Chapter 17 Jace stood in the rain outside the dorm building, water dripping steadily from his hair, soaking through his shoulders. He had lost count of how many times he had waited here in vain. Each time that familiar figure appeared, she passed him by without even glancing his way. Rejection after rejection. Cold silence after cold silence. At first, it had been frustration, resentment, anger. But eventually, during countless sleepless nights, he was forced to relive everything in painful detail. ate at night, when he couldn't sleep, memories replayed against his will. The night Marissa posted online about feeling down, and he spent hours on the phone with her, ignoring the fact that Sloane was upset with him. The time he climbed the school wall to buy hot cocoa for Marissa, while he had only ever told Sloane to "drink more hot water" when she was in pain. The celebration dinner where he gave Marissa the sweetest part of the watermelon without a second thought, not noticing how pale Sloane had become. And worst of all-the stairwell. Her struggling in the water. His own voice, cold and detached. "Whether she lives or dies is none of my business." Each scene came back with brutal clarity. He had taken her love for granted, pushed her limits over and over, carelessly draining her patience. He once thought she couldn't live without him. Turns out, it was him who couldn't live without her. His anger and bitterness had long given way to a crushing remorse. He grew quieter. The cocky, reckless aura that once clung to him faded. His expression became shadowed, his eyes heavy with a quiet, lingering darkness. He no longer tried to block her outside the classroom or the studio. No more gifts. Instead, he bought a thick stack of stationery. Each night, once his roommates were asleep, he sat under his desk lamp and wrote-word by word, line by line. Then he folded each letter carefully and placed it in the mailbox beneath her dorm. Chapter 17 77.27% There was no signature. But he knew she'd recognize his handwriting. Once. Twice. Three times... From a distance, he watched her retrieve the thick stack of letters. She didn't even open one. She dropped them straight into the trash can by the road-smoothly, without the slightest hesitation. As if she were tossing nothing more than a pile of useless paper. Jace stood hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching the scene unfold. His chest clenched so hard it nearly doubled him over. That last sliver of hope-gone. He finally understood. Some wounds, once inflicted, can never be healed. Some mistakes can never be forgiven. On the other side of campus, Sloane's life seemed to have returned to normal. But only she knew-deep inside, a part of her had frozen solid. Any emotion that ventured beyond the boundaries of safety now triggered instinctive wariness and distance. Eli Walker continued to maintain his quiet presence. He never forced conversations. Never asked about her past. Never tried to be alone with her on purpose. One night, Sloane had stayed late in the practice room, working through a routine on her own. By the time she left, it had started pouring outside. She stood at the entrance, staring into the downpour, unsure what to do-when a familiar black umbrella quietly appeared beside her, "This umbrella seems to like you," Eli said with a light smile. "The cafeteria's closed, but there's a good noodle place near North Gate. Their soup is warm. Want to go?" They didn't talk much during the meal. But in that warm, relaxed atmosphere, something inside her quietly loosened. She found herself glancing up now and then, catching the calm curve of Eli's profile as he quietly ate across from her. She knew Eli was a good man. But for now, she couldn't offer him anything in return. Chapter 17 77.27% The frost inside her heart was thick, and it would take more time-and more warmth-to melt. And all of this, Jace saw from afar. He saw her relax in ways she never had around him. He still felt the sharp sting of it-but this time, he had no courage left to act on it. So he did the only thing he could. He watched her from a distance. Silently.