Once Bitten, Twice Shy

She could not break free from the thick rope.

She looked briefly at Matthew’s sleeping face and turned to see the countdown timer on the bomb. All her resentment and unwillingness started to surge up uncontrollably.

Why should she continue acting in front of Timothy if she was destined to die there?

“No. I’m not!”

Timothy did not seem surprised by that answer but had a somewhat bitter look in the bottom of his eyes. “You would’ve been willing if it was the main personality, right?”

As if already expecting him to say that, Samantha was very calm when she heard that

The second personality was such an alert and distrustful character that she never once considered deceiving him for long.

The fact that he knew her intentions should not have come as a surprise.

After all, there was no reason for him to ask whether or not she would die with him.

The only thing she did not know was when he saw through her.

Samantha opened her mouth and asked, “When did you know?”

‘When did I know?’

‘From the beginning, I suppose.’

‘No matter how good your acting skills are, I could still feel whether you genuinely liked me.’

‘At the end of the day, I was simply deceiving myself.’

‘I wanted to take a gamble to find out whether or not you’d like me...even just a little bit...if I took on the identity of the main personality.’

Rather than answering her question, he said, “I was hoping you’d continue to lie to me at this moment.”

Deceiving others was wrongful in itself, but Samantha felt no sense of guilt toward Timothy because they were hostile from the beginning.

He was the same when he wanted to deceive her and gain her trust.

Samantha pursed her lips. “We’ve already reached a point where there’s no need to pretend between...”

Timothy interrupted her and asked, “Do you honestly have no clue what I’m talking about? Or are you pretending not to understand?”

Samantha was silent.

She was not an idiot. She knew and understood the meaning of his words.

He was hoping that she would continue lying to him in the hopes that...she liked him for who he was...

In reality, she was more surprised and puzzled than anything.

He wanted to kill her ever since the beginning. When did those feelings...become like that?

Timothy’s voice continued his questioning, “Would you like me if I was the one inside this body from the beginning? Would you like me just as you liked the main personality?”

Their backs were against each other and Samantha could not see what his expression was at that moment. It was hard for her to imagine what kind of expression he had when asking such a question.

Love was something that contradicted his very nature.

He had always given her the impression that he was ruthless and even cold-blooded.

Samantha thought about it seriously, and then replied seriously, “No.”

She would not fall for Timothy if he had such a sinister and cold-blooded character since the beginning.

The Timothy she liked might be quiet, but he had a gentle heart. Despite being terrible at expressing himself, his actions moved her and all those tiny little details touched her heart.

She surrendered to his tenderness.

Timothy laughed self-deprecatingly. “Didn’t I just tell you that I was hoping for you to continue lying to me?”

“Why don’t you lie a little more to me? Perhaps you can convince me into saving you?”

Samantha asked in return. “Didn’t you say there’s no way of saving?”

Nobody would want to die like that.

Time passed without them knowing and there were only ten minutes left.

Timothy was silent for a few seconds before saying, “The power of love can often create miracles.”

The main personality had been peacefully dormant in his body for three years and yet she was the one who woke him up.

“Tell me you like me and I’ll do it.”

Samantha did not know if he was teasing her or if he was serious. What if he was serious? That would be her silver lining.

Saying it was not that big a deal because she was not going to fall for him just because she said that. More importantly, all he wanted was for her to say it.

Even so, it was beyond difficult for her to open her mouth and actually say it.

She was someone who stayed true to herself, including to her likes and dislikes. The difference was so clear to her that she could not bring herself to spout lies.

Timothy waited for about a minute before smiling.

“Samantha... By virtue of this personality you possess, you truly deserve to be...the only woman I’ve ever looked at in a different light.”

He never took into consideration the issue of feelings and he did not think he would be entangled by feelings. Cruelty and ruthlessness ran in his bones, and it was something he was very well aware of.

Whoever his future wife would be was immaterial to her.

When Harmony woke him up, he only agreed to her request to stay by his side because she suppressed the main personality for him.

That changed when he met Samantha.

It only took one sentence to touch his heart: ‘It’s good that you’re still alive.’

...

No one had ever welcomed him into this world. As a soul bound in other people’s bodies, he would only remain trapped in darkness for the rest of his life if he remained dormant.

When Harmony woke him up, Donald and the others who manipulated everything from behind were simply doing so to bet their fortunes on the main personality. It was never to welcome him-the second personality-as a person.

Even though Samantha was merely acting, she was the only one who ever said something like that.

A beeping sound rang in his ears and Timothy glanced at the countdown timer.

There were only five minutes left.

If he could not get her in that life, dying together seemed to be a good alternative.

He said hoarsely, “You’ll die here with me if you’re reluctant to say it, Samantha. Perhaps then...I’ll be the first to meet you in the next life.”

He might be able to have his own independent body and personality in the next life, so he...might be able to grow into the man Samantha liked?

Samantha watched as the timer ticked away and the hope in her eyes gradually turned into disappointment.

Timothy was fooling her all along.

If he had a plan, he would not have waited there just to die with her.

...

It had been so long since she saw Matthew, but already time was running out. She felt immeasurable guilt because she had no chance of going over to hug him and kiss him.

She had given him life by giving birth to him, but he failed to grow up safely and happily.

Samantha said angrily, “I don’t want to meet you in the next life.”

She had been extremely unlucky from the moment she first met him.

Timothy laughed in spite of himself. “You’re far from adorable, Samantha. I’m not surprised that I always wanted to kill you.”

“You’ve got your wish now.”

“No.” Timothy shook his head. “If you die now, your death will not be by my hands. You can only die by my hands, Samantha, so...for the moment, you have to live!”

“Live and survive!”

Samantha could not yet fathom what Timothy’s words meant. All she saw was that Timothy had cut the rope in his hand with a small blade.

She stared at him blankly, “You...”

Timothy did not look at her anymore. He got up and immediately strode toward the bomb.

Samantha realized what he wanted to do.

The bomb contained mercury and would explode as soon as it was moved. However, leaving it in place would not do any good either, since there was only one minute left.

It was all but certain that Timothy wanted to shield the bomb using his body and then remove it so that she and Matthew could be saved.

He was putting himself at risk of dying if he did so...

When that thought flashed through her mind, she opened her mouth subconsciously and said, “No,” but Timothy had already picked up the bomb and immediately jumped into the sea.

There was a loud bang along with an underwater explosion.

The yacht shook violently and Samantha was stunned by the huge impact. Her eyes widened in shock and her head instantly went blank.

Samantha’s vision became blank again and she fainted before her mind could process anything.