Free Web NovelChapter 22: Something Is Wrong With Silvia
Silence enveloped the two of them as they held each other’s gaze in the middle of the library.
"Why are you so good to me?"
The question echoed over and over inside Silvia’s mind.
Liam watched as her lips repeatedly parted and closed again, unable to form even a single word.
He couldn’t help wondering what kind of storm was raging inside her heart that answering such a simple question seemed so painfully difficult.
Maybe Silvia likes me.
No.
Liam dismissed that thought almost immediately.
That would just be wishful thinking.
There had to be another reason why she kept trying to get closer to him.
Was it simply gratitude?
Because he’d helped her a few times?
Was that all?
Unable to bear the suffocating silence any longer, Silvia finally gathered every ounce of courage she had.
"I..."
Bzzztt.
A vibration came from Liam’s pocket.
He took out his phone.
[Miria]
Glancing back at Silvia, he gave an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, Silvia. Forget what I just asked. I just got carried away."
He looked down at the notification.
[Are you still studying?]
Liam typed back.
[Nah... I think I’m going home now.]
A reply came almost instantly.
[The weather forecast says there’s a chance of a storm. Come to the front gate. I’ll be waiting for you there.]
[Do I need to leave right now?]
[If you’d rather leave a girl waiting alone in the middle of a heavy rain, then by all means, keep relaxing with the school’s number one student.]
[Alright, alright.]
Liam slipped his phone back into his pocket.
He began gathering his books and placing them inside his bag.
"The rain’s getting heavier. I’m going to head home first, Silvia."
Silvia, who had been staring blankly at the table, finally snapped back to reality.
"Ah... y-yeah! I was planning to leave too. My mom said she’d be waiting for me at the school gate."
Liam nodded naturally.
But inside, a dilemma weighed heavily on him.
Should I walk to the gate with Silvia? But if Miria sees us together... God only knows what she’ll do.
With that thought, he hurriedly packed the rest of his belongings, determined not to give his childhood friend another reason to sulk, or worse, try to hypnotize him again.
Slipping his bag over his shoulder, Liam headed toward the library exit.
"Liam... wait."
The gentle voice behind him made him stop.
Turning around, he saw Silvia hurrying toward him.
A light sheen of sweat covered her neck from rushing to catch up with him.
Does she really want to walk to the gate together that badly?
Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she spoke between slightly uneven breaths.
"Let’s go to the school gate together. It’s... better than walking alone."
She hesitated before adding quietly,
"And... I’m a little scared of the thunder."
Another crack of thunder rolled across the sky.
The rain drummed even harder against the ground.
Liam let out a small sigh before nodding.
"Okay."
The two of them opened their umbrellas.
Occasionally, stray raindrops splashed against Silvia’s face before sliding down her neck and tracing along her collarbone.
Liam deliberately looked away, not wanting to make her uncomfortable with his gaze.
They walked toward the school gate in silence, each carrying their own umbrella.
Every so often, their eyes would unintentionally meet before quickly looking away again.
Eventually, they reached the entrance.
There, Liam saw Miria standing beneath a black umbrella.
She wasn’t wearing her school uniform.
Instead, she had on an army-green sweater coat that wrapped warmly around her slender figure.
As if sensing his presence, Miria immediately looked toward him.
Her gaze also landed on Silvia, who was walking only a short distance beside him.
Her expression barely changed.
Yet the look in her eyes unmistakably told Liam.
Come. Now.
Liam instinctively quickened his pace.
But before he could take another step, a soft warmth wrapped around his wrist.
"Liam..."
He turned around.
Silvia was holding out a bottle.
Liam glanced back toward Miria.
Her face remained perfectly composed.
Only...
Her clenched fist betrayed everything.
Ugh... why does this always happen? I should’ve left earlier.
Of course, he kept that complaint to himself. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Turning back to Silvia, he smiled politely.
"What is it, Silvia?"
Silvia pressed her soft red lips together before offering him the bottle.
"Here..."
"I-It’s ginger tea. Darren mentioned you’ve been coughing a lot lately."
"Maybe... it’ll help."
The concern in her eyes was completely genuine.
Accepting the bottle, Liam found himself returning to the question he’d asked her earlier.
Why...?
Why would someone like you—a girl at the very top—care this much about someone like me?
He still wasn’t used to kindness like this.
"Thanks... Silvia."
The moment she heard those words, a warm smile bloomed across her face.
She gave a gentle nod.
Then...
That smile disappeared in an instant.
"Ah..."
"My mom’s here."
There was a trace of pressure in her voice that Liam couldn’t ignore.
Looking toward the road, he saw two black sedans parked outside the school gate.
One belonged to Miria.
The other, judging by the timing, had to belong to Silvia’s mother.
When he looked back, Silvia’s expression had inexplicably darkened.
Without another word, she hurried toward the waiting car.
"See you tomorrow, Silvia."
She didn’t answer.
Without looking back even once, she climbed into the sedan as though she were trying to escape.
Liam frowned.
Something about Silvia’s behavior felt... wrong.
"Come here."
A firm voice suddenly cut through the rain.
Before Liam could react, someone grabbed his wrist and yanked him backward.
Miria’s grip was surprisingly strong.
He’d been so focused on Silvia that he’d completely forgotten Miria had been watching the entire time.
Without saying another word, Miria opened the rear door of the black sedan and practically shoved Liam inside.
His umbrella slipped from his hand and fell onto the wet pavement.
Miria climbed in after him, forcing him all the way to the far end of the back seat before closing the door.
The jealousy burning in her eyes was impossible to hide.
"Drive to my father’s old villa."
There was no mistaking the anger in her voice.
After watching Silvia deliberately hand something to Liam with that warm, innocent smile...
Miria had reached her limit.
That bitch...
She deliberately gave Liam a gift right in front of me.
"The villa...?"
Liam blinked in confusion.
"Miria... isn’t that villa abandoned? No one’s lived there for years."
Gathering what little courage remained, he forced himself to ask.
Miria slowly turned her head.
Her icy gaze pierced straight through him.
"Yeah."
"And we’re going there."
"Just the two of us."
