Chapter 136 

My legs twitched, restless with urgency. Each nerve screamed at me to move, to go to him. But courage—damned, gutless courage–did me dirty. It failed both me and my trembling legs. 

“Come on, Lucy. It’s just a few more months,” whispered one side of my mind, the rational part, the one clinging to consequences. 

“But he needs you now. Right now,” the other voice fired back, louder, desperate. 

“Don’t ruin your future for a fleeting moment in the present.” 

“If you can’t even protect your present, what future are you even fighting for?” 

The war inside my head wasn’t just loud–it was deafening. A mental riot that made my throat tight and my vision blur. I wanted to scream. To cry. To burn the whole world down–just so I wouldn’t have to fear anyone trying to separate us–and so I could go to him fearlessly and hug him so tightly that all the pain and longing would squeeze out. 

“Fuck it,” I muttered under my breath. “We’ll see the future in the future.” 

And I took a step. 

And then another. 

I was moving toward him–finally. My heart in my throat, a rush of adrenaline climbing up my spine, hope unfurling like wings- 

And that’s when it happened. 

A blur of orange and white flashed by me. A bodycon t–shirt dress clung to a figure I knew all too well. Light brown hair swayed, matching Jordan sneakers padded softly over the polished floor. 

Rubina. 

She reached him before I could. 

She stood beside Kaiden like she had always been meant to be there. Then, slowly, with a tenderness that almost broke me, she slipped her hand into his. Soft. Warm. Steady. 

Exactly how I had wanted to. 

A hundred emotions crashed into me all at once, like an ocean of contradictions. One part of me–dark, selfish–hated her. For taking my place. For doing the exact thing I’d stood frozen dreaming about. For being faster. Braver. More right. 

But then there was the other part–the part that was thankful to her for looking after him. 

I knew there shouldn’t be room for jealousy–not when it came to Rubina and Kaiden. They were childhood best friends, and she was the very reason we ever became an us. She was our Cupid. But still… I couldn’t help it. Right now, jealousy was clawing at my chest, sharp and unwelcome. 

This damn, ugly sting of jealousy–it twisted in my gut like a knife, making me feel like the world’s worst girlfriend. 

And somehow… an even worse friend. 

Yeah, I’m toxic. Toxic girlfriend. Toxic friend. 

Honestly, Polonium–210 gets a bad rep for no reason–I’m pretty sure I’d beat it in a toxicity contest if someone ever compared us. 

From where I stood, I couldn’t hear everything, but I saw the way she turned to him, her eyes soft with concern. 

“Is everything okay?” Rubina asked, her voice gentle but edged with care. 

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Chapter 136 

Kaiden nodded silently, and then–like some invisible spell had settled around them—they both turned back to the painting. Side by side. 

Looking at it like it spoke only to them. 

I couldn’t help it. 

My neck stretched slightly, betraying me as I tried to catch even a sliver of their conversation. But the museum’s soft acoustics betrayed nothing. Their voices–if they spoke at all–dissolved into the quiet reverence of the hall. 

Rúbina’s fingers still curled gently around Kaiden’s. 

Yeah, I know they’re just good friends. I know. 

But seriously–she could stop holding his hand now. He’s not a child. And she’s not his mother. 

My hands clenched into fists at my sides, nails biting into my palms. 

“It’s fine, Lucy. It’s fine,” I whispered to myself, closing my eyes tightly as if shutting the world out would help. “She’s Rubina. She’s not a threat. You don’t have to feel insecure about her. They’re just friends. Just really good friends. With no strings attached. I trust them.” 

I repeated it like a mantra. Like maybe if I said it enough, it would override the ugly swirl in my chest. 

“I trust them. I trust them. I trust them. I trust th-” 

“Oh, hey! Look at that painting!” Clara’s voice sliced through the spiral I was stuck in, her excitement crisp and unaware. 

I blinked, startled, and turned to her. She was pointing at that painting–the very one Kaiden and Rubina stood in front of. 

“Come on, Lucy!” she said, grabbing my hand like a lifeline and pulling me forward. 

Behind us came Sheela and Thor, smiling at each other, practically linked by the loop of their arms. 

As we approached, something subtle shifted. Rubina let go of Kaiden’s hand. Instantly. Without fanfare. They even placed a bit of distance between themselves, as if sensing the invisible boundaries around us. 

I stood beside Rubina while Kaiden stood a little distance away, with Rubina positioned right between us. Though we broke the five–foot distance rule in public, I don’t think it would be an issue since we were in a group of close friends–and Rubina was acting as a buffer between us. It definitely wouldn’t affect Dan’s image for sure. 

Still, I tilted my head ever so slightly, stretching the space between Rubina’s shoulder and mine just enough to catch a full view of Kaiden’s face. 

“Are you okay?” I asked him softly, like a question wrapped in silk and worry. 

He blinked. Once. Slow. 

“Yes, I am,” he said, and gave a small smile. 

I hated it. 

Because I could see the pain clinging to the edge of his features. Could 

to reassure, not to reveal. 

He could show his pain to Rubina. But not to me? Why? 

I see the storm behind his eyes. That smile? It wasn’t real. It was practiced–meant 

“This is Kaiden’s mom’s favorite artwork,” Rubina said suddenly, her voice warm and casual. 

I turned toward the painting for the first time. 

A woman, back view, stood in the middle of a dandelion garden. She was holding a baby in her arms, her figure both tender and strong. The brush 

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Chapter 136 

strokes were gentle, melancholic–like a memory too beautiful to touch 

“She used to keep it in her room,” Rubina continued. “But then Mr. Sterwalt donated it to the museum after her death.” 

“Oh,” I said softly. 

I stared longer. 

I wondered if Kaiden’s mom saw herself and Kaiden in the painting. 

“You know, Kaiden insisted—he even argued so much to keep Sterwalt still sent it here.” 

painting at Sterwalt Mansion,” Rubina added with a bittersweet smile. “But Mr. 

Her tone was simple, informative. Just a friend offering context. 

But in my ears? 

It twisted in the worst way possible. 

The words felt loaded, like she was saying, “I know him better than you. I was there. You weren’t. I’ve seen the battles he fights before you ever noticed the bruises.” 

Like she was subtly reminding me that she’d always be a step ahead–always more familiar, more permanent. The perfect match. 

And me? I’ll just be a default in their system. 

To be continued… 

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