Chapter 79

Li Na stood as a witness to a memory she had never lived, trapped between reality and illusion. Her other self, the same yet distant, lingered at the edge of something dark and irreversible. The quiet tension between Shen Yun Tian and the other Li Na seemed to grow heavier with each passing day. Each interaction, every glance, was filled with unspoken sorrow, a poison that twisted deeper with every exchange

But then, without warning, the storm subsided.

One evening, as Li Na watched from the shadowy recesses of this illusory space, she saw the other Li Na walk toward Shen Yun Tian with a softness that hadn't graced her face in what seemed like an eternity. Her steps were unhurried, deliberate, as if she had decided upon something that had taken root long ago.

"Yun Tian," she began, her voice a gentle caress, "do you remember when you asked me to be your fiancée?"

Shen Yun Tian looked up, his usual guarded demeanor softening as he nodded. "I do. That was the day we promised to be together forever. We were so young then."

"Yes," she chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with nostalgia. "We spent every moment together after that, playing in the gardens and making silly promises."

Her smile, shy yet radiant, filled the room with warmth. Shen Yun Tian felt an unfamiliar flutter in his chest, the cold edges of their reality smoothing just a little.

"Those were happier times," he replied, his voice tinged with a bittersweet longing. "When you agreed to be my fiancée, it felt like the world was ours to conquer."

She moved closer, her gaze steady and sincere. "Tonight, let's pretend we're those children again, playing without a care in the world."

"Are you sure?" he asked, uncertainty flickering across his features.

"I want to," she replied, her voice firm. "Let's create a moment that belongs only to us, free from all this darkness."

As they set about preparing a simple meal together, their laughter echoed off the walls, a sound both haunting and beautiful. Shen Yun Tian's heart swelled as he watched her chop vegetables, her movements fluid and graceful.

"Do you remember the first time we played in the garden after the engagement?" he asked, leaning against the counter, a small smile creeping onto his lips.

"Yes," she said with a laugh, her eyes dancing. "You tried to impress me by climbing that tree and ended up falling into the flower bed! I thought you'd cry!"

He laughed, the sound rich and warm. "I remember your giggles. I was so embarrassed, but you just laughed and helped me up."

"Those moments kept me going," she said softly, her smile fading into something more serious.

Later, as they lit candles around the room, their flickering flames cast delicate shadows, illuminating the space with a soft glow. For a fleeting moment, it felt as if they were a normal couple, a dream he dared not wake from.

"I've been thinking," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "about that promise you made when we were children."

Shen Yun Tian's breath caught in his throat. "Li Na, what do you mean?"

"I want to fulfill that promise," she replied, her eyes searching his. "I want to share my heart with you, tonight."

His heart raced, a mix of hope and fear flooding through him. "Are you sure about this? What if—"

"I've been afraid for so long, but not anymore. I want to be with you, Yun Tian. I want to share this moment, to let you in."

As they moved to the bedroom, the air thickened with anticipation. The room, dimly lit, felt cocooned in an almost sacred atmosphere. Every touch, every breath felt amplified. Shen Yun Tian held her as though she was made of porcelain, his hands trembling slightly as they caressed her. The warmth of her body, the soft vibration of her pulse under his fingertips lulled him into the belief that perhaps, just perhaps, this was real.

"Tell me what you want," he murmured against her lips, his voice thick with desire.

"I want you," she replied, her heart racing, the sincerity in her eyes igniting a fire within him.

Yet, amidst the warmth, there lingered a hollowness in her touch, a distant echo in her embrace. Shen Yun Tian, drunk on the thought of finally being loved by her, missed the subtle signs — the tremor in her voice, the vacant look in her eyes when she thought he wasn't looking.

To him, this night was everything. A dream he had once thought unreachable. As he held her in the stillness of the room, he prayed that if this was a dream, he would never wake up.

Morning came too soon. The first rays of light filtered through the curtains, and Shen Yun Tian stirred. His arms reached out instinctively, searching for the warmth of the other Li Na. His fingers touched only cold sheets. The space beside him was empty.

"Li Na?" he called, panic settling into his bones like ice. His heart thundered as he threw back the covers and rushed through the house, calling her name. His voice echoed through the halls, frantic.

Finally, on the second-floor balcony, he saw her. His world seemed to stop.

"Li Na!" he shouted, dread creeping up his spine.

She was perched on the edge, sitting so precariously that a single wrong move could send her tumbling. The morning breeze tousled her hair, but her eyes — her eyes were devoid of life. She turned her head slowly, locking her gaze with his as a smile, twisted with madness, curled on her lips.

"Yun Tian... come down," his voice trembled, but his plea was met only with her haunting laughter.

Before he could take another step, she moved. A flash of silver caught his eye, and he watched, horrified, as she pulled a kitchen knife from behind her back. "You finally got what you wanted," she said, her voice laced with bitterness. "Now, I want what I've been craving all along — my freedom."

"Li Na, don't! Please!" he cried, his heart racing as desperation clawed at him. "You don't have to do this!"

Her words barely registered before she plunged the blade into her own chest. Shen Yun Tian screamed. The sound tore through the stillness of the morning, but it was too late. Blood soaked the front of her nightgown, the vibrant red staining her pale skin like a macabre painting.

"Why would you do this?" he pleaded, his voice breaking as she staggered, laughing weakly, teetering on the edge.

"I've waited too long, Yun Tian! Too long for a love that's only ever brought me pain!" She fell, the last remnants of her laughter echoing in the silence.

Time seemed to slow as she plummeted, her lifeless body spiraling downward. Shen Yun Tian reached the balcony too late, his hands grasping at nothing but air. Her body hit the ground below with a sickening thud.

A wave of screams erupted. Servants rushed from every corner, their voices panicked and frantic as they ran for help. But Shen Yun Tian didn't hear them. His world had gone silent, all sound replaced by the dull roar of blood rushing in his ears.

He descended the stairs as if in a trance, his legs moving of their own accord. When he reached her, she was lying in a pool of blood, her breath shallow and uneven. Trembling, Shen Yun Tian fell to his knees and cradled her in his arms. The scent of iron filled the air, thick and suffocating. His vision blurred as he stared down at her, his heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

"Li Na, please! Stay with me!" he begged, tears streaming down his cheeks. "You can't leave me like this. We were finally together!"

"You... you got what you wanted, Yun Tian," the other Li Na whispered weakly, blood bubbling from her lips. "Now... let me have what I want... my freedom."

"No! I can't lose you! Not now!" he cried, shaking her gently, desperately willing her to respond.

Her last breath rattled in her chest, her body going still in his arms.

Shen Yun Tian, the man who had faced death countless times, the warrior who had built his empire on blood and sweat, had never felt such agony. The scent of blood, once a sign of victory, now choked him, the rusted tang filling his lungs as if it were the very air he breathed.

Slowly, he wiped his blood-stained hand on his shirt and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers one final time. Cold. Lifeless. It was a kiss that tasted of death.

In that moment, as he cradled her lifeless form, the painful truth settled into his chest like a heavy stone. His eyes, usually fierce and resolute, were now filled with a profound sorrow, each blink a struggle against the tide of grief threatening to overwhelm him. They were the eyes of a man who had once been filled with ambition and strength, now dimmed by the crushing weight of loss.

Shen Yun Tian's gaze drifted back to her serene face, the ghost of her youth haunting the edges of his vision. How had they ended up here? How had the tender promise of their youth morphed into this tragic end? He had fought so hard for them, for their love, and yet it felt as if he had been fighting against the very currents of fate, destined to lose.

As he gazed into her lifeless eyes, the emptiness reflected back at him was a stark reminder of all that had been lost. The silence around them grew heavier, pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe. The world he had built around them felt fragile, crumbling like dust between his fingers. And yet, amid the chaos of his emotions, one thought stood clear: he could not let her go, not now, not ever.

In that final moment, surrounded by the echoes of their shared past, he realized that he was ready to follow her anywhere, to face whatever lay beyond this life. The pain in his eyes hardened into resolve. "I won't let this be the end," he whispered, his voice breaking, filled with a fierce determination born from love.

With trembling hands, he reached for the knife, feeling its cold steel against his skin. He was ready to join her, to bridge the chasm that death had opened between them. As he plunged the blade into his own heart, he embraced the pain, knowing that in death, they would be together once more.

As he fell beside her, Shen Yun Tian's last thought was of her smile — the radiant, carefree smile she wore when she was young, the one that had promised a future filled with love and hope. In his mind, it flickered like a fading candle, illuminating the darkest corners of his heart. He remembered the day she had looked at him with such innocence, her voice sweet and earnest as she had promised to be his bride.

"You are the one who agreed to become my fiancée and asked me to come back. Now how can I let you go?" The memory echoed in his mind, a bittersweet melody that contrasted sharply with the cold reality surrounding him.

Li Na stood watching, her heart breaking as the scene unfolded before her eyes. She reached out, desperate to touch them, to stop this tragedy, but her hands passed through them like mist. She was powerless, an onlooker in a nightmare she couldn't wake from.

The pain in her chest grew unbearable as she sobbed, her cries unheard, her words lost to the wind. But no matter how much she wailed, no matter how many tears fell, her other self and Shen Yun Tian lay before her, still and cold. The only thing left in the room was the oppressive silence of death and the unbearable weight of her helplessness.