They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System Chapter 601: More of a Relief

Nnenna’s breath caught. "I don’t understand... what does this have to do with ?" she asked, genuinely taken aback.

"Don’t you dare pretend you don’t know!" Cynthia scoffed, her eyes burning with accusation.

"Carl might not have loved back all these years," Cynthia hissed, her voice trembling between rage and heartbreak, "but when you ca into the picture almost two years ago... it sealed everything."

She gripped the knife tighter, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "In the past, I would serve him in the dining hall and just watch him eat, quiet, peaceful monts I cherished. But since you ca into his life, it’s been Nnenna this, Nnenna that, every breakfast, every lunch, every dinner. He wouldn’t shut up about you!"

Nnenna’s throat tightened, but she kept her expression calm, watching Cynthia unravel.

"I could see it in his eyes from the very first day he returned from Lionara," Cynthia continued bitterly. "He loves you. I stayed by his side for years, loyal, patient, rejecting suitors, waiting for him. And then he makes one trip to Lionara and cos back with you already in his heart."

Her laugh was sharp, broken. "For goodness’ sake, he only knew you for a few months! And more than half that ti, you were in a coma! Yet he adopted you, gave you rights to the throne, prepared a special room just for you... waiting to bring you over."

Cynthia’s eyes brimd with fury and despair as her voice cracked. "What do you think that felt like, watching him hand over everything I had dread of, just because you appeared out of nowhere?"

"When he finally settled here six months ago, I thought, finally," Cynthia spat, her voice breaking. "But no. For two months straight, you were all he thought of. You, who were miles away! I couldn’t even compete with soone who wasn’t in the sa kingdom."

Her grip on the knife trembled, her eyes wild. "Then suddenly he’s rushing off to Prigrian because he’s worried about you. And when he cos back? He’s more worried! He barely ate, barely slept, always working, and why? Surprise, surprise, it was because of you! Because of so big argunt you two had!"

Nnenna’s pulse hamred.

"Then you show up three weeks ago," Cynthia’s voice cracked into a scream, "and start acting like you own the place! I could try to make him forget you when you were far, but how do I do that when you’re near?!"

She stepped closer to Carl’s bedside, her body trembling with rage. "I’ve known him my whole life! I literally grew up with him! What gives you the right to steal him from ?!"

Nnenna froze, her breath caught. Carl... loves ?

Her mind spun, piecing together every worried glance, every quiet gesture, every unexplained sacrifice Carl had made for her. Of course he does... It suddenly made sense. I always knew.

"Cynthia," Nnenna forced her voice steady, though her heart was racing, "I think you’re mistaken about this."

"What?" Cynthia barked, her voice hoarse. "You’re going to deny it? You’ll keep pretending you and I share the sa pain? That cowardly?" She let out a bitter laugh. "I really don’t know what Carl sees in you."

"No," Nnenna answered at last, her voice calm but firm. "Actually, I agree with you. But not in the way you think."

Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. "Agree? So now you’re gloating? You got in months what I couldn’t get in years?" Her voice shook, like she expected Nnenna to smirk in triumph.

But Nnenna only shook her head. "No. You’re wrong. Yes, Carl does love ... but not the way you think. He doesn’t have those kinds of feelings for . He loves like a little sister."

Cynthia froze, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"All those tis he wouldn’t shut up about ?" Nnenna continued, almost amused because Cynthia’s complaints sounded exactly like Carl.

"It’s because he was excited, excited to finally have soone he could call family again. You know what he’s been through. You grew up with him. You know how lonely he gets. For him, having around isn’t about romance, it’s about relief. Comfort. Belonging."

Cynthia’s lips trembled, but she didn’t lower the knife.

"My being here never ruined your chance," Nnenna pressed gently. "Who knows what the future holds? Even if Carl never feels the way you wanted... you can still choose another path. You can still be better. You can still find soone who will love you for you."

Her voice softened, steady as her eyes stayed locked on Cynthia’s. "But if you keep going down this path, it will only eat you alive. You’ll be miserable. Please... don’t do this. Drop the knife."

"I’m not stupid," Cynthia snapped, her grip on the knife tightening. "So now your strategy is to lie to ?" Her voice rose, trembling with fury. "I see the way he looks at you. I see the way his eyes light up whenever he talks about you. And you’re trying to tell that’s not real? That’s not love? You think I’m blind?"

Nnenna frowned. She could tell, Cynthia wasn’t lying. She believed every word. But that was the problem. Cynthia didn’t want the truth. She only wanted the version that matched her obsession.

Even nanny admitted she was afraid Carl might one day develop feelings for , Nnenna thought quickly. But it was just a might. She wasn’t afraid of sothing that already existed, just of what could possibly happen in the future. Which ans Cynthia’s wrong... Carl doesn’t love that way. And he never will.

It wasn’t a problem to Nnenna. It was more of a relief. Afterall, Somto was the only person she had loved even before she knew what that word ant.

Her eyes locked on Cynthia’s trembling figure. But even if I say this, will she even listen?

Nnenna exhaled slowly. "Looks like the truth won’t reach you, Cynthia. Not yet." She steadied her voice and tried a different angle.