his face.
“So… my Atticus really did beco a great doctor, just like Grandpa.” Her eyes shimred. “I’m so happy.”
“Clarissa…” His eyes reddened violently.
She rembered.
She rembered everything.
A faint tallic scent drifted into her nose.
Clarissa’s fingers tightened in his clothes as she clung to him, her voice trembling.
“Atticus… the baby…”
The baby—
Atticus’s breath caught.
He looked down and saw the faint red stain seeping between her legs.
His face drained of all color.
Without another word, he scooped her into his arms and ran, shouting hoarsely, “Move! Everyone move! Get out of the way!”
Clarissa tried to lift her head, to say sothing—but her vision blurred, darkness swallowing her whole.
When she woke again, yesterday’s chaos ca crashing back.
“Atticus—our baby!”
Atticus imdiately pressed her gently back down.
“The baby’s fine. Don’t move.”
His voice—steady, controlled—finally grounded her.
He helped her sit up and placed a cushion behind her back.
“Does anything hurt?”
“No… I just feel weak.” She swallowed. “Can I have so water?”
He quickly poured her so and fed it to her carefully, sip by sip.
Warmth returned to her cheeks.
Clarissa rested her hand over her lower abdon, relief flooding her chest.
“Thank God… you and the baby are both safe.” She paused. “Did they catch him?”
“Yes.” His eyes darkened. “One of Nelson’s n.”
He hesitated before speaking again.
“Clarissa… don’t you have sothing to say? When did you rember?”
She looked at him quietly.
“Does it matter?”
Their eyes locked.
Clarissa lifted her hand and beckoned softly.
“Atticus… co here.”
He hesitated—then leaned forward, only to be pulled tightly into her arms.
“Atticus,” she whispered, “let’s go ho, okay?”
His composure shattered instantly. Tears poured down his face as he clutched her, sobbing uncontrollably.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
“I lied to you again. I never understood love. I hurt you again and again…”
“Even so, I still selfishly begged God for one more chance—just one—to love you properly. Even if it was only for a few days… a few months…” His voice broke completely. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry for everything. For making you suffer…”
Clarissa stroked the back of his head gently, her voice soft and steady.
“Mmm… I can feel it. I feel Atticus’s love.”
Tears slid silently down her cheeks, yet she smiled.
“It’s okay now. You did your best.”
“Be good, Atticus. Don’t cry…”
“I’m sorry I left you before. I won’t ever do that again.”
Outside the ward, Callum leaned against the wall, their voices filtering through the glass.
He let out a bitter chuckle. “So I’ve beco the villain.”
“Mr. Callum… Clarissa would never think that.”
Callum shook his head slowly. “Let’s go. Give them so space.”
He turned away. “Tell Clarissa I’m heading back. Tell her not to overthink things—and to focus on getting better.”
With that, he left.
Phoenix glanced back into the ward one last ti… then quietly followed.
......
Clarissa remained under Atticus’s care for the next two days and made a full recovery within the week.
During that ti, many people ca to visit her. Phoenix stopped by several tis—but Callum never appeared, and that absence quietly weighed on her.
Fortunately, Phoenix’s next words reignited her hope.
“Mr. Callum wants you to recover first,” he said gently. “He’s waiting for you over there.”
Atticus, anwhile, had been wound impossibly tight these past few days. Even the smallest movent from Clarissa was enough to set him on edge.
That afternoon, Clarissa got out of bed to use the restroom. She hadn’t taken more than two steps when Atticus appeared in front of her, dicine in hand.
“Don’t move.”
“Atticus, I just need to use the bathroom.”
Without another word, he bent down and lifted her straight into his arms.
“I’ll carry you.”
Before she could protest, he’d already carried her into the bathroom, set her carefully onto the toilet, and turned to wait outside.
Clarissa watched his retreating back and sighed inwardly.
I’m fine already…
The mont she finished, Atticus ca back in and carried her straight to bed again.
Under his watchful supervision, Clarissa obediently took her dicine, ate her als, and—by afternoon—was subjected to an ultrasound.
Atticus personally operated the machine.
Clarissa lay beside him, watching as he compared the data reports with almost obsessive focus. He checked them again and again—ten tis at least—until he was absolutely certain she was healthy.
Only then did he finally, rcifully, announce, “You can be discharged.”
.....
After settling back in, the two finally returned ho.
Clarissa sat curled up on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, holding a glass of warm water.
Atticus sat beside her and carefully pulled her into his arms.
“What are you thinking about?”
“…Mr. Callum.”
She nodded. “Yeah. Let’s find so ti to visit Grandpa.”
“Okay.” Atticus lowered his gaze and placed his hand gently over her belly.
It had been flat not long ago, but in just a month, it had begun to round ever so slightly.
“Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
“You’re a doctor,” Clarissa said. “Pregnant won aren’t made of glass.”
“Every woman reacts differently.”
“Well, then I’m doing just fine.” She placed her hand over his. “Atticus… do you want a boy or a girl?”
“A girl,” he answered without hesitation.
“Why?”
“I don’t like children,” he said bluntly. “But if she’s like you… I can tolerate it.”
If he were honest, he wished she didn’t have to go through pregnancy at all. Watching her belly grow day by day, knowing the risks, made his nerves stretch thin. He wanted to be by her side every second—watching, guarding—only then could he breathe.
“You—!” Clarissa glared at him.
Sure enough, still the sa old Atticus.
.....
After another half month of rest—once the baby’s position was completely stable—Atticus finally took Clarissa to see Callum.
Callum seed to have expected them. He was already seated at the entrance, calmly drinking tea.
“Grandpa.”
Callum pursed his lips, didn’t look up, and spoke quietly.
“Go inside and rest.”
Then he turned his gaze to Atticus.
“You. Stay.”
Clarissa hesitated, worry written all over her face.
“Don’t worry,” Callum said flatly. “I won’t kill him. Go on.”
Reluctantly, Clarissa went inside.
Atticus helped her sit on the tatami mat, tucked a blanket around her shoulders, and kissed her forehead.
They didn’t speak—only exchanged a long, silent look.
Once Atticus stepped away, Callum stood up imdiately.
“Co with .”
Atticus followed him to the backyard, where a small house had been built at so point.
The mont he stepped inside, a strange, pungent sll hit his nose.
Under Atticus’s gaze, Callum opened a hidden compartnt and took out a small box.
He looked up at Atticus.
“Atticus, I don’t want to hand Clarissa over to you. But I don’t have a choice.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Callum.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” Callum said coldly. “And don’t make promises. A man’s verbal promises are nothing but bullshit. I don’t believe them—and I don’t want to hear them.”
He thrust the box forward.
“Show sothing real. If you truly love Clarissa, eat it.”
Atticus opened the box, shock flickering through his eyes.
“It’s… a mother-and-child Gu.”
If the one who swallowed the mother Gu died, the one who carried the child Gu would die an hour later.
But if the child Gu died, the mother Gu would remain unhard.
“You know exactly what it is,” Callum said grimly. “I don’t trust people’s hearts. I don’t know how long I can continue protecting Clarissa. If you want to be with her—eat it.”
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