Conrad's love had been grand and fiery. He proudly announced our relationship, introducing me to his brothers and friends with fanfare.
On the day he proposed, the city was ablaze with fireworks, lighting up the sky in a breathtaking display.
I had been blissfully naive, believing that he truly loved me. Looking back, it all seemed absurdly laughable.
Conrad stormed into view, his commanding presence cutting through the chaos.
His eyes widened as he took in my pale, trembling face and the bloodied, injured tail.
“Serena, you’re actually...!”
I hadn’t bothered to hide the truth. “They said being with humans invited divine retribution.”
“I actually deluded myself into thinking I could spend the rest of my life with you.”
Conrad instinctively stepped back, pulling his youthful first love protectively behind him, clearly terrified that I might harm his beloved.
The look in his eyes was colder than anything I had ever seen before. “I’ve heard that a mermaid's pearl can bring someone back to life.”
“Is that true?”
Conrad and Maya had been childhood friends, cherishing a mutual affection for each other for many years.
In their youthful, innocent days, the girl fell for the bright, sunny boy.
They walked hand in hand through high school and college, sharing countless memories.
Then, during graduation season, Maya suddenly collapsed, causing chaos among the students taking photos.
The doctor delivered devastating news: a tumor had grown in her brain and she didn’t have much time left.
The news hit Conrad like a thunderbolt. He promised Maya that no matter the cost, he would find a way to save her, no matter what. However, Maya vanished without a word, retreating to a distant land to await her fate in silence.
Conrad's search for her was relentless. He scoured every corner of Solborough, leaving no stone unturned. Yet, she seemed to have disappeared without a trace, as if she had evaporated into thin air.
For a long time, he was a shadow of himself, drifting through life like a ghost.
I first met him on a day when he was dressed in a sleek black suit, standing tall and elegant, with broad shoulders and a commanding presence.
Conrad gazed at me with an intense, far-off look in his eyes.
His words were steeped in deep sorrow. "You resemble someone I once knew, but she is no longer here."