QT: Against My Will

488 8.05 -Current Rankings 6 – Monster Heist

Victor, {What about Silvia?}

Nora couldn’t monitor Silvia with Nathaniel by her side so whatever she said, Victor would believe her, {She had been begging us for surgery as soon as she woke up.}

Victor, {No matter what, make sure she won’t regain her beauty.}

{That goes without question.} Nora placed her legs on the table calmly, taking a short ‘nap’ behind her desk. Even with her eyes open, she could see the situation on Silvia’s side through the orbs she sent out. When her monitoring malfunctioned at first, she panicked, but it came in handy later. She often used it as an excuse to keep a few secrets away from Victor.

Today was the first time she met Silvia in person, and she felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. From all the years she spent on monitoring people, it was easy to spot the difference between the two Silvias right away.

· · ────────── · ???· ────────── · ·

Despite her condition, Bing Shi still had to juggle between school and the hospital. She knew that missing too many classes as an F rank could get her in trouble, so she made sure to attend all classes before the next ordeal.

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CURRENT RANKINGS:

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1. Victor Egerton (S)

2. Jo Tyrrel (S)

3. Lucilius Mikhael (S)

4. Tia Knight (S)

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8. Julliet Robbinson (S)

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18. Liam Stevens (S)

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20. Henry Ernchester (S)

21. Silvia LeClére (S)

23. Elera Mai (S)

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25. Laura Shan (S)

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280. Bertha Hamilton (D)

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480. Alain Night (D)

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3875. Nathaniel Hauxley (F)

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After a long day of work, Dai An decided to take a break and delve into the contents of Bing Shi’s space ring. As she went through the various sections, her attention was drawn to a particular area labeled “FROM HUBBY”.

Intrigued, she decided to start with the smallest box within this section. Inside, she discovered a variety of strange jewelry and trinkets.

She picked up one of the cards from the box and opened it to read the content.

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Our story won’t have a happy ending.

It will be happy, unfinished,

never-ending, forever, and always.

╚═════════════════╝

‘~Who crossed out the word happy?’

‘Hubby did,’ Bing Shi responded. This man was not only making her continue an already completed book (their love story), but he was also letting others come up with a bunch of fan fiction like Ezikiel x Silvia.

· · ────────── · ???· ────────── · ·

—A few weeks later.

Silvia’s surgery didn’t have the desired outcome. Her body had not changed much and she still appeared to be overweight despite going through many liposuction-like procedures.

Bertha didn’t lose hope. She supported Silvia into a sitting position and began to wrap new bandages around Silvia’s bald head, “You might lose weight with some exercise.”

“I’ve been starving for a week and gained three more kilos. If I start to exercise I’m afraid my weight will double,” Bing Shi surfed through the news, seeing Nathaniel Hauxley occupying the headlines with pretty girls. What was he doing? A Cinderella show? She put away her phone, “We can go for a walk if you want.”

Bertha immediately stood up and took Silvia’s arm. She led her outside the hospital room and walked until they reached a quiet place.

“Why did your rank drop?” Bing Shi asked.

“I’m not sure,” Bertha said with a downward gaze. She had the skills to reach A-class, but would it be worth it if it meant jeopardizing her relationship with Silvia? It had always been like this. Whenever she was better at something, Silvia would come to hate her.

On their way, they noticed Nathaniel and Dr. Rinaldi sitting on a bench in the corner, taking a lunch break.

Bing Shi pressed her ear against the wall, trying to listen in on the conversation.

Bertha followed suit. She strained her ear to listen to any clues about Nathaniel’s involvement in Silvia’s weight gain.

“I’ve noticed that you’ve only gone on dates with women,” Dr. Rinaldi said, leaning back on the bench with her hands folded, “Have you ever considered having a male as a partner?”

“A man? I would consider them a friend, but nothing more than that,” Nathaniel responded. He was looking for a new body for Bing Shi, an identity that wouldn’t attract too much negative attention for being in a romantic relationship with Nathaniel, “But enough about me, I’m sure everyone is pressuring you to remarry. I might as well join in on the nagging.”

“I dare you,” Dr. Rinaldi made a throat-slitting gesture playfully, “I don’t care you are a top alpha, these beta hands have made a few people cry.”

Nathaniel let out a soft, brief laugh, “I have no doubt about that.”

Lu Kai wondered why Riley’s and Victor’s behaviour towards Silvia remained the same, despite his wife taking over her body a few times. Let’s just admit it. Bing Shi barely tried to act like Silvia, maybe because she figured it out sooner than him?

Someone else must have had a hand in tweaking Riley’s and Victor’s system’s information before it reached their hosts. Someone who liked to work from the background like Dai An.

Who could that person be? Having too much knowledge upfront took away from the excitement of discovering things on their own. Currently, only Ziek knew the answer. He was also the only one who knew about Bertha’s identity. It was his turn to train his omnipresence, which was why he left this world earlier to deal with the aftermath of its effect.

Lu Kai was in the process of figuring it out, while Ru Quan was preoccupied with other issues.

· · ────────── · ???· ────────── · ·

Nathaniel and Dr. Rinaldi continued their banter, both aware of the two girls behind the wall.

Bing Shi couldn’t make out any details, but she heard their laughter loud and clear. She was used to him being flirty and gentlemanly with other women, but she was not used to seeing him have such a good time with them.

‘She is amazing. I suddenly feel like a third wheel.’

‘~You rejected Nathaniel. He has all the right to move on and find someone else.’

‘He can find whoever he wants, but did you see his response to my rejection? He sacrificed Ezikiel. I want revenge.’

‘~Just admit you are jealous.’

‘Revenge.’

“Bertha, you can go home now,” Bing Shi said as she turned to head back to her ward. “I am not going to school until the next ordeal, and I don’t want you to get hurt because of me, so for now, it’s best if we limit our visits” Her words were filled with sincerity, and she hoped that Bertha would understand her concerns and take the necessary precautions to stay safe.

“I am glad to see you getting better,” Bertha spoke quietly, squeezing her hand around Silvia’s arm more tightly, “I’ll accompany you back to the ward.”

“It’s fine, I can go on my own,” Bing Shi pulled away from Bertha’s grasp on her arm, making a small distance, “And Bertha, please don’t think I didn’t notice the bruises under your makeup. If you can’t deal with it alone, don’t hesitate to ask for help.”

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Nathaniel finally stood up from his seat when Bertha no longer stuck to Silvia.

Bertha felt a tightness in her chest from the rejection, seeing Silvia skipping towards Nathaniel like a giant bunny. Despite that, she smiled brightly, “Alright, be careful!”

Nora found this whole situation funny. What would people think if they discovered that Silvia actually had no interest in Nathaniel Hauxley? One had to look beyond her actions to see it.