She refused to let her life rot away in this place. She still wanted to find her family and friends again. Was this really how her life was meant to play out—trapped in darkness, cut off from the world? No, she couldn’t accept that.

But Julian, looking at her pale, hollowed-out expression, didn’t feel the slightest bit of pity. As far as he was concerned, he had saved her life. He fed her, clothed her, and provided for her every basic need.

So, what if he demanded loyalty in return? Wasn’t that a fair trade? If he hadn’t dragged her out of that remote, godforsaken mountain, she’d probably be dead by now. So why was she acting like this was such a burden? It was ridiculous.

“Alright, listen. You’d better behave while I’m gone. If I’m in a good mood when I get back, maybe I’ll even take you out for a stroll.”

At those words, Lily’s eyes flickered with a faint light. Under Julian’s cold, watchful gaze, she nodded slowly. Only then did he seem satisfied, patting the top of her head as if she were some obedient pet, before heading off to meet up with Tessa. He had business to handle; he couldn’t stay holed up here all day.

Still, if he didn’t have other things to take care of, staying here with Lily wouldn’t be the worst way to spend his time. Her body and face–everything about her happened to fit his tastes perfectly. From every angle, she was exactly what he liked.

So, no matter what, Julian had no intention of letting her go. And Lily? She could dream, but there was no escaping his grip.

As she watched his figure disappear from the room, Lily fell into a long, heavy silence. Her thoughts swirled, dark and unrelenting. She lay quietly on the bed, motionless, like a shattered porcelain doll. There was no light in her eyes anymore, no trace of a smile. Even the curve of her lips was unreadable, devoid of emotion. In that moment, it was as if Lily had truly been broken. She felt helpless, and at the same time, disgusted by her own weakness. Why couldn’t she just end it? If she had the courage, she wouldn’t still be suffering under the hands of this monster.

But the truth was she didn’t have that kind of courage. There were still things she hadn’t done, truths she hadn’t uncovered. She wanted to know who she really was. She didn’t want to vanish like a grain of sand, gone without a trace. The idea terrified her—that time would pass, and she’d leave behind nothing at all.

Her thoughts drifted to what Julian had said before leaving–about taking her outside for a walk when he got back. The moment the memory hit her, a faint spark flickered in her eyes. If he took her out… wouldn’t that be her chance to reach the outside world? Even the slimmest connection might give her a shot at help.

Lily took a deep breath, the idea both terrifying and bold. She had to start planning now. She couldn’t afford to let that outing go to waste because it might be the only shot she’d ever get. That would be unforgivable.

After thinking it over, she decided she had to convince Julian to take her somewhere crowded. If she cleaned herself up and dressed well, maybe someone might recognize her. It wasn’t impossible.

But a wave of anxiety followed right after. What if Julian changed his mind? What if he never took her out at all? That fear dug deep into her chest. She could only hope he wouldn’t back out. She would even spend a little effort to keep him pleased. It wasn’t like this would be the first time she had to play along. She was already ruined. There was no point pretending to care about pride anymore.