Page 172 of The Wishing Game

Tears fall down my cheeks as I realize that was the beginning of who I am today. Before that, I never dreamed about the outside world. I never dared dream that I could be free. Before that, I never heard anyone praise me before.

Nikki was the first to see me as a person.

"Why are you crying?" Ze's booming voice snaps me out of my thoughts. Somehow, he's in front of me, tipping my chin up and wiping my tears away. "I command you to stop crying."

"It doesn't work like that, Ze," I tell him with a tremulous smile. "I cannot just stop crying."

"It is because of thatman?" he grits out, his voice holding a violent edge to it.

"That man is my husband. He's also the only man to ever acknowledge me as a person and see my potential. Without him... I wouldn't be standing here today."

"I do not understand you," he frowns.

A sad smile tips at my lips, just as the background of that memory fades away.

"Before I met Nikki, I was depressed. I was not going to last long there. People hated me. The work was hard. Food was barely enough. I was living from day to day, thinking—no, wishing that the next day would be my last. Back then, death was the only way out. But then Nikki showed up and he opened my eyes to a world full of possibilities. He taught me English and spoke to me of the wonders of the outside world. He appreciated me as a person and not just a means of production. And just like that, he gave me hope that life could be...more."

Ze's brows are bunched together. He's staring at me as if he doesn't understand a word of what I'm saying. But he doesn't need to. BecauseIfinally understand.

It would be so easy to give in to this parasitic realm just so I could reside forever in my memories of Nikki. But that wouldn't solve anything, just as my death at the hacienda wouldn't have solved everything. Because Nikki taught me something else too.

Perseverance.

You can't just hope and wait for things to fall into your lap. You have to work hard to make those things a reality.

Icouldchoose dream Nikki—an easy way out. But it wouldn't be real. Nikki wouldn't be real, and in the end, as my life's essence dissipates, I would cease to be real as well.

The only way to win this game is to not give up. No matter what happens, I cannot give up. I may not have encountered these supernatural trials in the past, but I've encountered plenty of hardships along the way. If I've survived so far, I can survive until the end.

"Let's go, Ze. I'm ready," I say as I give him a decisive nod.

He stares at me intently as he takes my hand and leads me down a foggy path. It's only a matter of seconds before we're back to our starting point in P'davi. But the difference is the sky is dark, where before it was light.

Just how many hours was I trapped in there?

"We need to camp for the night," Ze declares in a rough tone.

He doesn't let go of my hand as he leads me back into the forest—to a place he scouted before. It's a rather remote area at the base of a mountain. There's even a small aperture inside the rock that we can use as shelter for the night.

After placing our bag on the floor, he sets about making a fire, all the while not exchanging one word with me. In fact, there's something entirely off about him as I catch him staring at me every now and then, his expression inscrutable. There's anger and irritation as if he'd like nothing but to strangle me on the spot. But there's also something akin to longing, as if he wants to tell me something but stops himself just short of uttering the words.

"I'm sorry." I take a deep breath, deciding to offer him an olive branch. "I should have stayed put. But you shouldn't have left me alone either," I point out.

He's sitting by the fire, polishing his sword. Slowly, he raises his gaze to me.

"I should not have left you alone." He gives me a nod before turning his attention back to his sword and ignoring me.

"Am I forgiven then? I'm sorry I jeopardized the team." I force a smile. My stunt not only would have costmemy life but also theirs. I belatedly realize how deep my foolishness ran.

He doesn't reply, merely releasing a guttural grunt, his eyes glued to his sword.

"Uhm... Did you see anything?" I muster the courage to ask.

He lifts one brow at me.

"You know... In the bathtub?" I swallow against the wave of embarrassment that grips me.

He watches me intently, the purple of his eyes darkening as he pins me with his stare.

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