The Girl They Ignored Returned as the Woman Seven Men Would Die For novel Chapter 37

Seraphina was only five-foot-four, the very picture of petite beauty, which was why she always clung to Mika so needily.

In her past life, Mika had believed this behavior proved how close they were.

But looking at it objectively now, she noticed that Seraphina only ever initiated this kind of physical affection when a male audience was present.

When one girl constantly acts like a helpless toddler around another girl of the same age...

Unless it's a mutual inside joke, it usually means one of them is actively infantilizing herself, forcing the other woman into a mature, almost maternal role to coddle her.

Add to that Mika's lack of physical appeal, and the stark contrast made Seraphina look even more dainty and adorable.

Mika subtly pulled away from the embrace, though she maintained her usual gentle smile.

"How's the ankle? Nothing serious, I hope?"

Seraphina pouted pitifully. "It still hurts a little."

Remembering Mika's limping gait, she asked casually,

"What's wrong with you? Your walking looked a bit off just now."

In the past, Mika would have swallowed the pain and shaken her head, insisting she was fine so Seraphina wouldn't worry.

But today, she let a bitter smile slip across her lips naturally.

"I think I carried too much weight yesterday. The strain messed up my knees again."

Seraphina froze.

She had called Mika here specifically to have her carry her back to the dorms.

Now that Mika was admitting her knees were hurt—and it was technically Seraphina's fault—how could she possibly ask her to play pack mule?

While she scrambled for a response, James walked up behind her, flashing Mika a warm, half-joking smile.

"You two really are sisters in misery. Looks like you'll just have to support each other on the way back."

It was James who had held Seraphina in his arms and said, "As long as you're safe, her death was worth it."

He looked like a warm, easygoing gentleman, but to his core, he was ruthlessly cold.

Everyone other than Seraphina was just a tool to be exploited.

And when a tool lost its use, it was discarded.

Remembering how James and Seraphina had walked away together in her final moments, not even bothering to call her an ambulance, Mika's eyes iced over.

"Let's go, Seraphina," she said, linking arms with her, showing zero interest in winning James over.

James was arguably Seraphina's most loyal guard dog.

She knew she couldn't easily train a dog that had been raised by Seraphina since childhood.

One wrong move, and he would bite her hand off. The risk simply wasn't worth the reward.