Page 117 of Everdoll

I no longer cared what he thought of me—this man who had viewed me as nothing more than a burden and a mistake since the day I was born. I was done being beholden to anyone else’s expectations or assumptions.

Almost, done.

I couldn’t pinpoint when this realization had dawned on me, but ever since I started writing, I were returning to my core identity. Connecting with others at the agency, I seemed to be tethered back to life. With every word I spoke, my spirit seemed to become more visible. I was getting closer to my true self.

But I hadn’t quite reached it yet.

Something was standing in my way. I wanted to get away from that. From that haunted dollhouse, from the only addiction I had.

My soul needed freedom.

As I headed to Lesse, I felt a great sense of courage. Those last shreds of hope had completely vanished. I could now imagine Raymond with someone else, and I no longer feared being replaced.

I felt so relieved I wanted to cry.

This was my first time alone in Lesse’s streets. Being here without Raymond was completely meaningless, though. Almost every place here sorted people by their status. There was no door Raymond Loxton couldn’t cross, and the way heads turned toward us the moment we walked in made me deeply uneasy. Some watched us with admiration, but most looked on with dread. I knew Raymond was a feared man, yet I couldn’t make sense of it. I had never seen him abuse his power; on the contrary, he was always lending a hand. He had spearheaded the construction of a new power plant on Mars, the children adored him, and…

I had to stop thinking about him.

I headed first to the Loxton estate. The staff there were taken aback to see me arrive alone, and when I asked where Raymond was, they offered no answer.

“The young master must have finally dumped her!”

“Did she come to cause a scene?”

I could hear the whispers clearly, yet didn’t respond to any of them.

“Is he in the capital? Still at work?”

When my question met with blank stares again, I sighed. Not wanting to stay there any longer, I pivoted, but recoiled when I bumped into a large figure. I immediately stepped back and reached for my bag.

Sebastian Loxton.

I was a little afraid of this man. With his dirty beard, large frame, and serious face like a courtroom wall, he gave off an ‘approach me and you’ll die’ aura. Whenever I encountered him, Raymond was always by my side, and he would find an excuse to send him away. That’s why I didn’t know how to behave now.

“Oh, looks who’s here?” Sebastian Loxton smiled at me, like genuinely, but I frowned.

“Mr. Loxton,” I said in a firm voice. “Where’s Raymond? Please tell me, sir. You must know where he is; I need to talk to him about something important.”

He grinned. “I wonder what that brat would react if he saw you looking for him like this.”

I remained serious. Unlike the other people here, Mr. Loxton had always been kind to me, never belittling me. I had never heard him make any comments about how irrelevant we were, or how ordinary I was for being Raymond Loxton’s girlfriend. He had never commented on our relationship.

Interesting.

“Where is he?” I repeated.

“He’s still at work. Today’s the launch for their latest products, so he must be busy. If you’d like, I can take you to him. The car’s waiting right outside.”

I hesitated, weighing the offer. Just as I opened my mouth to respond, my eyes widened at the figure appearing behind Mr. Loxton.

Raymond closed the distance in an instant, caught my arm, gave me a quick glance like checking my condition, then pushed my body behind him. Now my view blocked by his broad shoulders. I shifted to step forward, but he lifted an arm, barring my way.

“Explain yourself, Sebastian.” Hearing his icy voice, I stopped moving.

“Welcome home, son. You’re early.”

As I tried to move again, Raymond’s long black trench coat flared in the air. In the same motion, he pulled me into his arms, wrapping me completely and pressing me tight against his chest. I went rigid, my face buried in the heavy fabric. His scent filled my lungs, and I couldn’t remember why I had come here at all.