Chapter 2

Seraphina's POV

Seeing that familiar smile, I squeezed my eyes shut in agony.

I'm sorry, Juliana. God, I'm so sorry...

"Try this on!" Memory-Juliana held up an elegant pearl necklace, bouncing with excitement. "Wear this to tonight's masquerade—you'll be absolutely stunning!"

I shook my head, looking down: "Julie, I can't take your necklace... it's way too expensive..."

"Oh, come on!" She fastened it around my neck without hesitation. "That's what friends do! Besides, this thing was made for you anyway."

That was Julie—always giving me her best stuff without thinking twice. Expensive jewelry, designer dresses. She'd hand them over to this broke orphan girl like it was nothing.

That sweet, innocent girl had been the only light in my life. And I...

The crowd below murmured:

"So Juliana was so good to this backstabbing bitch..."

"Makes what she did even more sick."

Mrs. Pierce sobbed: "My Julie... she was so kind... why did this monster have to destroy her..."

Alexander stared at Juliana on screen, eyes instantly red. But the next second, his face twisted with rage.

"You think this bullshit will get you sympathy?!" Alexander grabbed my chin hard. "Look how good Juliana was to you! How could you protect her killer?! Do you even have a fucking soul?!"

"I'm sorry... God, I'm so sorry..." Tears streamed down my face.

"Sorry doesn't bring Juliana BACK! She's dead! You got her killed!"

Alexander shoved my face away and screamed at the control panel: "Skip this useless crap! Extract the memories from that night! I wanna see how she conspired with that sick fuck!"

The machine roared back to life. The memory jumped to the masquerade ball—the night everything changed.

In the grand ballroom, I wore Juliana's sky-blue gown and her pearl necklace. When Alexander asked me to dance, time stood still.

"Care to dance?"

That moment of pure joy, that flutter in my chest—I'd never forget it. The music started, and he guided me gently across the dance floor.

His gaze was so intense, so focused.

But I was too scared, too insecure. When Alexander tried to remove my mask, I bolted from that fairy-tale night.

Present-day Alexander's face began to change as he watched. Something was clicking.

The scene fast-forwarded. After that night, I'd watched him from afar until that day at the football field. I'd finally worked up the courage to bring Alexander some water when Juliana caught me.

"Let me guess—got your eye on someone?" she teased, then followed my gaze to Alexander. Her eyes lit up instantly.

"Oh my GOD... it's Alexander Knight!" She covered her mouth. "Sera... actually, I like him too..."

My stomach dropped. The water bottle nearly slipped from my hands.

Julie... I saw the careful hope in her eyes, remembered how she'd held me all night when I had fever, how she'd given me her favorite teddy bear when I was homesick. She was my best friend in the world. How could I compete with her for anything?

"Since you liked him first, I'll back off! Girls before guys!" she said sincerely.

No... Julie... I forced a smile: "Actually, I don't like him..."

"Really? Oh thank God!" She perked up. "Then I'm totally gonna go talk to him!"

Everything changed right then. Alexander saw the pearl necklace around Juliana's neck—the same one I'd worn to the ball—and mistook her for the girl he'd danced with.

"It's you... the girl from the masquerade..." He sounded amazed.

Juliana looked confused, but seeing my encouraging nod, she didn't deny it.

Present Alexander went white as a sheet: "No... that's impossible... the girl I danced with was..."

"So THAT'S why!" Mrs. Pierce pointed at the screen. "You were in love with Alexander! You were jealous of Juliana! So you killed her over a guy!"

The crowd erupted:

"She protected the killer out of jealousy!"

"This bitch is evil as hell!"

Alexander finally snapped back to reality. He stared at me in shock and... disgust.

I saw the revulsion in his eyes and something inside me died. I managed a bitter smile: "Yes... Alexander. I loved you. For seven whole years..."

"SHUT UP!" Alexander jumped back like I was poison and slapped me hard. "You sick bitch! Just looking at you makes me wanna puke!"

He whipped my head sideways, more blood trickling from my mouth.

"So what if you were the girl I danced with?" Pure hate in his voice. "Juliana was a thousand times better than you! Ten thousand times! You're nothing compared to her! NOTHING!"

Every word was like a knife. I looked at him with trembling eyes, filled with despair.

"I know... that's why I never... never tried to compete..."

"ENOUGH!" Alexander roared. "Crank it up to max!"

The memory shifted again.

This time it showed Juliana's grave. Countless rainy nights, me kneeling at her headstone, sobbing.

"Julie... I'm sorry... it's all my fault..."

"Get OUT, you murderer!" Mr. Pierce's bottle smashed into my head, blood streaming down.

"How DARE you come here!" Mrs. Pierce joined the beating. "You vicious snake!"

I didn't fight back. I just took it. Every punch, every kick—I absorbed it all.

Alexander watched these scenes, his expression complicated. He hadn't known I'd endured all this.

Some in the crowd started whispering:

"She looks... really broken..."

"Maybe she really does feel guilty..."

But Mrs. Pierce immediately screamed: "Fake tears! It's all bullshit! If she really felt guilty, why won't she name the killer? She's been putting on this act for years, but never tells the truth! Proves she doesn't give a damn!"

"Exactly! She's just putting on a show!"

The crowd was riled up again, cursing and demanding answers.

But I still said nothing.

Alexander lost it completely: "Still won't talk?! Fine! Max fucking power!"