Ethan scoffed. “Do you think vampires die
that easily?”
“You’ll suffer, you’ll burn, but you won’t die.”
“Just like Chloe, she endured countless times, yet couldn’t escape.”
He opened the lab’s blackout shutters, a ray
of sunlight striking Jessica’s arm.
The pain of smoking skin and peeling flesh.
was all too familiar.
Jessica’s scream tore through the air, she
struggled wildly, unable to break free.
“See, this is what Chloe endured every day.”
Ethan said coldly “And you dared to say to
く
me–Ethan, you’re hurting her, and it makes
my heart ache a little.”
He mimicked Jessica’s voice, sarcastically
repeating the words.
“False sympathy is more vicious than outright
cruelty, Jessica.”
“You knew I was torturing her, yet you
pretended to care, actually gloating.”
Jessica gasped in pain, the sunlight already
burning her skin. “I’m sorry…please…”
“Too late.”
Ethan closed the shutters. “Next, let’s try a
silver injection.”
Jessica’s scream rang out again, the pain of
the silver liquid unbearable.
Ethan watched impassively, no mercy in his
eyes.
“Remember the pleasure you felt injecting
silver into Chloe’s veins?”
“Now, how does it feel?”
く
“Everything Chloe suffered, you will
experience.”
Jessica couldn’t answer, only convulsing in
pain.
Jessica struggled under the torment of the
silver liquid; her nails fell off, her blood
blackened by the corrosive liquid.
These days, Ethan’s revenge never ceased.
Jessica no longer had the strength to scream;
her eyes were vacant, her lips cracked and
bleeding.
“You know?”
Ethan took a silver scalpel, holding it against
Jessica’s chest.
“I once slowly cut open Chloe’s chest,
studying how her heart beat, how it endured
silver without dying.”
I could see Jessica tremble; she was afraid
because the heart was a vampire’s weakness.
If that knife truly pierced her heart, she would
く
die.
She didn’t want to die.
Jessica struggled violently. “Don’t do this to
me! I’ll tell you a secret, about Chloe.”
“What secret?” Ethan immediately asked.
Jessica said with difficulty, “A vampire’s soul
that breaks the blood pact, without outside
interference, will dissipate completely on the
fortieth day, never returning.”
Ethan’s face changed. “What do you mean?
What is outside interference?”
“It means Chloe’s soul is still wandering, but
will soon disappear forever.”
Jessica’s voice grew weaker. “Today is the
thirty–ninth day.”
My soul trembled.
That’s why I felt increasingly weak,
increasingly unable to maintain clear
consciousness.
“Why are you telling me now!”
<
Ethan violently grabbed Jessica’s collar,
nearly lifting her.
“Because I hate her. I want her to vanish
forever.”
Jessica laughed hysterically.
Ethan grabbed her throat. “How? Tell me!”
“I’ll spare your life.”
Having received the promise, Jessica finally
spoke.
Jessica said softly, “There’s only one way:
sacrifice the blood pact’s other party’s heart
to temporarily connect the living and the
dead.”
“In other words, use your heart to prevent her
soul from dissipating.”
She looked at Ethan’s chest. “I suddenly want
to know what you’ll do.”
“Can your so–called love for Chloe make you
sacrifice everything?”
Ethan’s hands clenched into fists. “Why
<
should I believe you?”
“Because you have no choice.”
Jessica closed her eyes. “Time is running
out.”
I watched Ethan struggle internally.
Finally, he cleanly opened his chest.
Ethan took out his still–beating heart, blood
staining his hands.
Holding his heart, he softly called my name,
his voice filled with an unprecedented
tenderness.
“Chloe, if you can hear me, please answer
me.”
My soul drifted towards him, trying to touch
him, but still unable to break the barrier
between life and death.
Ethan called my name repeatedly.
“Chloe…Chloe…Chloe…”
A ripple finally appeared in the air. I felt my
soul drawn by an unseen force towards
<
Ethan.
A miracle happened.
My figure gradually solidified in the moonlight,
transparent like smoke, but visible.
The moment Ethan saw me, tears welled in
his eyes. “Chloe, it’s really you…”
I looked at him, not knowing what to say.
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan’s voice choked. “I’m so sorry…”
I shook my head.
“I know you may never forgive me.”
Ethan continued, tears flowing uncontrollably.
“But I have to tell you, I love you, I’ve always
loved you.”
“I don’t expect your forgiveness.
He reached out to touch me, but his hand
passed through my figure.
“I just want you to know, I love you.”
“This time, let it be my atonement.”
Time seemed to be running out; I felt myself
く
becoming more transparent.
I realized I was about to disappear again.
Ethan seemed to sense this too; his
expression turned resolute.
“Chloe, wait for me.”
Before I understood his meaning, I saw him.
take the silver knife, stabbing himself without
hesitation.
Blood gushed out, he fell to his knees, yet still
maintained a smile.
“No!”
I finally spoke, my voice weak as a breeze,
but undeniably mine.
“Forgive me.
His voice grew weaker. “If I can, please wait
for me…”
His eyes slowly closed.
Ethan died, before my eyes, ending this
nightmare in his own way.
I softly spoke my final words. “Ethan,
softly spoke my final words. “Ethan,
goodbye.”
No forgiveness, no curse, only farewell.
