Goodbye Saintess. novel Chapter 21

Sebastian: [Enough. I’m turning my phone off now.] That was the final message I sent before powering down the device and tossing it carelessly aside.

My patience had completely evaporated, and once the phone was silent, sleep came swiftly and without resistance. Meanwhile, outside the bar… Hera sat alone on the curb, her eyes locked onto the string of messages glowing on her screen. But her expression was hollow, as if the light behind her eyes had dimmed to nothing. She seemed lost in a daze, her mind swirling with confusion and hurt. “He really doesn’t care anymore?” she murmured softly, almost to herself. “I’ve come this far… and he still won’t show up? What happened to us?” Her voice trembled with disbelief.

A solitary tear traced a slow path down her cheek. To anyone witnessing her in that moment, it would have felt like watching a fragile porcelain doll shatter-delicate, broken, yet heartbreakingly beautiful in its vulnerability. That’s when the group of men loitering nearby finally lost their patience and approached. “Hey there, gorgeous. Got dumped, huh?” one sneered, stepping uncomfortably close. “Honestly, guys these days don’t know how to treat a woman right. Especially someone as stunning as you. Don’t waste tears on some loser,” another added with a smirk. “Yeah, seriously.

You’ve been drinking, right? Why don’t we get you some late-night food? Help you blow off some steam, talk it out,” a third chimed in, his tone dripping with false sympathy. They closed in, their voices smooth but their eyes revealing intentions far less innocent. “Come on, we’re not bad guys,” one insisted, flashing a slick, oily smile. “Let’s grab a bite, relax a little. We’ll make sure you get home safe after, promise.” Another reached out and grabbed her arm. “She’s drunk, can’t walk on her own. Let’s be gentlemen and help her out, yeah?

Watch your step, sweetheart.” Their hands grew bolder, one trying to pull her forward. Hera’s face hardened instantly. She shoved them away with a sharp, fierce motion. “Keep your hands off me. I’m not interested in whatever pathetic act you’re putting on. And he’s not a loser. We’re just going through a rough patch.” She wobbled slightly as she pushed herself up and moved away from the bar, her heels clicking unevenly against the cracked sidewalk. The men exchanged frustrated glances, clearly unwilling to back down. They scrambled after her like hungry dogs chasing a scrap. “Okay, okay.

You’re mad. That’s normal. You need to let that anger out somehow, right?” one said, trying to sound comforting. “You’re way too pretty to be scowling this much. You’ll get wrinkles!” another teased, his voice mocking. “Look, forget the food. We’ll take you straight home, alright? No strings attached. It’s not safe out here for a girl like you,” the first one added, trying to sound protective. Within moments, they had circled her again. One flagged down a cab and urged her toward it, while another grabbed her arm more firmly, steering her forward.

Once inside that car, she knew she would lose control of what happened next. “You think I’ll be safe if I let you take me?” Hera spat, her voice cold and fierce. “I’ll say it one last time. Get lost!” She sneered, fully aware of the dark thoughts lurking behind their leering eyes. She struggled fiercely to break free. Even if Sebastian refused to come, she would never go with these men. “Gorgeous, you’re drunk,” one sneered again. This time, the two men gripping her tightened their hold. A car pulled up at the corner, ready to trap her inside.

Their greedy eyes gleamed with certainty-they thought they had her cornered. But unexpectedly, Hera remained composed, even curling her lips into a smirk. “I gave you a chance,” she said, voice steady and unwavering. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”