In front of my desk, a group of guys dispersed, leaving me standing alone. My desk was carved with insulting words like “cheap” and “slut.” My notebooks lay scattered on the floor, dirty and trampled. It was in that exact moment, I, the heroine of this novel who was forced into a relationship with him, suddenly regained my memories. The next second, Julian arrived, just as he always did, like a god. He reached out to me, his eyes unsettlingly deep. “Don’t be scared. I believe you’re innocent.” But I remembered everything. It was him who spread the rumors, all to isolate me, to make me utterly dependent on him, to belong only to him. Under his calculations, I not only broke ties with my parents but was also tricked into dropping out of school, ultimately becoming his golden cage pet. I snapped back to reality, his familiar hand already reaching out. Looking at his gentle smile, I felt a wave of nausea. This time, I violently slapped his hand away and spoke in a cold voice. “Of course, I’m innocent. The police will clear everything up.”
Julian’s hand froze in mid-air, the gentle mask on his face cracking for the first time. A hint of darkness flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a look of worry. “Alice, making a big deal out of this kind of thing will only ruin your reputation.” “Let me handle it, okay?” I bent down to pick up the notebooks from the floor, brushed off the shoe prints, and looked up to meet his gaze directly. “Didn’t you already destroy my reputation?” “Everything you guys did to me, I’m going to tell the police. None of you will get away with it.” My eyes swept over the faces of the guys who had been there earlier. Hearing me say that, their arrogant expressions finally softened a bit. In reality, I hadn’t called the police. Because in the original story, Julian’s specialty was using public opinion to apply pressure. Every time I was close to grasping a sliver of hope, he’d cut off all outside help under the guise of “protecting” me. Since I couldn’t stop him, I’d use the most just method to punish him. A month ago, on my way home, I was dragged into a dark alley by a drunk, an attempted assault. Julian appeared, rescued me, and took me home. But somehow, photos of last night’s incident were taken and spread throughout the school, reaching almost everyone. In the photos, my expression was maliciously distorted, my shoulder exposed. The boys leered, pointing and whispering, calling me “trash” and “slut.” I was isolated, labeled a slut. Every time, it was Julian who stepped in to save me. Until I awakened my memories and discovered it was all Julian’s carefully laid trap. He hired the drunk, and he spread the photos. All to make me cower under his wing, belonging only to him. Later, I was bullied into dropping out, confined by him in a mansion, and cut off from my parents. My father, consumed by rage and grief, suffered a fatal heart attack, and my mother never recovered from the devastation. The mansion’s curtains remained drawn day after day. I was trapped in that luxurious cage, living the same monotonous life. Until I accidentally stumbled into a secret room. The walls were plastered with photos of me from childhood to adulthood, dense and overwhelming. In the center was an old newspaper, featuring a blurry photo of a little girl’s back. Julian entered without me noticing, wrapping his arms tightly around me from behind, his voice twisted and trembling. “Do you remember, Alice?” “I was eight that year, and I fell into the icy lake in the park. The water was so cold, I thought I was going to die.” “It was you, such a tiny person, crying and yelling for adults, desperately pulling me out with a tree branch…” “You were the only light in my dark life.” His arms tightened around me, a fervent declaration, his breath hot against my neck. “Only I truly love you. My life belongs to you, and you’ll never escape me.” I felt cold all over, as if plunged into an ice abyss. My innocent act of kindness as a child had led to a nightmare that haunted half my life. My father dead from anger, my mother gravely ill… The source of all this tragedy was me, and the devil I had saved years ago. The ultimate outcome was me spending the rest of my life in the suffocating cage he had woven.
I snapped out of it. The guys, seeing Julian so calm, seemed to gain confidence. They exchanged glances, letting out even more piercing jeers. “Call the cops? Alice, who are you trying to scare?” “Yeah, what are the cops going to do? Tell everyone you deserved it for being a slut?” “We all saw the photos. Why are you still acting all high and mighty?” They relied on their numbers, convinced I wouldn’t dare, and couldn’t fight back. Just then, Mr. Harrison, our homeroom teacher, rushed over after hearing the commotion. Seeing my messy desk and scattered notebooks, his brow furrowed deeply. “What’s going on? What’s all this noise about?!” The guys immediately quieted down a bit, but still wore smug, unconcerned smiles. Julian instantly stepped forward, speaking before I could. “Mr. Harrison, it’s just a misunderstanding.” “Just some kids messing around. I’ll handle it, okay?” I took a deep breath, not looking at Julian, and faced Mr. Harrison directly, speaking clearly and firmly. “Teacher, this isn’t a joke. This is blatant slander, defamation, and bullying.” I pointed at the carvings on the desk, at the soiled notebooks on the floor, and finally at those boys. “Julian’s so-called ‘handling’ is just hoping I’ll silently endure this injustice.” I turned back to the surprised Mr. Harrison, enunciating each word, my tone resolute. “Mr. Harrison, I demand to call the police.” “These slanders and defamations have severely damaged my reputation and personal dignity.” “I need the law to clear my name.” Mr. Harrison was clearly stunned, seemingly unprepared for my assertiveness. Schools usually preferred to handle these matters internally. Julian’s face subtly darkened. “Alice, don’t be impulsive. Do you know the consequences of calling the police? Those photos…” “Of course, I know the consequences.” I cut him off, unwavering. “The consequence is that those who spread rumors and defame others will face legal punishment.” “As for those manipulated photos, it’ll be perfect for the police to trace their origin!” I deliberately emphasized “origin,” and saw Julian’s pupils contract almost imperceptibly. Finally, with my strong insistence and clear articulation, Mr. Harrison agreed to my request to call the police. Soon, the wail of a police siren echoed at the school gate. The moment the uniformed officers walked into the classroom. I saw the faces of those previously arrogant boys finally turning pale, their eyes filled with panic. They instinctively looked towards Julian. And Julian, standing at the edge of the crowd, his gentle worry already gone. It was replaced by an intensely cold scrutiny and a flicker of astonishment and gloom that I had completely broken free from his control. The arrival of the police instantly froze the atmosphere in the classroom. After understanding the basic situation, two officers took all of us to the police station. As Julian passed by me, he whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. “Alice, don’t blow this up beyond repair.”
The process of giving my statement was long and suffocating. Just as I expected, the boys quickly synchronized their stories. They just said it was a joke that went too far. The classroom surveillance camera was “conveniently” broken, with no evidence to prove they had bullied me. Julian’s statement was far more sophisticated. He played the role of an anxious, well-meaning classmate trying to defuse the conflict. “Officer, I believe Alice is innocent.” “But if this gets blown out of proportion, she’ll be the only one hurt.” He subtly implied that my insistence on calling the police was a “stubborn” act, disregarding my own reputation. Julian saving me was an undeniable fact, creating a perfect loop with his supposed good intentions. Then, the police followed protocol and notified parents and the school. Within fifteen minutes, Julian’s family lawyer rushed in, followed by our school’s vice-principal. The lawyer skillfully negotiated with the officers. The final outcome was cold and stark: insufficient evidence. Those boys, after a verbal warning from the police, slunk away. Julian was the last to leave. His face now held only a deep, almost tangible possessiveness. “Alice, the law can’t help you either.” He leaned in slightly, his voice laced with a chilling fanaticism. “Had enough fun? It’s time to come back to me.” I didn’t look up, just stared at my knuckles, clenched so tight they were white. The suffocating and helpless feeling from my memories returned. But the police failure was already within my expectations. I hadn’t expected to bring him down with just this one attempt. Calling the police so publicly was to alarm him, to force him to use his family’s connections. The more he intervened, the more mistakes he’d make, the more evidence he’d leave behind. I slowly lifted my head, my face devoid of the breakdown or submission he anticipated. Instead, I managed a faint smile. “Julian, the game has just begun.” A flicker of surprise and bewilderment crossed his eyes. Just then, I turned my head and saw my parents arriving at the police station, rushing towards us. The police must have told them everything that happened. Mom rushed over and hugged me tightly, her voice choked with sobs. “Alice!” “What happened? Why didn’t you tell Mom if you were upset?” Dad’s gaze swept over my messy school uniform and my swollen wrists, his face darkening further. He turned to the police officer beside him, his tone firm. “Officer, my daughter went through such a terrible thing at school. The school must give us an explanation!” “Dad, Mom.” I gently interrupted Dad’s questioning. “Let’s go home first. There won’t be any results for now.” Dad paused, seemingly surprised that I would proactively ask to leave. He looked at my pale face. Finally, he nodded heavily. “Okay, let’s go home first.” “But this isn’t over.” The three of us, under the complex gazes of Julian and the others, left the police station.
Back home, the moment the door closed, the tight string in my mind finally snapped. My legs gave out, and I almost collapsed, but Mom firmly caught me. Her warm embrace carried a comforting scent. The thought of how the story unfolded before I awakened my memories sent shivers of fear down my spine. I couldn’t hold back anymore; the pent-up grievances and fears erupted. “Mom… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” I cried heartbrokenly, my words incoherent, my body trembling uncontrollably. Mom hugged me tight, her voice also choked with sobs. “My silly girl, it’s Dad and Mom who didn’t protect you well enough, making you suffer so much…” Dad silently offered me warm water, his eyes filled with heartache and unfocused rage. His voice was hoarse with anger. “I’ll go to school tomorrow and demand an explanation! We don’t need this school. I will not let my daughter endure this kind of treatment again!” Mom tried to remain calm, wiping away my tears, then patting Dad. “Robert, don’t scare our child.” “Alice, it’s okay now. Mom and Dad are here.” They surrounded me, without a hint of disdain or doubt. Only complete trust and unreserved heartache. In that moment, memory and reality formed a cruel contrast. Julian’s chilling voice seemed to still echo in my ears. “Alice, your parents think you’ve shamed the family.” “They don’t want you anymore. Only I want you.” “Because of you, your family is ruined. Where else can you go but to rely on me?” Those words had repeatedly tortured my already shattered nerves at the time. Yet now, Dad was trembling with anger, but his concern was that he might scare me, might upset me. How could they think I was a disgrace? They only feared they hadn’t protected me enough. Julian had systematically removed all my support, intending to turn me into a helpless, clinging vine, utterly dependent on him. My parents insisted I rest at home for a few days, not going back to school for now. They carefully guarded my emotions, and the warmth of home almost made me succumb. But I knew Julian wouldn’t give up so easily. Sure enough, on the third night, my phone screen lit up with a text message from an unknown number. “Want to know the whole truth? Tomorrow night at eight, meet me under the old oak tree in the alley.” “Come alone.” My heart lurched. Julian couldn’t wait. It was almost identical to my memories. Only the time was earlier, and the method had changed from a subtle note to a direct text message. In the original story, driven by a desperate longing for the truth, I foolishly went to the meeting. What awaited me wasn’t the truth, but another carefully orchestrated “accident” and “rescue.” Then, under his repeated “benevolent” protection, I completely fell for him, destined for ruin. This time… I took a deep breath, my fingertips rapidly tapping on the screen. “Okay.” I knew another meticulously planned trap awaited me under that old oak tree. But this meeting, I had to take.
The next evening, I arrived at the tree early. Footsteps approached from behind the tree, uneven and dragging. Three thugs emerged from the alley. They saw me, exchanged a lewd glance, and swaggered up to surround me. I took a step back, my spine hitting the rough tree trunk. The corner of my eye sharply scanned the deeper shadow at the other end of the alley. It was Julian. One of the thugs reached out to grab my arm. I sharply slapped his hand away. My voice was laced with deliberately amplified terror and trembling. “What do you want? Get away from me!” “Feisty little thing, aren’t you?” Another thug spat, pressing closer. I pretended to struggle, pushing and shoving, letting out terrified whimpers. Sure enough, just as one thug’s hand was about to grab my collar. “Stop.” Julian stepped out of the shadows. He lunged forward in a few strides, pushing away the thug closest to me. He yanked me behind him, shielding me with his body. Julian had clearly trained; his movements were clean and precise, making the thugs stumble back. The thugs muttered curses, helped each other up, and fled. I coldly observed the performance tailored just for me. In my memories, I would have been trembling in fear at this moment. Clinging to him like a lifeline, falling even deeper into his dependency. But now, it only made me sick to my stomach. In the darkness, only his footsteps approaching me remained, along with his chillingly gentle voice. “Alice, are you okay?” “Don’t be scared. I’m here.” I looked at him with scorn. “Julian, putting on this little show, is it amusing?” He seemed not to have expected me to call him out so directly. The tenderness on his face gradually faded. He didn’t immediately refute, nor did he admit it. He just quietly watched me. After several seconds, he let out a very soft laugh. His voice was filled with a curious amusement at being seen through. “My Alice, you’ve really changed. You’re not like you used to be…” He reached out and, without resistance, pinched my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “But what if you know? What does it change?” He admitted it openly, his tone even carrying a hint of boastfulness. “That drunk, I paid him. Those photos, I took them, and I spread them.” “The bullying you suffered at school, I orchestrated all of it.” “They don’t understand you. They don’t want to believe you.” “Only I truly love you. Only I can clear all obstacles for you.” “See, tonight is no different.” He chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the spot where the thugs had disappeared. “Without me, what would you do?” He waited for my breakdown, my fear, my ultimate submission. This was the climax of his script. However, I merely looked at him, my eyes devoid of any of the emotions he desired. “Are you done talking?” Julian’s smile froze on his face. I slowly raised my phone, which had been in my jacket pocket, and waved it in front of him. The screen displayed the recording interface. “Julian, save those words for the police.”
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