Chapter 142 Wasn’t a Dream

Dominic opened his mouth, tasting a bitter flavor spreading through every corner of it. He rubbed his temples, which throbbed so hard it felt like his head might explode. Picking up his phone, Dominic stared at the chat history with Queen.

Just as I thought…

That wasn’t a dream.

It wasn’t a dream…

It’s real…

Dominic grabbed his hair, twisting it into a messy knot. He wanted to rip it all out in anger and grief, hoping the pain would numb everything else. Finally, Dominic slowly gathered up the shattered pieces of his heart, forcing himself to accept the cruel joke fate had played. He mustered every ounce of courage and replied to Queen.

But—

A bright red “X” appeared in the chat window. Tilda had blocked Dominic. He was speechless. It felt unexpected, yet somehow, it made perfect sense. Queen’s decision yanked Dominic back to reality, smashing the last bits of hope and dreams he’d been clinging to. He’d thought it was all some misunderstanding. He’d believed Queen wasn’t Tilda. It was all just one huge mistake.

Right then—

Dominic noticed that Queen—his most important contact—had changed her profile. The new bio read, “From this moment on, on the dark web, Queen and DJ are no longer mentor and apprentice! From now on, all ties are cut, and there’s nothing left between us!” Tilda posted it in both Yvorian and English.

In an instant, the whole dark web erupted. It stirred up a storm. Everyone knew DJ was Queen’s apprentice. Queen had spent years on the dark web and only ever accepted this one precious student. She generously shared her hacking skills and watched over DJ, protecting him in every possible way. Countless Queen fans envied, admired, and even hated DJ for it.

Before leaving the dark web, Queen once said, “Taking DJ as my apprentice was one of the best decisions I ever made here.” She praised DJ’s talent and character, calling him a student she was proud of. Even after Queen left the dark web, even if they lived worlds apart and could never meet again, that bond was supposed to remain unchanged. But now, Dominic watched helplessly as Tilda deleted every post she’d ever made about DJ, one by one. It felt like an invisible knife stabbing straight into Dominic’s heart. He remembered every moment from before. How Queen had recognized and praised him in front of everyone on the dark web. To be noticed, valued, and cherished by his idol—his guiding star, Queen. Dominic had once felt so happy, excited, and proud that words couldn’t describe it. Now, it was as if he’d been tied to a post of shame, burned by fire, frozen by snow, cursed by hateful words, and lashed by a scorching whip… The more beautiful and proud those memories were, the more cruel and painful things felt now.

Dominic saw Queen’s most devoted fans flooding the comments, begging her to take on a new apprentice and forget about DJ, the traitor. Some even guessed wildly that Queen and DJ had fallen out—otherwise, why would Queen suddenly cut ties with DJ after returning to the dark web? They even messaged Dominic privately, taunting and gloating. Dominic wished he could tear those smug, spiteful people to pieces!

Just then, Jody called Dominic.

Perfect timing.

Dominic had wanted to reach out to Jody anyway. He answered.

“Dominic, where are you? I just finished up here, and the folks at the café said you’ve been acting strange. Is something wrong?”

Jody had been Dominic’s best friend since they were little. Hearing that, Jody immediately got worried.

“Jody, I… Something happened. But don’t worry, I’ll handle it. I’m heading back to Cornerstone Café now. There’s something really important I need to look into.”

“Then hurry up! I’m at the café right now! Dominic… we’re buddies. If you ever run into something you can’t handle promise me you’ll tell me. I’ll do everything I can to help, OK?”

With his best friend looking out for him, Dominic’s aching heart eased just a little. Even if it was only a tiny bit.

“… Alright.”

After hanging up, Dominic’s lips curled into a bitter smile.

Jody, there’s nothing you can do to help with this. Dominic didn’t even know how to face the mess he was in. He watched as the faith and light he’d chased—his sun—fell from the sky. Now, Dominic’s world was nothing but darkness, a wasteland covered in snow and ice. Even though…

That was the treasure Dominic had poured everything into, the thing he’d wanted most to get back.

A moment later, Dominic finally returned to Cornerstone Café. There, on the door, he saw that Jody had even put up a “Closed” sign.