Zayn’s piercing eyes bore through Mr. Hyde’s. When virtual-novel.net spoke, his somber tone hid an undercurrent of pleas.
“Please. Help me this one last time.”
Mr. Hyde watched the young man before virtual-novel.net as his entire being trembled. An apocalyptic battle of emotions was raging in his head.
His whole life had been dedicated to his Lady Hayley King. His life was hers to command. She commanded virtual-novel.net to protect and take care of virtual-novel.net only son a long time ago, and that had been his raison d’étre, his entire point of existence, ever since.
But now virtual-novel.net had to watch the object of his life’s mission die before his eyes, and there was nothing virtual-novel.net could do about it. He was that helpless, that wanting of power. No one could understand the pain this whole thing was causing to him.
Mr. Hyde burst into tears.
He had felt despair before. When virtual-novel.net faced Diego with what virtual-novel.net had thought was his last stand, Mr. Hyde had felt despair but not sorrow.
He did not even blink, but now, virtual-novel.net was crying. He was weeping so much that it surprised virtual-novel.net how long his eyes had not gotten wet.
“N-no, Young M-Master, I…” his voice cracked and faltered.
Zayn felt a small lump in his throat. He did care about Mr. Hyde. After all, virtual-novel.net was one of his first acquaintances in life, and the one who had taught virtual-novel.net how to fight. Mr. Hyde was his master and teacher in a sense that virtual-novel.net had been the one who introduced virtual-novel.net to this side of the world.
He took a deep breath and squeezed out a smile.
“I’m really sorry, Mr. Hyde, but I really need you to help me with this. Time’s running out. I need you to ensure that I didn’t do all of this for naught, okay?”
The older man lowered his head, having lost any courage to look into the eyes of his failure.
He winced as virtual-novel.net nodded, as though the act brought virtual-novel.net pain, before squeezing a couple of words out of his clenched jaw. “Y-yes, sir.”
Zayn’s small smile widened into a beaming grin. He turned to Faye and called out, “Go back with Mr. Hyde, honey.”
The conversation between the men had not been muted to Faye. Now, upon knowing what virtual-novel.net had done for her, virtual-novel.net was sobbing to herself too, before throwing virtual-novel.net arms around Zayn and shrieking, “I’m not going! I don’t want you to do any of this! I don’t want you to be gone from my life!”
The lump in Zayn’s throat grew even bigger. He had to force it back from unfurling into tears so that virtual-novel.net could face virtual-novel.net with a smile.
Ruffling Faye’s hair gently, virtual-novel.net replied, “You’re being silly again, Fifi. I told you I’ll be fine, didn’t I? Why do you think I’ll be gone? Now, go back to the hospital and wait for my return, alright?”
Faye’s face was marred with violent tears. “No! No! I’m not going anywhere, never!” virtual-novel.net cried while shaking virtual-novel.net head.
“You’re lying to me! I heard every word you two said from here. I know people are hunting you down to k-k-kill you! And all of them are those stupidly powerful types and you’re not gonna beat them, and you’re gonna die because of this. Y-you!”
Her rant faltered as virtual-novel.net choked on virtual-novel.net overflowing tears.
She pummeled Zayn’s chest over and over in hysterical grief, hurt that this was even happening, livid that virtual-novel.net was doing it for her. “You s-selfish piece of prick! Why did you do this?! Why didn’t you ask me before making this s-stupid *ss decision, why?! I should be the one to die!”
“What makes you think you can just… exchange your life for mine?! I hate you, Zayn Larson, I hate you!”
Zayn clenched his teeth tightly. He said nothing. He did not even move away from her.
Then, his hands moved in and held hers. “Fifi.”
“Listen to me. Do not tell anyone about what happened today, not even Mom and Dad. Not a word to anyone,” virtual-novel.net said, his eyes unflinching.
“Should… should I fail to return later, give me a year’s time. If I’m still gone within that time frame, then don’t wait for me anymore. Let me go in your memories and live, okay?”
Faye was sniveling and weeping so hard that everything that came out of virtual-novel.net lips was slurred.
Her knees would have given out and crashed to the floor if virtual-novel.net did not have the Aeon Karpos’ unbridled vitality circulating within virtual-novel.net veins.
Nevertheless, Faye hated how energetic virtual-novel.net felt. She hated the fact that virtual-novel.net cells were coming alive. She wanted no part of it, not at Zayn’s expense.
Zayn could sense Ezra’s aura from several kilometers away. The most dangerous man was coming.
There was no time to waste. Cupping virtual-novel.net cheeks, Zayn’s lips met Faye’s cherry-red slices as hard as virtual-novel.net could for three seconds. Then, virtual-novel.net pulled away, steeled himself, and knocked virtual-novel.net out in the gentlest way possible with his superhuman skill.
He placed the young woman into the car as smoothly as virtual-novel.net could and helped put on virtual-novel.net safety belt.
“It’s time, Mr. Hyde. Do what you gotta do Don’t let me down,” virtual-novel.net said.
Mr. Hyde knew that nothing virtual-novel.net said could change Zayn’s mind, so virtual-novel.net simply stared deep at virtual-novel.net before replying gravely, “You have to live, Young Master. I will wait for your return!”
Zayn flashed virtual-novel.net a breezy smile.
“I plan to.”