The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: 02/20- Favorability=-100

Lucian’s boots splashed through puddles as he walked away, his stormy aura reflecting the literal storm raging above. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—betrayal, confusion, anger—but above all, heartbreak. He clenched his fists, trying to ground himself, but the pain in his chest wouldn’t fade.

Then, out of nowhere, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his head.

[System Alert: Favorability with Aeliana has dropped to -100%.]

Lucian halted mid-step, blinking. “What?” he muttered under his breath, glancing around. The voice had been distant, almost like an announcement to the universe itself, but he heard it—clear as day.

Aeliana, still held back by Kael, also flinched, her eyes widening in horror. “What the—” she gasped, her hands trembling. She had heard it too.

Lucian turned on his heel to face her, eyes narrowed. “Did you hear that?”

Aeliana’s throat felt dry. She didn’t need an explanation; she knew exactly what that meant. Negative 100%. That wasn’t just anger—that was the system declaring her a complete and utter failure in his eyes. It was the lowest possible score, the equivalent of a bond shattered beyond repair.

Kael looked between them, puzzled. “What the hell is going on? What was that voice?”

Lucian let out a dry, bitter chuckle, running a hand through his wet hair. “Apparently, the universe itself wants to let me know that Aeliana and I are beyond saving.” His voice was laced with sarcasm, but beneath it, there was a deep, aching sorrow.

“No,” Aeliana choked out, her legs moving instinctively toward him. “No, that’s not true!”

Lucian took a step back. “Really? Because the system seems to think otherwise,” he bit out.

Aeliana grabbed Kael’s arm, her nails digging into his sleeve as she turned to him desperately. “Kael, tell him! Tell him this isn’t the end! That this can be fixed!”

Kael hesitated. As much as he wanted to reassure her, even he wasn’t sure how to fix this. The weight of the system’s declaration hung over them like a death sentence.

Aeliana’s voice turned frantic as she addressed Lucian again. “Please, please don’t believe what it says! It doesn’t define how you really feel!”

Lucian exhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling as if he were struggling to keep his emotions in check. He looked at her, expression unreadable. Then, in a chillingly calm tone, he asked, “And what if it does?”

Aeliana felt her stomach drop.

Lucian took another step back, his golden eyes dimming. “What if this is just confirmation of what I’ve been trying to deny all along?” His voice was quieter now, but no less sharp. “That I can’t trust you anymore? That you don’t deserve my loyalty? That… maybe I should just walk away for good?”

Aeliana shook her head violently. “No!” she shouted. “Don’t say that! I won’t let this end like this!”

Lucian scoffed, looking up at the sky as thunder rumbled in response. “You won’t let it end? Aeliana, do you even realize how little control you have over this anymore?” He gestured between them. “This isn’t just about you trying to fix things. It’s about whether or not I even want it to be fixed.”

The words hit like a knife to the chest.

Aeliana felt her breath hitch. He was saying he might not even want to forgive her.

Kael stepped in, placing a firm hand on Lucian’s shoulder. “Brother, I get that you’re hurt, but this isn’t you. You’re not someone who just gives up.”

Lucian shook him off. “Maybe I should be.”

Aeliana took another desperate step forward, her voice trembling. “Lucian, please. If you leave now, I don’t know if we can ever come back from this.”

He looked at her long and hard, as if memorizing her face for the last time. The storm crackled above them, mirroring the turmoil in his heart.

Then, with one last, unreadable glance, he turned his back on her and disappeared into the storm.

Aeliana stood there, staring at the dark clouds swirling above, the cold wind whipping around her. She felt numb, her body frozen in place as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. The storm above seemed to reflect the storm in her heart—chaotic, unrelenting, and bitter. Lucian had walked away, and with that, something inside her broke. He hadn’t just walked away from their argument; he had walked away from her.

What was she supposed to do now? How could she fix this? She had tried so hard to make things right between them, but with every word, with every action, it felt like she was only driving them further apart. The system had declared her a failure in his eyes, but that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was knowing that Lucian didn’t believe in them anymore.

Her mind raced. How could she have let it come to this? How could she have let the situation spiral out of control? What was wrong with her?

Her breath hitched as she squeezed her eyes shut. No. Stop. This is not the time to fall apart. You can’t let this break you. You have to fix it. You have to fix him.

“Aeliana?”

Kael’s voice cut through her thoughts, and she blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze of her emotions. She turned toward him, her face pale, her eyes raw from the storm both inside her and above her.

“Are you okay?” Kael repeated, his concern evident. He stepped closer to her, his hand on her shoulder as he gently pulled her toward him. “Do you want to head back to the kingdom? We can go back to the elf kingdom, get some rest, and—”

“Back to the elf kingdom?” she repeated, her voice hollow. “How can I go back there?”

Kael’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Aeliana shook her head, feeling her chest tighten. “I… I don’t think I can face them right now. Not after everything. Not after what happened with Lucian.” She glanced down, her fingers clenching tightly around her sleeve as she tried to hold herself together. “I don’t even know if I can face myself.”

Kael let out a long sigh, his voice soft and understanding. “I get it. You’re hurting. But running away won’t help. You know that, right?” He paused, his gaze steady on her. “You can’t keep running from this, Aeliana. You have to face the consequences of what’s happened, even if it hurts.”

Aeliana’s eyes welled with tears, but she quickly blinked them away. She didn’t want to cry—especially not in front of Kael. She needed to be strong. For Lucian, for herself, for the people who were depending on her.

“I know,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. “I know. But what if I can’t fix this? What if it’s too late?”

Kael’s expression softened. He reached out, gently cupping her face with his hands. “You won’t know until you try. You’ve always been strong, Aeliana. You’ve never been afraid to face what’s in front of you. You can’t back down now. Not when it matters the most.”

Aeliana nodded slowly, though the uncertainty still lingered in her chest like a heavy weight. How was she supposed to fix what felt like an irreparable situation? Could she even mend what was broken between her and Lucian? The doubts gnawed at her, relentless and suffocating.

“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?” she asked quietly, her voice thick with emotion.

Kael hesitated, his eyes flicking away for a moment as he collected his thoughts. “I don’t know, Aeliana. Lucian’s been through a lot. He’s been hurt, and right now, he’s angry—angry at what happened and angry at you. But that doesn’t mean it’s over. You’ve got to show him that you’re willing to fight for him. Fight for you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “But what if it’s too late? What if he’s already made up his mind?”

Kael shook his head. “Don’t think like that. He’s still Lucian. You know him better than anyone. He’ll listen. He’ll hear you out.”

Aeliana closed her eyes, a shaky breath leaving her lips. “I don’t know, Kael. I feel like I’ve already lost him.”

Kael gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “The battle isn’t over, Aeliana. Not yet.” He motioned toward the sky. “We can go back to the elf kingdom, figure things out. Take some time to clear your head. But don’t give up on him. Don’t give up on us.”

Aeliana turned her gaze toward the horizon, where the storm still raged. She felt a small flicker of hope—so faint that it barely made a difference—but it was there. If Lucian wasn’t completely lost to her, then she couldn’t just give up. She couldn’t walk away without at least trying to make things right.

“Okay,” she said, her voice firmer now, though still laden with uncertainty. “Let’s go back. But I won’t stop trying, Kael. I have to fix this. I have to.”

Kael gave her a small, encouraging smile. “That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get you back home. We’ll figure this out together.”

As they turned to make their way back to the kingdom, Aeliana couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to change. She just had to hope that Lucian would be there when the storm cleared.