derstand wTasha’s POV

I couldn’t focus. The teacher’s voice had faded into a dull hum somewhere between irritation and exhaustion, every word bouncing off my skull like meaningless noise. My heart wouldn’t sit still—it kept drumming, pounding like it was trying to break through my ribs.

I kept seeing his face. Jeremy’s. His smile when he looked at me during lunch, that soft teasing in his eyes when he made me feed him the yoghurt. And now that same smile wouldn’t leave my mind, but this time it felt heavy, wrong, like something terrible had happened.

The bell rang, snapping me out of it. I grabbed my books without even bothering to zip my bag properly. The teacher called something about assignments, but I was already halfway out the door.

Outside my head felt like it was spinning. I saw my driver leaning against the black sedan and I rushed straight to him.

“Take me to Jeremy’s house,” I said quickly, breathless.

He blinked. “Not home, miss?”

“Jeremy’s,” I repeated firmly, sliding into the back seat.

The drive felt longer than usual even though it wasn’t. Every red light, every slow car in front of us, felt like the world itself was testing my patience. My fingers wouldn’t stop trembling, and deep down a bad feeling kept gnawing at my stomach.

When we finally reached the Walker mansion, I pushed the car door open before it even came to a complete stop. The gatekeeper, old Mr. Grant, smiled the moment he saw me.

“Ah, Miss Tasha! Did your father send you again?”

I frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

He chuckled lightly, adjusting his cap. “Well, Miss Elsa came earlier today with a message from your father. Said he sent her here.”

The words hit me like a bucket of cold water.

“What?” I asked, my voice suddenly sharp.

He nodded innocently. “Yes, she’s inside. Mr. Jeremy’s room, I think.”

I didn’t wait for him to finish. I ran.

My shoes hit the marble floor hard, the echo bouncing through the quiet halls. Every step felt heavier than the last, my pulse climbing until it drowned everything else.

And then I reached the door.

I didn’t knock. I pushed it open with both hands, and the sight that met me shattered every ounce of my trust completely.

Elsa’s blouse was half open with Jeremy’s hand still clutching her arm, both of them frozen like statues under a spotlight.

My breath hitched. For a second, my brain refused to understand what I was seeing.

Jeremy’s eyes widened, horror flooding them. He shoved Elsa away instantly, stumbling forward. “Tasha…wait, it’s not…”

But his voice was distant. I couldn’t hear it. My gaze was locked on Elsa. That smug, twisted smile curling on her lips, the same kind of smile I remembered from before.

The same smile she wore when she stole everything from me in the past.

“Tasha, please,” Jeremy’s hand caught mine, desperate.

I jerked it away. “Don’t touch me,” I whispered. My throat burned, my chest tight. “Just…don’t.”

He took a step closer, reaching out again. “Listen to me…she drugge..”

I didn’t let him finish. I brushed his hand off harder this time, the sound echoing like a slap. My vision blurred as tears stung my eyes, spilling before I could stop them.

“Why?” My voice cracked. “Why does this have to happen again?”

I turned and ran.

“Tasha!” His voice followed me, rough, panicked. I didn’t stop.

I felt him catch me halfway down the hall, his hand gripping my wrist, spinning me to face him. He pinned me lightly to the wall, his chest heaving, eyes wild.

“Please…listen to me…”

I shoved him back so hard he staggered, hitting the small table behind him. “Don’t touch me!” I yelled, my voice breaking. “And don’t you dare follow me!”

He froze, guilt written all over his face, but I couldn’t stay there any longer.

I ran out, past the stairs, through the living room where the servants turned away in silence. I reached the car and slammed the door shut.

“Home,” I muttered, choking on tears. “Drive me home.”

The driver didn’t say a word. He just started the car, and I stared out the window, trying not to fall apart completely. But I already had.

When we reached home, I didn’t wait for anyone. I pushed through the maids, ignored their greetings, their worried looks. My personal maid tried to take my bag, but I shoved it aside.

My room felt like a cage when I entered, too quiet, too dark. I collapsed on the bed, clutching the pillow against my chest as the sobs finally came.

Jeremy loved me—at least I thought he did. He fought for me. He took punches, he defied Roman, he said he wouldn’t let me go. So why—why did it have to be Elsa again?

Elsa’s smile was burned into my mind, like poison dripping through every thought. She was winning, just like before.

I pressed my palms over my face and screamed into them, muffling the sound. My tears wouldn’t stop, and all I could see was Jeremy’s face when he tried to explain, the confusion in his eyes, and Elsa’s smirk right behind him.

Maybe I was cursed. Maybe happiness wasn’t written for me in this life either.

The door suddenly burst open, making me jump.

“Get out!” I screamed immediately, without looking up. “I don’t want to see anyone!”

But the footsteps came closer. I looked up through blurry eyes—

Roman.

He stood there, his expression unreadable, shadows cutting sharp lines across his face.

“Roman,” I said coldly, my voice shaking. “Get out. I’m not in the mood for your games.”

He didn’t move. He just kept walking toward me, slow, deliberate, like a storm rolling in.

"Roman?"

"What are you doing?" i said, trying to understand his sudden pace towards me.

"Get Ouuuutttt, I don't want to see you or anyone else"

But he remained silent , looking at me dead in the eye...