They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 559: What It Does ToHis words tumbled out fast, a mix of fear and anger. "We wanted you to have tto grieve before we started working something out. And all this time... all these weeks... you were planning this suicide mission—" he pointed sharply again "--behind our backs?" Nnenna's eyes glistened. Her hands trembled, but her voice didn't falter. "You don't understand. I need this. I can't move on with my life if I don't do this. Even if it means I die, I don't care. I'm already... I feel so empty." Her voice broke into a whisper. "I just need to avenge him. Please. Just letdo this. If I die, then I die." The words struck Carl harder than a blade. For a moment, he just stood there, frozen, unable to process what she had just said.

He had thought, no, he had believed, that giving her space these past two months was helping her heal. That silence meant recovery. That her distance was just her way of grieving.

But now... now he saw it. All this time, while they thought they were respecting her wishes, she had been quietly building this... this death wish.

His stomach twisted. By trying to honor her pain, had we only let it fester into this? While Carl was still reeling from her words, Nnenna had already stormed out the door and was halfway down the stairs.

He bolted after her. "I'm not letting you leave!" She whirled around, her eyes blazing. "And what are you going to do, stop me?" "If that's what it takes." Carl moved in front of her, blocking the stairway. His usual gentleness slipped away, replaced by a cold, unyielding expression.

But even in his coldness, there was still a trace of that softness that was just... him. And that made it even scarier, because Nnenna knew, once Carl got serious, there was no way past him.

"You can't holdforever," she snapped, her voice cracking with anger. "I know I'm just Year Five at best and that your training level is way beyond university students, but if I don't do this now, I'll do it another day!" Her fists clenched, trembling with rage and desperation.

Carl's jaw tightened. He could see she wasn't thinking straight anymore, her grief had swallowed up all reason. Their voices carried through the halls, echoing sharp and loud until the entire castle stirred. Servants peeked out nervously, then quickly retreated, knowing better than to step into a fight like this.

Moments later, Arthur, Ava, and their parents appeared, alerted by the commotion. They stood at the edge of the stairway, silent and tense.

None of them understood yet what was happening, but the look on Carl's face, that icy determination that rarely ever showed, told them enough.

Something big was unfolding.

Nnenna froze, fury burning in her chest, but deep down she knew the truth, she couldn't get past him. Not today. Not like this. So she stood there, fists clenched, her face twisted in frustration, unsure what else to do.

Then Carl spoke. His voice was no longer cold, but the weight behind it made her flinch.

"Do we mean nothing to you, Nnenna? Emily, Ava, Arthur, their parents... me? We've been here for you as long as I can remember. And yet, because you lost someone you love—" "Stop." Her lips trembled, the word coming out sharper than she intended. But it didn't matter. It already sounded wrong. Because the way he said it... it was like he had known all along.

Carl's eyes softened, but his tone stayed firm, steady, cutting through her anger.

"Yes. I know. I've always known. But is that really why you want to put us all through another round of pain? Is that why you would do something reckless, something that could cost you your life?" The words hit harder than she expected. Her anger cracked, leaving only silence as she stared at him. The pain in his eyes was clear, raw, and heavy, and for once she realized it wasn't just about her grief. It was about his too.

"I..." Her throat burned. The words got stuck.

Carl let out a slow breath and shook his head. "I've watched you throw yourself away too many times, Nnenna. Almost sneaking out of the hospital on you own to chase that Reuben person, if you hadn't needed transport money from me, I would never have known. Then you went to Purlit with Abuchi and the other three without telling anyone. And even after everything, that day, you ignored Somto's words and ran after Queen Athena." His voice dropped, heavy with hurt. "I kept telling myself you would grow out of it, that one day you would stop gambling with your life. But now I see, you don't care what it does to us. What it does to me." She froze, unable to move, unable to speak.

Carl's gaze lingered on her for a long moment, then he stepped back. "You're grown now. My words don't matter to you anymore. Fine. But don't forget this, I won't stand here and watch you destroy yourself again." He turned and walked away. His footsteps echoed down the hall, heavy with finality, until the faint sound of his car starting broke through the silence. Moments later, the engine faded beyond the gates.

For the first time, Nnenna's anger didn't drive her forward. It left her hollow, shaken, her determination cracked by the emptiness Carl's absence carved into her chest.

She stood frozen, Carl's words still echoing through her mind like a drumbeat she couldn't shakeoff. She glanced at the others, Ava, Arthur, their parents, all of them watching her with the slook: worry. Real, raw worry.

She clenched her fists. She couldn't withex give up. Not yet. But she couldn't deny the truth either. Her plan.. it debt was a death wish. Carl was right, rushing headfirst into this wasn't was a going to save anyone. Her dying would only tear them apart again.