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Chapter 15 - 15. Nightmare

My boss always thought that I only needed his money more than him, so he treated me like a disgusting pest in his eyes. But he never knew that I hid my true feelings for him.

The feelings I locked deep inside, undetectable to anyone.

I was afraid he would notice them, but even when he did, he didn't care.

To him, my feelings were unnecessary in our relationship.

The first time he asked me to become his shadow girlfriend, he warned me: don't fall in love with him.

If either of us fell in love, our contract would end immediately. He said it was impossible for him to fall in love with me—clearly a warning to keep my heart guarded.

He warned me never to develop emotional feelings for him, saying it would make him unhappy. He only liked one person in his life—his beautiful cousin.

If he ever found out about my feelings, I would have violated our contract and be punished.

I didn't want any punishment, which is why he never discovered my feelings, even after so many years together.

I never showed any emotion when he gave me things. My face was always blank, like receiving luxury gifts was ordinary.

It was as if I were a rich girl who could buy anything, so his gifts meant nothing.

I was happy, of course—what woman doesn't like presents? But those gifts were not for me as his real girlfriend, only as his shadow girlfriend.

I would have been happier receiving a cheap gift given with true affection rather than an expensive one chosen without thought.

He never knew I was just an orphan with no family in my previous life.

To him, I was an insignificant woman. He never cared enough to investigate me.

He didn't know a thing about me, so he was truly shocked when I was on the verge of death.

I shook my head helplessly, recalling him again. I slapped both cheeks lightly to wake myself up.

I didn't realize when I became dazed. Hera and Rika were looking at me.

They saw Leanna in a daze and felt distressed, even though she tried to hide it. It was impossible not to feel something after witnessing your husband's betrayal.

Every maid approached, and bodyguards surrounded them to protect their master.

It was their first time seeing the young master's wife in a long while. The young master rarely returned home with his wife.

They stared at her curiously.

Then Mr. and Mrs. Redrich came out to meet their daughter-in-law. Heru and Yui Redrich had been married for a long time and always had a harmonious relationship.

They enjoyed traveling together after Hera inherited the family business.

Heru and Yui were excited to meet their daughter-in-law after such a long time. The last time they saw Leanna was when Hugo married her.

Hugo had refused to hold a wedding ceremony after obtaining the marriage certificate, but they still had dinner together that night.

Heru and Yui were slightly dissatisfied with the Angelica family. Only Leanna's mother came to the dinner.

None of her other family members attended, as if they had cast her aside with this marriage.

They couldn't understand how a family could neglect their only daughter's marriage.

Still, Heru and Yui didn't care about her family background. They liked Leanna for who she was.

Though it was a political marriage, it wasn't for profit or gain. They hated marriages arranged for benefit.

When I saw Hugo's parents approaching, I was stunned by how much they resembled my boss's real parents.

My body trembled with fear, and I instinctively stepped back.

I had thought I was fearless in my previous life, but my boss's parents left me traumatized.

Why did they look exactly like them?

I not only had to face my former boss again but also his parents. Was it too late to escape now?

Had I known, I wouldn't have followed Hera and Rika.

It was a nightmare to see those faces again. His parents had tortured me most in my past life.

I stepped back as they approached. Heru and Yui didn't understand why Leanna seemed afraid.

They exchanged confused glances.

When I stepped back without looking, I tripped and fell.

Hera was puzzled. This wasn't Leanna's first time meeting her parents-in-law; they had met at least twice before.

Rika quickly helped me up, but my expression was blank.

Rika couldn't understand what had happened between them to cause this.

"Lea, are you okay?" Yui asked, moving forward to help, but I stepped back again.

Yui was confused about why Leanna reacted like this toward her.

"I will leave him as soon as possible, so leave me alone, please. I never wanted to be his girlfriend. Hugo was the one who forced me," I said unconsciously—words I once spoke to my boss's parents.

Heru and Yui exchanged shocked glances. They had never asked Leanna to leave Hugo. Why was she saying such things?

Yui opened her mouth to speak, but then memories rushed into her mind. She couldn't say anything.

Suddenly, Yui remembered everything from her past life. She lost consciousness.

Heru also regained his past life memories and fainted.

"Mom, Dad! What happened?" Hera shouted, asking the bodyguards to carry them inside.

Rika stayed beside Leanna, who was curled up like a frightened animal. Rika couldn't understand why her in-laws had fainted.

Hera looked at Leanna, unsure of what had just happened to cause such a reaction.

I looked up and saw Hera's sharp gaze—one I recognized from my previous life.

My boss's family always looked at me like that. They hated me, though I never knew why.

Maybe it was because I was an orphan with no official family registry.

They despised me for being poor, for being unclear in origin.

"Lea, are you okay?" Rika asked softly, seeing me frozen with fear.

Why was I reliving this nightmare again in my new life?

"I'll leave Hugo right away, so please let me go," I said and ran from the house.

Hera's sharp gaze had frightened me, though she didn't realize it.

"Leanna, where are you going? It's already late!" Rika yelled.

"Don't let Leanna leave!" Hera ordered the bodyguards.

She was worried. Leanna was an Omega, and being outside alone was dangerous.

Leanna was Hugo's Omega, but he hadn't marked her yet. That made things even more dangerous.

Hugo once marked Lea, but it was only a temporary mark—just a fleeting claim to keep other Alphas away from her. It wasn't a true mark that bonded them for life. To others, it might have seemed like a sign of possession, but to Lea, it was just another reminder that she was never truly his. The mark faded, just like the hope she used to hold onto.

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