Chapter 1

"So, are you telling me that Lily ran in front of my car on purpose? That she couldn't handle the sudden change in her family circumstances and wanted to end it all?

"Back then, Lily was outstanding in both academics and character. Every boy in school saw her as their perfect dream girl. The day of her accident, the boys at school nearly beat me to death."

In the rented apartment, Marcus Blackwood stared vacantly at the woman sitting across from him. His face was unshaven, and he was surrounded by scattered beer bottles and takeout containers.

The woman wearing smoky eye makeup was Victoria Reed, his high school classmate.

Victoria looked around the room that was permeated with an atmosphere of despair and decay, frowning. "Lily and I were deskmates in high school. Her family situation was very complicated. She even wrote a letter before the accident."

Marcus took the yellowed envelope Victoria handed him, suddenly losing emotional control as he covered his face and sobbed. "So, it wasn't me who ruined her life—she ruined mine."

The sealed memories gradually surfaced in his mind.

During the summer break of junior year, 18-year-old Marcus became obsessed with driving. He pestered his parents to enroll him in driving school, and he obtained his license within a month.

At first, his family was concerned, so his father, Robert Blackwood, always sat in the passenger seat whenever Marcus drove.

He remembered that day—the day before senior year started. His family's café was running low on supplies. His father had a business engagement, so Marcus volunteered to deliver the goods using the family car.

In his haste, Marcus didn't hit the brakes early as Robert had taught him when the traffic light was about to switch to yellow in three seconds, but instead pressed down on the accelerator.

Just then, a figure suddenly rushed out from the sidewalk, and Marcus couldn't remember anything after that. The only thing he recalled was the sea of red everywhere—blood that stained the street.

When he regained consciousness, he was already in the hospital. He learned that the person his car had hit was Lily Summers, his classmate.

In that moment, 18-year-old Marcus felt his heart fill with terror and remorse.

For 20 years, Marcus believed that his decision to step on the gas had destroyed Lily's life. Every night, he would have the same dream—a blood-covered woman singing to him, her voice wretched and her face terrifying.

Marcus' heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife, day after day. But now, the letter in his hand clearly told him that even without him, Lily would have chosen another car to end her life.

Marcus looked painfully at Victoria sitting across from him.

When freshman year began, Victoria and Marcus had been deskmates. Back then, Victoria was the class belle, and like many guys, Marcus secretly had feelings for her. He even wrote her love letters.

After Lily's accident, Marcus fell into depression and ruin. During that time, Victoria was the only one who comforted him.

Marcus mistook her comfort for true love and fell into desperate devotion. For 20 years, he worshipped Victoria without boundaries, giving everything he had, only to receive her inconsistent affection in return—warm one moment, but cold the next.

Across from him, Victoria turned her head to look out the window. "You can start a new life now. Don't come looking for me anymore. I've found someone I care about."

So, she had known all along that Lily had wanted to end her life, but she had chosen to hide the truth to enjoy his unwavering devotion. At that moment, Marcus felt his world spinning.

He thought that if he could do it all over again, he would surely shake some sense into the woman who had ruined his entire life.

Lily Summers…

…

"Marcus, get up! The store needs supplies, and your dad's not around. Hey brat, are you listening?"

In a room bathed in sunlight, Marcus opened his eyes to a world spinning violently. The ceiling and floor wildly alternated, each movement triggering waves of nausea.

Fighting the churning in his stomach, Marcus shakily rose to his feet and found himself in a room simultaneously familiar and foreign.

A young, bewildered face stared back at him in the mirror. Basketball posters covered the wall above his bed. Then, there was his cherished guitar that was not yet consigned to flames.

A bewildering thought seized his mind. He grabbed the Nokia phone from his nightstand and checked the date.

It was 20 years ago. The date was August 30th. Had he truly returned?

His heart, which had been dormant for 20 years, thundered in his chest as he shook uncontrollably. Today was the day both his and Lily's fates would be irrevocably altered.

One was living with a dead soul, while the other was physically gone, yet eternally haunting another's dreams.

Marcus had endured this suffering once. He refused to let it happen again.

He would break free from the nightmare that had tormented him for two decades. This time, he would personally pull that suicidal young woman away from the wheels of his car.

He pushed open the door to find his mother, Milly Fulton, on the phone in the living room. When she saw Marcus, the elegant-looking woman said to the person on the other end, "Mr. Wright, Rob's in a meeting. I'll have Mark deliver the supplies to you…

"Hey, you big goof, aren't you too old for hugs? …Alright, alright. Mr. Wright, we'll leave it at that."

As Milly hung up the phone, she looked at Marcus, who had thrown himself into her arms, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Let me tell you, puppy dog eyes won't work. Your father's not here—if you don't make this delivery, what is our family supposed to live on? Thin air?"

Looking at Milly—her hair not yet grayed from years of worrying about him—Marcus felt a surge of emotion. "Mom, don't worry. I'll take care of you from now on."

Milly somewhat playfully pushed Marcus away and handed him a set of keys. "Charm won't get you out of this one, you brat. You still need to make the delivery. Since your dad isn't around, there's no car for you—take the scooter instead."

In his previous life, Marcus had wheedled and insisted until Milly, pressured by the store's urgent needs, finally let him take the car.

This time, she watched with surprise as Marcus grabbed the scooter keys without protest and bolted out the door.

"Strange... The brat didn't even try to take the car."

…

The electric scooter whizzed through the crowded streets. After the accident, Marcus had never driven again and developed a severe fear of blood.

For 20 years, the same nightmare visited him nightly. The woman in red was always Lily, though he could never make out her face clearly.

In his memory, Lily was distant and solitary. She kept to herself, with virtually no friends in class—Victoria being perhaps the closest thing she had to one.

She was so impossibly pale that the term "deathly white" barely described it.

What stuck with Marcus most was how she excelled in everything, always sitting in the front row in class and wearing that same washed-out uniform. Her beauty seemed almost otherworldly, too perfect to be real.

Everyone in school placed her on a pedestal. She was their untouchable ideal, but few had the courage to actually approach her.

In high school, Marcus had been brash and loud, while Lily was painfully quiet. Without the incident, their lives might never have intersected.

The scooter couldn't match a car's speed, so Marcus pushed it to its limit, terrified of being too late again. When he reached the intersection by his family's café, everything looked normal. That momentarily calmed his nerves.

But before he could fully relax, he caught sight of a young woman with flowing hair walking dejectedly toward the street. Unlike the red dress from his nightmares, Lily wore a simple white shirt and jeans.

She had luminous, expressive eyes, a delicate nose, and soft pink lips. Her silky hair fell across her shoulders, gleaming like pearls in the sunlight.

Marcus couldn't help but think how unfair God had been—most people seemed carelessly molded, but Lily was clearly a masterpiece crafted with divine attention.

If beauty were currency, Lily would be wealthy beyond measure. She had the kind of beauty admired universally. Throughout the school, countless students worshipped her from afar.

Marcus was less than 50 feet from the intersection. He watched the light across the street turn from green to red, and cars began to move forward.

At that moment, Lily, who had been staring at the ground, suddenly lifted her face toward the sun. In the light, her skin seemed to glow with a gentle warmth, hazy like a vintage photograph with its soft yellow tones.

A breeze caught her hair, and she raised her hand to brush away the strands from her face, letting a single tear roll down her cheek. Then, as if gathering all her courage, she took a step forward.

Marcus' heart froze. He abandoned the scooter and sprinted toward her like a man possessed.

Chapter 2

Lily stood at the roadside, head bowed as tears slid down her face. Her internal struggle was evident. Her slightly trembling shoulders revealed the intense battle raging within her mind.

Passersby behind her had noticed her emotional distress. Some called out warnings, but this only hastened her steps forward.

In the final three seconds of the green light, the light in Lily's eyes was completely replaced by despair. She suddenly stepped forward, rushing toward the pickup truck speeding from the opposite direction.

Marcus abandoned the electric scooter and sprinted wildly, adrenaline making his senses extraordinarily sharp.

In the next moment, just before Lily could throw herself in front of the pickup truck, a large hand seized her wrist. Marcus yanked her backward with tremendous force, pulling her safely away from the oncoming vehicle.

The sharp wail of emergency brakes, accompanied by the harsh friction between tires and pavement, pierced their eardrums. The entire intersection instantly fell into chaos.

Lily let out a muffled groan as she fell to the roadside after getting pulled by the powerful force. The surrounding commotion and noise seemed to have nothing to do with her.

Her mouth was now slightly open. Her flawless face was completely drained of color due to tension and fear.

Marcus looked at her while breathing heavily. He felt no joy in having saved someone, nor relief in having escaped disaster. There was only resentment and pent-up frustration.

After all, his life had been turned upside down because of her for 20 whole years.

Feeling guilty for allowing him to drive, Milly had gone gray overnight. Robert sighed constantly at the sight of his dejected son. A once-happy family had completely lost its vitality.

And all of this was thanks to the young woman before him. To say he didn't pin any blame on her would be impossible.

"Thank you..."

Lily stood up, not even daring to look up to see who had saved her. She just wanted to escape as quickly as possible before things could spiral further out of control.

Marcus instinctively reached out. "Hold it."

He still had something to say.

Suddenly, Lily felt a strong force at the back of her head. Her scalp tightened sharply as her body involuntarily arched backward.

She instinctively reached back to feel what it was, and her fingertips touched a hand that wasn't her own. It was firmly gripping her ponytail.

In an instant, her eyes widened, and her cheeks quickly flushed red. She whipped her head around, glaring at the young man behind her. However, her tear-filled, indignant eyes were instantly full of terror.

It was only at this moment that she finally saw clearly—the person who had just saved her and was now holding her ponytail was none other than her classmate, Marcus.

"Can't you watch where you're going? Don't you know red from green? If you want to die, do it without endangering others..."

After a long screech of brakes, the still-shaken pickup driver cursed loudly as he walked toward them.

The light had still been green for three more seconds, giving the pickup truck plenty of time to pass through. The driver never expected someone would suddenly dash out from the roadside, heading straight for his vehicle.

He had come so close to causing a tragedy. This brush with disaster left him shouting in fear and anger. Meanwhile, the crowd parted around them as Marcus released Lily's ponytail.

Then, Marcus took a deep breath in full view of everyone. With resolute eyes, he raised his hand high and delivered a sharp slap across Lily's face.

The slap was so unexpected and shocking that everyone nearby froze in disbelief.

As Lily held her cheek in stunned silence, Marcus turned to the pickup driver and bowed deeply. He said with complete sincerity, "Sir, I'm terribly sorry. My sister's not right in the head.

"She wasn't paying attention when crossing and nearly caused a disaster. I know we're completely at fault here. I apologize for the trouble we've caused you."

The pickup driver was clearly stunned by Marcus' slap as well. He glanced at the deeply bowing Marcus, then at Lily, who stood cupping her cheek with tears streaming down her face, before waving his hand dismissively.

"Forget it. We're lucky nothing serious happened."

With those words, the pickup driver put his arm around Marcus' shoulder and whispered something in his ear before waving goodbye and leaving.

Then, Marcus flexed his numbing wrist and approached Lily. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the café behind them.

The shock on Lily's face immediately transformed into fury as she shouted, "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

As she yelled, she clawed at his fingers with such force that her nails turned white from the pressure. While Lily struggled desperately, Marcus raised his hand a second time. Lily held her cheek and stopped resisting after another crisp sound.

"Hey now, young man, why'd you hit her? How could you bring yourself to strike such a beautiful young woman?"

Just as an elderly man with a strong sense of justice was about to step forward, an older woman beside him immediately pulled him back.

"Don't get involved. I saw everything clearly. That young lady deliberately ran toward the pickup truck. She nearly caused a tragedy—someone needed to knock some sense into her..."

…

Marcus' family café had a staff lounge. He locked Lily inside, then turned to ask a server to collect his electric scooter and the scattered supplies.

When he finished and reopened the door, he found Lily standing by the window with a blank expression.

Her eyes were rimmed with red, her long lashes casting shadows below. Her pink lips were slightly parted, moist and glistening. Her dark hair fell in disarray around her shoulders.

As a breeze stirred the sheer curtains, Lily looked like a painting—beautiful enough to break hearts.

Marcus searched his pockets but found no cigarettes. He took a piece of candy from the fruit bowl and popped it into his mouth, mumbling, "Do you think your head's made of steel or something?"

Lily touched her red, burning cheek and glared at Marcus.

Still, he showed her no sympathy. His next words drained the color from her face. "If you're not harder than a pickup truck, why try to charge against one?"

Lily instinctively lowered her head, the anger in her eyes instantly replaced by fear. She stubbornly replied as she fought back tears, "I didn't..."

"You didn't? So, were you just blind and couldn't see the traffic light?" Marcus sat on the stool and extended his hand toward her. "Hand it over."

Strands of hair fell across Lily's forehead, hiding her flushed cheeks.

Marcus then slammed his hand on the table. He coldly demanded under Lily's startled gaze, "The letter."

Panic flashed across Lily's face. She instinctively pressed her hand against the pocket of her jeans and quickly stepped backward, shrinking against the window. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Her manner practically screamed guilty.

Marcus suddenly crushed the candy between his teeth. The crunching sound was jarringly loud in the quiet room.

He stood up and advanced toward Lily, who kept backing away, looking like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

Marcus quickly closed in, slamming his hand against the wall beside Lily's head, trapping her. Lily was dumbstruck.

She looked up to find Marcus' intense eyes staring down at her. This was her first time properly looking at him despite being classmates for two years.

Marcus was handsome and cocky. He had sharp, defined facial features, a straight nose, pale lips, and healthy, tanned skin. At six feet tall, he was among the tallest in their class.

Cornered against the wall with nowhere to retreat, Lily could only force herself to overcome her embarrassment and fear as she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. But she was easily flustered, and her delicate, fair neck soon flushed pink with nervousness.

Just as Lily was struggling not to cry, she suddenly felt a hand reach for her back pocket. "What are you doing..."

For all her innate pride and standoffish demeanor that normally kept people at arm's length, Lily found herself completely vulnerable before Marcus. Her carefully constructed walls were crumbling.

When Marcus finally finished rummaging through her back pocket and pulled out nothing but a sanitary pad, Lily snapped back to reality and shoved him away forcefully.

Marcus was gradually reclaiming his teenage boldness. His eyes drifted briefly to the young woman's heaving chest as he wondered aloud, "You haven't hidden the letter inside your clothes, have you?"

Chapter 3

"Don't push your luck, Marcus Blackwood!" Lily instinctively covered her chest, flushing with anger and embarrassment. "Tomorrow's the first day of school. I swear I'll tell our homeroom teacher you're harassing me!"

Even the perfect student with excellent grades and behavior could only use the teacher as a shield.

Marcus waved dismissively, then realized he was still holding the sanitary pad. He tossed it casually onto the coffee table.

"Go ahead. That would give me the perfect opportunity to discuss the contents of your letter with the teacher. Something about 'I'll leave as quietly as I came,' and 'if you don't love, please don't hurt...'"

"Shut up!" Lily reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her head buzzing. She instinctively reached out and covered Marcus' mouth with her hand.

How was this possible? That farewell letter was her secret alone. Lily was certain she hadn't shown it to anyone. How could Marcus possibly know about it?

A flash of surprise crossed Marcus' eyes as he felt the soft hand against his lips. He hadn't expected such a strong reaction from Lily. She'd actually touched him.

Marcus wondered what would happen if he licked her palm. Would it break through her composure? Still, he shouldn't.

Though he wanted revenge for how she'd ruined 20 years of his life and wanted to make her suffer a bit, he wasn't that shameless. So, he kept his mouth firmly shut.

Lily came to her senses and realized how awkward the situation had become. She'd only wanted to stop Marcus from reading that embarrassing letter aloud.

But now, her hand was pressed firmly against his mouth, her fingers squeezing his cheeks from the pressure. Even so, Marcus hadn't struggled—he just stared directly at her.

Lily's eyes revealed her conflicted emotions as she clearly felt the warmth of Marcus' breath against her palm. She hastily pulled her hand away and asked defiantly, "What exactly do you want?"

Marcus became unusually serious, his expression stern. "Give me that letter. That will give me leverage over you, and I'll make the letter public if you ever try to test whether your head is harder than a pickup truck again.

"I'll let everyone in class—no, everyone in the world—see Lily Summers' inner thoughts."

Lily was clearly suicidal. Marcus could save her today, but what about tomorrow? Or the day after?

He couldn't watch over her every moment. So, the letter would be his collateral to keep Lily from entertaining dangerous thoughts.

Lily grew surprisingly calm after hearing his demand. She turned her head to look at Marcus, her earlier panic and fear gone. "The letter isn't on me."

Marcus shook his head.

"Don't believe me? Search for yourself." Lily tilted her head back, her body as rigid as a statue.

Marcus didn't hesitate. He'd already found only a sanitary pad in her back pocket, so he checked her other jean pockets, finding nothing but three dollars and 50 cents in change.

Lily kept her head raised as Marcus searched her pockets. Her reddened eyes glistened with unshed tears, but her stubborn nature wouldn't let them fall.

After his search, Marcus found nothing but softness and smoothness, along with some loose change. Where was it? Where was that farewell letter?

"What about your shirt pocket?"

Marcus was determined to find that letter. Otherwise, Lily in her red dress would continue haunting his dreams. He truly couldn't bear those nightmares any longer.

Seeing Marcus shift his gaze to her chest, Lily's beautiful face flashed with alarm as she instinctively crossed her arms.

Watching her long eyelashes flutter nervously, Marcus became convinced the letter was hidden in her clothes. He stepped back to give her space, confident he had her cornered.

"How I miss the world and the way the morning sun shines on me..."

"That's enough!" Lily tried to escape reality by covering her ears. She felt she'd completely humiliated herself in front of Marcus.

How could she have written such a sappy, melodramatic letter? And now, Marcus knew about it.

Lily's face burned with embarrassment. After an intense internal struggle, she finally chose to surrender.

Her slender fingers slowly unbuttoned her blouse. As each button came undone, her long neck became visible, along with elegantly curved collarbones.

Marcus' gaze fixed on the slight hollow at the base of her throat. Lily was truly full of surprises.

"Here, since you wanted to see." Lily tossed her shirt at Marcus, leaving her wearing only a small camisole that outlined her youthful, beautiful curves.

Marcus ignored her deer-in-headlights expression and her embarrassment. He carefully examined the faded shirt, confirmed there was nothing hidden in it, then turned his attention to her delicate camisole.

If Lily's icy aloofness served as her protective armor, then now, the vulnerable, delicate beauty beneath was finally revealed with that armor stripped away.

Her dark hair fell to her waist, and her skin was porcelain and alluring. Her slender waist seemed disproportionate to her chest, and the small camisole was stretched tight, as if it might burst open at any moment.

Marcus instinctively moved closer, catching a faint, subtle fragrance. He was certain this wasn't perfume. The scent was sweet, yet carried the freshness and softness of morning flowers touched by dew.

As Marcus unconsciously took a deep breath, Lily's voice came out as if squeezed between her teeth. "I told you it's not here. Do you believe me now?"

Lily clenched her jaw, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. She instinctively lowered her gaze, only to see that Marcus had stepped back.

He sat down in the chair and took another piece of candy. In his previous life, Marcus had been very repressed and developed a heavy smoking habit. Now, he could only substitute that habit with candy. The sweet flavor burst across his taste buds, easing some of his agitation.

Marcus reflected that he had suffered terribly because of Lily in his past life, which instinctively made him want revenge—hence the two slaps.

But with a soul approaching 40 years of age, he figured he'd collected enough interest already. There was no need to truly harm her beyond this point.

Lily must have her own sorrows and troubles, too. Otherwise, an 18-year-old young woman in the prime of her youth wouldn't contemplate ending her life.

Marcus grabbed a piece of candy and offered it to Lily, his eyes narrowing with a pleasant smile. "Lily, when you have dark thoughts, try eating some candy. Candy is sweet, which can make your life seem less bitter."

After a long silence, Lily finally spoke. "This is actually chocolate, which is bitter."

"Huh... you're right." Marcus was speechless. "Let me get you a different candy, then."

But Lily snatched the chocolate from Marcus' hand, tore open the wrapper, and put it in her mouth. It was indeed bitter.

But after the bitterness faded, the sweetness of the chocolate lingered in her mouth. Lily suddenly felt much better.

She thought to herself that since Marcus somehow knew about her farewell letter that she'd never shown anyone, perhaps he truly was sent by heaven to save her.

At the same time, Marcus noticed the hair tie tied around Lily's wrist and froze momentarily.

Today probably wasn't her first attempt to test her head against a pickup truck. There must be scars under that hair tie, right?

Gosh… It seemed he needed to find that letter as soon as possible.

Chapter 4

The hair tie on Lily's wrist signaled to Marcus that saving her would definitely be a long and difficult journey. Even so, Marcus didn't expect one piece of chocolate to cause an instant epiphany in the beautiful Ice Queen.

Still, at least she was safe for today. Having been given this rare second chance at life, Marcus didn't want to live with any regrets.

So, after finishing his candy, he turned his attention back to Lily.

The delicate straps barely resting on her shoulders, the defined collarbones, the impressive curves, the fullness threatening to spill over, and the slender waist that looked like it could be encircled by his hands—none of these looked capable of hiding anything.

It seemed the letter truly wasn't on her person.

Marcus suddenly thought of Victoria. She had been the one who gave him the letter 20 years in the future. Could it be in her possession now?

Back then, Marcus had pined after Victoria just like many other admirers in their class. After Lily's accident, Victoria's slight show of concern had made him even more devoted to her.

Victoria knew that Marcus felt guilty about Lily. She knew the truth about Lily's suicidal thoughts, but she chose to conceal it to enjoy Marcus' devotion.

At that time, Marcus' family owned several cafés. Victoria often brought large groups of friends to visit, and Marcus would slavishly foot the bill for them without limits.

He'd give expensive gifts without blinking an eye, yet never earned Victoria's genuine affection. She simply kept him at arm's length, claiming it was a test of his devotion.

Even in university, Victoria went through boyfriend after boyfriend, but Marcus remained her backup option. Looking back on it now, Marcus only wanted to call himself an idiot.

Was he angry? Somewhat, but after experiencing so much, many things no longer mattered to him. Besides, he'd been given a fresh start. Everything could be made right.

With one last hope, Marcus shifted his gaze downward.

Lily immediately flushed bright red. "You already checked my pants pockets."

She showed little aversion, with no disgust or hatred in her eyes. As for her embarrassment, Marcus chose to ignore it.

Lily's low-rise jeans were faded from washing and hugged her shapely hips. Her legs were straight and long—not excessively slender, but perfectly proportioned. Neither too thin nor too full, they were balanced and athletic.

When searching her pockets earlier, Marcus had felt their softness and elasticity firsthand. Though the possibility seemed slim, Marcus held onto his last hope.

"Nothing in the pockets doesn't mean it couldn't be hidden inside the jeans themselves."

Now, Lily was truly panicking. Though she saw Marcus as her lifeline and was willing to give him the letter, that didn't mean she had no boundaries. She'd already removed her shirt, but her jeans were absolutely out of the question.

Lily instinctively backed away, though there was nowhere to retreat with her back against the corner of the room.

Marcus noted the alarm in her eyes but pressed on indifferently. "I'll give you two choices. Either let me check your jeans, or... write me a new farewell letter."

Lily hesitated, but Marcus didn't give her time to think. He was glaring at her as he pretended to reach forward.

She immediately yielded. "I'll write it..."

Marcus' hand came within a fraction of an inch of those sweet-looking legs. He'd hoped she might hold out just a little longer, but alas…

Marcus turned to find a piece of paper and a pen after reluctantly withdrawing his hand.

Lily pointed at her belongings on the table, her voice carrying a hint of pleading. "My things... Can I have them back?"

Marcus glanced at the three dollars and 50 cents and cheap sanitary pads on the table, dismissing her request with a wave. "After you write the letter for me."

There was no paper in the lounge, so Marcus had to go outside to find some. When he returned, he was carrying a cup of coffee and a slice of cake.

Seeing Lily still standing by the window, Marcus raised an eyebrow as he asked, "Why are you standing so far away? Come over and write the letter."

Lily had put her shirt back on. Her beautiful eyes instinctively glanced at the cake before she slowly moved to sit down.

Marcus handed her the paper and pen, adding cautiously, "Just so you know, I'm completely familiar with the letter's contents. If you try to write something different, don't blame me for being unpleasant."

Lily kept her head down but didn't start writing.

Marcus sat nearby, waiting patiently. One minute passed, then two. His patience gradually wore thin as his fingers drummed on the table.

Finally, he couldn't hold back. "Do you not want to write? Then I'll have to search you."

As he spoke, Marcus slowly moved his hand toward her thigh.

His movement was deliberately slow, giving her time to react, but Lily remained motionless. Even when Marcus placed his hand on her soft thigh, Lily kept her head down. Her delicate face was hidden by her hair, making her expression unreadable but appearing terribly vulnerable.

Just as Marcus began to think he'd gone too far, Lily slowly raised her head. Two drops of tears fell from her eyes like pearls. "I can't remember how the first sentence goes..."

Lily was crying. She hadn't cried earlier when facing death on the street, or even when Marcus had slapped her twice in public.

But now, the tears came simply because she couldn't remember the first line of her farewell letter.

She hadn't cried earlier because she'd lost all hope for living. Now, having finally gathered the courage to go on living, she couldn't remember what she'd written.

Marcus placed the cake in front of her, smiling brightly. "Remember what I said? When life is bitter, something sweet makes it less so."

Lily lowered her head, her voice barely audible. "This is all the money I have. I can't afford cake..."

Marcus ignored her protest and deliberately smeared a bit of frosting on her lips. "Now it's on you. If you don't eat it, it'll just go to waste."

When Lily saw Marcus actually moving to throw the cake in the trash, she hurriedly grabbed his hand and took a bite. It truly was sweet.

Marcus took the paper and pen from in front of Lily and began writing himself. Though he'd only seen the letter once, it seemed etched into his soul. Even if Lily couldn't remember, he wouldn't forget a single punctuation mark.

By the time Lily finished her cake, Marcus had completed the lengthy letter. He handed the finished letter to Lily, saying casually, "Sign your name. From now on, this letter is yours."

Lily took the letter and stared at the neat, elegant handwriting on the page, momentarily showing an expression of disbelief. It wasn't just that the content matched exactly what she'd written, but more importantly, the handwriting was 90% similar to her own.

If she hadn't been the author herself, most people would never have noticed the difference.

Little did she know that during the 20 years after the accident, Marcus had lived in nightmares, wanting to make amends and understand everything about Lily. He even began practicing her handwriting.

While Lily was shocked by the handwriting on the page, Marcus focused on the corner of her mouth. Earlier, he had deliberately smeared cake frosting there, and it hadn't been wiped away.

So Marcus reached out, his fingertip gently brushing across the corner of her mouth. Then, looking at the small bit of cream on his fingertip, he put it directly in his mouth. It was indeed sweet.

At that moment, Lily carefully handed the letter that now bore her signature to Marcus.

The letter read, "Dear Mom, by the time you read this letter, I may no longer be by your side.

"How I cherish this world and the first rays of morning sunlight on my face. Don't grieve for too long. I've only gone ahead to a distant place, where there is no pain and no worries. Quietly, I leave, just as I quietly came...

"August 25th, 2005. From your loving daughter, Lily."

Marcus solemnly folded the letter and carefully tucked it away. He looked at the young woman before him. "Lily Summers, I have leverage over you from now on. You can't escape."

Chapter 5

"Can I go now?" Lily's delicate face bore a clear handprint. Not wanting anyone to see it, she kept her head down, using her long hair to hide half her face.

Marcus was still concerned. He worried that Lily might not show up at school tomorrow, which would defeat much of the purpose of his second chance at life.

He took out the letter again and said menacingly, "Listen, don't get any bold ideas. If you don't come to school tomorrow, I'll read this letter at the school assembly. You know I'd do it."

Lily paused for a moment, but showed no anger or resentment. She simply nodded gently. "I'll do as you say."

Only then was Marcus satisfied.

At this point, Lily carefully collected her three dollars and 50 cents along with the sanitary pad from the table. As she brushed past Marcus, he suddenly grabbed her hand.

Thinking that Marcus wanted to search her again, Lily hastily backed away. Her large eyes blinked pitifully.

Marcus simply said, "Are you leaving just like that? You haven't paid for the coffee and cake yet."

Lily glanced at the steaming coffee and the cream cake she'd eaten, arguing reasonably, "I didn't drink the coffee."

After a pause, she added, "And you made me eat the cake."

Marcus scowled. "You ate it just because I told you to? If I told you to jump off a cliff, would you do that too? No excuses. The cake is 15 dollars. You have 3.50, right? You still owe me 11 dollars and 50 cents."

Marcus rudely snatched the money from her hand, not sparing even the sanitary pad. "I'll count the pad as one dollar. You still owe me ten dollars and 50 cents."

Lily bit her red lips, glaring fiercely at Marcus. Those three dollars and 50 cents were money for food for two days. Her stomach was full after eating the cake, so at worst, she'd skip a few meals for a couple of days.

But that sanitary pad… Her period was due in two days, and she truly had no money to buy a new one.

Watching Lily's utterly unthreatening expression, Marcus found her quite adorable. He couldn't resist teasing her.

So, he took out the letter again and said casually, "Write me an IOU. You can pay me back when you have the money."

Marcus picked up the pen and quickly wrote on the letter, still imitating Lily's handwriting.

When Lily saw the amount on the IOU, she immediately exclaimed with indignation, "Marcus, you're going too far! I only owe you ten dollars and 50 cents, but you wrote 150 dollars! You... you..."

Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, her eyes filled with flames, and her chest heaved dramatically. Then she stomped her foot and shouted, "Tomorrow, I'm telling our teacher that you're bullying me!"

Her voice carried a hint of tears.

Marcus noticed Lily was particularly sensitive about money. She hadn't reacted this strongly even when he'd searched her entire body. This gave him the additional impression that she was a penny-pincher.

Of course, Marcus also knew that Lily truly had no money. So, he made a show of looking at the paper again and raised an eyebrow.

"You're right, I did write it wrong. I'm too lazy to fix it, though. How about this—I'll give you 140 dollars, so then you'll actually owe me 150. What do you think?"

Marcus' family owned several café branches, so he wasn't short on money. Otherwise, he wouldn't have developed such a brash personality in high school.

He pulled two hundred-dollar bills from his pocket and handed them to her impatiently. "I don't have any change. Keep the extra as compensation."

Lily tilted her head slightly, looking directly at Marcus. Something crossed her mind, and a spark of life suddenly danced in her bright eyes.

She took in his handsome features, and her face bloomed like a flower. There was even a faint blush spreading from her cheeks all the way to her ears.

When she noticed Marcus looking back at her, she hastily averted her gaze, the bashful redness growing more intense.

Marcus had imagined this moment countless times. He often wondered what would have happened if he hadn't pressed on the accelerator that day. How wonderful it would be if Lily could have lived.

Marcus had investigated Lily's family situation and knew her father had died early, leaving her mother to raise her in difficult circumstances. He had thought countless times about helping Lily through her hardships, willing to give her an entire café if necessary, though his family might not have agreed.

Today, he finally got his wish.

In this moment, Marcus felt clarity of mind, and even 20 years of resentment dissipated considerably. His lips curved into a brilliant smile, and he was almost happy enough to break into song.

Lily noticed Marcus' sparkling eyes and instantly understood his intentions. She became even more certain that Marcus was sent by the heavens to save her. Suddenly, she felt that the world wasn't as terrible as she had imagined.

When they walked out of the café, the sunshine above was perfect. Lily left with her head down, but Marcus grabbed her wrist again.

She turned back, and her clear eyes no longer showed darkness and despair, but rather a hint of curiosity.

"That sanitary pad of yours is of poor quality. Buy a better one—I'll check tomorrow."

Lily instinctively looked around, afraid passersby might overhear, but Marcus didn't care about such things.

The sanitary pads Lily used were truly of poor quality. They were rough to the touch, with there being even tiny bumps and uneven textures on the surface. He feared that using them regularly might be detrimental to her health.

Marcus knew Lily was careful with money, so he looked straight into her eyes. "A small sanitary pad might seem trivial, but it can have serious health consequences.

"If you won't spend money on good ones now, you'll pay hundreds of times more later to fix health problems. Listen to me—you must buy quality ones, understand?"

Lily finally understood why Marcus had taken her sanitary pad. Although she was careful with money, she didn't argue for once but simply nodded gently. "Okay."

Lily looked up at Marcus, and their eyes met. She, who normally repelled classmates with her cold stare, now lowered her head, though she couldn't really see her toes.

As Lily turned to leave, Marcus' concerned reminder followed her. "Be careful crossing the street. Don't test your head against pickup trucks again."

Hearing his words, Lily immediately broke into a run, disappearing into the crowd in a flash. He watched her vanish with complex emotions in his eyes, then slowly raised his right hand. This was the hand that had just slapped Lily twice.

Truthfully, he harbored resentment toward her. It was no exaggeration to say that her suicide attempt had condemned him to 20 years of suffering and regret.

After getting haunted by nightmares on a daily basis, those two slaps that had been delivered with full force were a small consolation for 20 years of his life.

"Her face is so delicate. Those marks will probably take several days to fade. When school starts tomorrow, I wonder what she'll say if classmates were to ask. Will she tell them I hit her?"

After this self-musing, Marcus looked at his right hand again. He'd hit her so hard that his hand was still numb.

Then, he felt the farewell letter in his pocket. Marcus then began to worry again. He hoped Lily would appear safely at school tomorrow.

Chapter 6

When Marcus returned home, Milly started scolding him immediately.

"Marcus, can you stop worrying me? You're an adult now, but you're still so clumsy. All you had to do was deliver the stuff, but you made a huge mess and even crashed your scooter! What the hell were you doing?"

He shrugged and mumbled, "Didn't you tell me to be quick? So, I went as fast as I could, and I was bound to bump into a few people here and there."

"You're really full of nonsense, Marcus. Tell me the truth now. What did you do to the nice lady after bringing her to the staff lounge?" she asked with a sigh.

Then, she continued with her face in her hands, "You're in your senior year now. If you continue causing trouble at a crucial time like this, you're dead meat."

Marcus knew someone from the café had told on him. So, he thought about it and hurriedly laid his head on Milly's shoulder. After that, he said with a grin, "Oh, you're the best mom ever!"

She pushed him away while rolling her eyes before slapping him on his head. Then, she said solemnly, "Can you be serious for once?"

Seeing how he had averted a crisis, he said with a bright smile, "Mom, I am being serious. Nowadays, the ratio between men and women is unbalanced, and a lot of people can't find a partner. If I start looking for one now, I might be able to get married when I graduate from high school.

"Then, when I'm in university, you'll have a grandson to keep you company. Wouldn't it be nice to be a grandma at only 40 years old?"

At that moment, the door opened, and a middle-aged man entered the room with a briefcase. It was none other than Robert.

Seeing him, Milly immediately said, "Can you do something about your son? He's already thinking about giving us a grandson now."

When Robert heard that, he glared at Marcus right away. "Are you dating someone now, you brat?"

Then, he took off his shoe and whipped it toward Marcus, who hurriedly dodged Robert's attack and screamed with his hands up.

Milly hurriedly stood between them and complained, "Hit him all you want, but did you really have to aim for his head? If you kill him, I'll kill you next."

At that moment, Marcus finally found his chance to explain himself. "Oh, this is all just a misunderstanding. We're just classmates, I swear! Besides, Lily is the best student in her whole grade, so why would she like a loser like me?"

Robert had already calmed down at first. However, after hearing what Marcus had said, he became furious again. "So, you know you're a loser, huh? There are 960 students in your grade, and you're placed in rank 958! If there weren't two other people dumber than you, you would've been the dumbest!"

As Milly watched Robert chase after Marcus once more, she sighed. Then, she reminded Marcus, "Don't aim for his head. Go for his back."

…

The next morning, it was time for Marcus to start his senior year. He thought about whether he should wear his uniform or something unique to start a trend at school. However, he remembered Robert's shoe and decided to go with the uniform with a sigh.

After finishing the breakfast Milly prepared for him, he rushed to school, feeling excited and uneasy at the same time.

Right when he stepped through the entrance, he started feeling anxious. When he reached Class 14, he instinctively stopped in his tracks before looking inside the classroom. When he didn't see Lily at all, his heart dropped.

However, he figured he was just early and that she would arrive later. So, he walked to the back of the class and grabbed a seat.

"Marcus, did you do your summer assignments?" asked Levi Fleming, the young man sitting in front of Marcus. Levi had a bigger body build than Marcus, and he enjoyed teasing other people. When it came to studying, they both performed the same.

Hearing Levi's question, Marcus was stunned. "We had summer assignments?"

Levi relaxed after hearing that, and the smile on his face became sincere as he said happily, "Nope."

At that moment, they heard loud footsteps coming into the classroom, and the whole class became lively. Levi poked Marcus' arm with a pen and said excitedly, "Here comes your idol."

Marcus thought it was Lily, and his heart skipped a beat. However, when he looked up, he saw Victoria instead. So, he said unhappily, "No, that's your idol."

Most of the people in the classroom looked like a mess. However, among the group of messy students, Victoria stood out the most. Her figure was beautiful, and her facial features were well-defined. Since she knew how to dress up as well, a lot of the young men in the class admired her.

Marcus was one of the guys who used to feel the same way.

"What's wrong? Have you stopped liking her?" Levi looked shocked when he heard what Marcus said. After all, Marcus even wrote a confession letter for Victoria in their previous semester. So, he didn't understand why Marcus would stop liking her just like that.

Meanwhile, Marcus kept staring at the entrance and said solemnly, "This isn't the time for that. After all, our senior year is the most crucial moment in our studies. So, I'll be focusing on studying from now on…"

He was so serious when he said it that the whole class went silent immediately.

Right after that, Lily appeared at the door, panting. Then, she immediately looked toward the back of the class. She blushed a little for a split second before she walked into the room with her head down.

"Oh? Did my idol just glance at me?" said Levi, feeling stunned.

As for Marcus, he clenched his fists excitedly and exclaimed, "Yes!" He had succeeded. Lily had come to school.

"Marcus!" Suddenly, a shrill voice sounded in the classroom, sending chills down everyone's spines. It was Jessica Lynch, Class 14's head teacher. Everyone called her Devil Lynch behind her back, and it was enough to prove how terrifying she was.

Marcus froze with his fist in the air after hearing Jessica yell his name.

"Stand in the hallway."

Since she had already given her order, he had no choice but to stand outside with his head down.

But when he walked past the podium, Lily suddenly stood up in the first row. Then, she said to Jessica, "Ms. Lynch, since I was late, I should be punished as well."

"What…" Jessica froze. Since Marcus was terrible in his studies, she wouldn't hold back when punishing him. However, Lily was the first in their grade, so Jessica treated her well. Hearing what Lily had requested, she immediately waved her hands and said, "You don't have to do that."

However, Lily said seriously, "I have to be punished for my mistake."

As Jessica watched Lily leave the classroom, she mumbled to herself, thinking how stubborn Lily was.

Then, she fiercely glanced at everyone in the room and asked, "Are you guys done with your summer assignments? Would the class president please collect everyone's work for me? I'll go through all of them myself."

Everyone in the class instinctively lowered their heads and glanced at Marcus, who was standing outside. They thought they should've yelled like him earlier. That way, they could leave the classroom as well.

…

As Marcus stood outside Class 14, he looked at Lily with a grin. She kept her head down, and she couldn't stop fiddling with her shirt. She swayed gently, as if it could calm her anxiety.

As Marcus looked at her face, which was half-covered by her long hair, he took out a piece of chocolate. "Here. This is for you."

Lily didn't accept it. So, he cleared his throat and said while shaking his head, "Warm summer sun…"

"Don't say it…"

She immediately snatched the chocolate with her cheeks flushed. Lily didn't dare to look into his eyes, so she could only stare somewhere else.

While Jessica continued yelling in the class, Lily secretly glanced at Marcus. When their gazes met, she hurriedly looked away again like a frightened deer. She was so shy that it made her look incredibly innocent.

"There's something I have to give to you," said Marcus suddenly while solemnly looking at her.