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“If you don’t get out of victim mentality, you can never break the cycle.”

“Oh, really? If you don’t want me to make you experience victim mentality firsthand, shut your mouth.”

While Yalaz and Coretta were arguing, I glanced at my wrist. Mina’s ID chip was still at school, so maybe I could go get her.

“Raymond!” The man whose posters were now almost everywhere on Mars approached, and I felt my life energy drain away again. As the President came over with a smile, I bowed slightly.

“The delegates from Tesio want to meet with you. They want to be the first to place an order.” The president grinned. “They invited us to dinner, we’re…”

“I’m sorry, sir.” I cut in, but didn’t raise my bowed head. “I have very important business to attend to. I’m truly sorry I can’t join.”

“Cancel whatever you’re doing. We could sign a major deal.”

I sighed, raised my head, and regarded him. This time, I repeated it in a colder tone. “I’m sorry.” The president opened his mouth, then closed it again. I hadn’t done anything to him, but just a slightly annoyed glance was enough to make the man back down.

How did people see me? Why were they so afraid of me?

A monster.

“I really can’t come. But Coretta can; she’ll be more helpful to you anyway.”

Coretta frowned. “Me?”

The president gave her a displeased look, and just as I was about to turn away, Coretta shouted, “Hey!” and quickly came down to my level.

“So? Where are you off to?”

“Why ask when you already know?”

“Don’t you go making decisions on my behalf, Ray. Are you pitying me?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m using you, Cora. I missed her, I want to go.”

The tension in her knitted brows softened.

“Don’t do that again.”

She headed back over to the president. Seeing Mina’s identity chip move, I jumped into the car as soon as I left the building.

It was my first time heading to school as her boyfriend. I tried to play it cool on the outside, but inside, my nerves were getting the best of me.

I had been here before—to handle school matters like Mina’s grades or her missing father—but until we stepped into the car today, she had always acted like we were complete strangers.

Now, there was no reason to hide anymore.

My eyes scanned the schoolyard, it didn’t take long to find her curly red hair. It always dazzled like the burning sun. And… she was smiling. Her smile wasn’t fake; her eyes were sparkling. I would normally have adored this sight, but this time my jaw set tight. A boy was the reason of it. He was muscular, tall and fit the ideal type of prince Mina had described when we were little, ‘brunette and charming’.

I lifted my chin up, my gaze locking onto them. A wave of jealousy flared in my chest, I set my jaw.

Mina was mine. Every breath she took, every shadow she cast belonged to me. And watching that bastard stand there, taking in her smile, hearing her laugh, breathing the same air as her, was intolerable. While I was dealing with stupid presentations, he was living in a paradise he had no right to touch. It was unfair. It was wrong.

I stepped into the schoolyard, my stride unhurried and measured. A few curious eyes shifted toward me, but in my narrowed gaze, only two things remained: my beautiful Mina, and the luckiest bastard alive.

As I approached them, his smile faded, but Mina hadn’t noticed me yet. Just as she was about to turn, I closed the distance and stood right behind her. I rested my chin comfortably upon her head, fixing my eyes on the bastard.

Mina didn’t flinch. But the second she realized it was me resting against her hair, a sudden spark of excitement lit up her face.

“Remi! You didn’t call!”