Chapter 4: Blackheart's Memory-lane

Sheryl, startled by what just happened, was about to follow Oleander when her phone rang. She hesitated, debating whether to chase after Oleander or answer the call. The decision was made for her when she saw Bleiz’s name light up on the screen.

"Hello?"

Meanwhile, Oleander’s fruitless search came to a frustrating halt.

The presence had diminished—after sometime..

Her eyes, now tinged with irritation, narrowed as her clenched fist slammed backward against the wall. The stairs were out of the question; she would have seen someone moving up or down through the gaps between the railings. The only plausible explanation was that whoever had been watching her had either taken the elevator or slipped out through a service exit.

"Next time," she muttered venomously, scanning her surroundings one last time before turning back the way she came.

She returned just in time to hear Sheryl scolding her. Oleander nodded in acceptance, though her mind was still unsettled by the sensation of being watched. (Hopefully, it wasn’t her grandfather’s doing...)

She learned that there had been a family meeting, and her name had been mentioned. But what worried her most was the possibility that her endeavors outside of family traditions had been exposed.

On their way to the exit, they exchanged polite smiles and greetings with passersby before finally making it to the car.

“Drop me off at my apartment. I need to finish my sculpting assignment,” Oleander said, rubbing her cheek lightly before glancing back toward the venue. She could not shake off the feeling of being watched.

When she arrived at her apartment, Oleander narrowed her eyes as she pushed the door open. Her gaze landed on Bleiz, seated casually on the sofa like an intimidating mafia boss, scrolling. A slow smile crept onto her lips, but she said nothing as she made her way straight to the fridge for a bottle of water.

Bleiz switched off his phone and exhaled. “Grayson brought up marriage again. I was hoping Grandfather had other priorities, but Lea… I don’t think I can interfere much longer.”

Sprawled across the L-shaped sofa, Oleander had plenty of space to herself, but she still inched forward and playfully nudged Bleiz with her foot.

He shot her a deadpan look - Are you serious?

“Let them cook their poison. In the end, I’ll be the one pouring it down their throats.” She adjusted her position and sat up slightly. “Was the she-devil there as well?”

Bleiz’s phone buzzed repeatedly. He scrolled through the notifications, then sighed.

“Yes, little one. The she-demon-devil-Satan—whatever else you’ve named her over the past nine years—was quite present. And to make matters worse, Edmir had to step in on your behalf. She rekindled the conversation by mentioning that her best friend from the Osvaldo family is coming back. Apparently, she would be more than happy to play cupid for you two.”

Oleander scoffed, examining her nails as she sneered at the hypocritical display of closeness.

Bleiz, noticing her expression, ruffled her hair in silent reassurance. “Don’t worry, Lea.”

She smirked. “I won’t. The first time was a mistake. A second time would be a blunder if I were stupid. Her audacity has known no bounds since the day her two-faced ugliness was exposed—on the very day I was kidnapped.”

Ten Years Ago: Lea, Lynn (Edmir’s daughter), Brianna (the blackheart clan’s little marionette), and three boys from other prominent families were a tightly-knit group of children, bound together by age and social standing.

The setting was a grand estate belonging to one of Lea’s father’s close friends. Its garden stretched into the wild, seamlessly blending with nature. Servants and guards were stationed at every corner, ensuring the children’s safety—or so they thought.

That was their mistake. Or more precisely, Lea’s mistake.

“Let’s play Bat’s Catch!” Nine-year-old Brianna grinned mischievously, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

It was another one of those social gatherings where elite families mingled, and their children formed small cliques of familiarity.

Midway through the party, Brianna came up with a brilliant idea. “To make things more interesting, let’s play near the forest entrance! Uncle Yihou wouldn’t mind.”

Lea hesitated. “B-But… the adults said not to go near the forest.”

The others groaned in disapproval. Brianna, always the charmer, smiled sweetly. “I even invited more friends to join. It’ll be fine! There are so many of us, and the guards are right there.”

Under the pressure of persuasion, Lea caved—just like always.

It wasn’t the first time. She had always been a timid child, an easy target for peer pressure. Compared to Brianna, who exuded confidence and charisma, Lea was barely noticeable. Children naturally gravitated toward Brianna, leaving Lea as the quiet tag-along.

The game started smoothly, with no incidents.

But as the sun dipped below the horizon and the party wound down, most of the children were whisked away by their parents. By the time it was finally Lea’s turn to be the "catcher", the group had dwindled back to their original five.

Still, she was excited. She had never been chosen before. At school, at other parties—no one ever picked her for games.

This was her moment.

Brianna made sure of that.

She lured Lea toward the forest, deliberately making noise to lead her in deeper.

Lea, blindfolded, didn’t realize what was happening. She stumbled and tumbled, scraping her knee, colliding with trees. But all she could focus on was tagging someone—just once.

The others, meanwhile, had scattered way before Brianna's scheme.

By the time she called out for them, there was only silence.

A deep, unsettling silence.

Panic gripped her tiny frame. “Lynn? Bre? S-Someone?!”

Dread seeped into her bones as she struggled to untie the blindfold. But Brianna had knotted it too tightly. No matter how much she tugged, it wouldn’t budge. Her ears had reddened due to the rubbing and pressure.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She was alone.

And no one was coming for her.

Her small hands trembled, weak and useless. The sky darkened, making it harder to distinguish her surroundings. The only thing she could see through the slight gap was the uneven ground beneath her feet.

Eventually, she stumbled into a clearing.

Thirsty and exhausted, she collapsed onto the dirt path, sobbing quietly.

That was her second mistake.

The men must have been watching. Waiting.

They moved in when she was too weak to fight back.

By the time she realized she was in danger, it was already too late.

Back at the party, Uncle Gayle had gone to check on them, only to find her missing. Panic had erupted as a full-scale search began.

Oleander’s whisper dissolved into the air. “If only... he...”

Bleiz, not hearing what she muttered, pocketing his phone. “I have to go. Father’s calling, and leaving work unfinished will just be another headache.”

Oleander waved him off. “Go~ I’ll handle it. Thanks for the heads-up.”

---

Later that evening, she prepared dinner while checking her university emails. There were assignments to complete and a vacation application for an art gallery event in Italy.

Her sculpture had been highly praised, and her professor had personally requested it to be displayed.

She deleted old drafts, renewed concept notes, and was about to shut her laptop when something caught her eye. A spam email. At least, that’s what it looked like. But it wasn’t the spam itself that made her pause. It was the subject line that made her curious as she moved her cursor.