Melanie's mouth fell open on seeing Simon slip the ring on her finger. But on a closer look, she realized it wasn't a ring, but it was the ring of the coke can that Simon was drinking earlier in the lunchroom.

  She turned even more speechless by seeing the ring of the can fit her ring finger. She looked up from her finger when Simon said to Nylah,

  "The only person I would like to have near me is Melanie and no one else. You were my neighbor and out of that respect, I have been polite, forgive me if it came out wrongly."

  Nylah, who couldn't see the kind of ring that Simon had slipped on the human's finger, felt her heart break. All these years, she had made sure to discard all the pests who had tried to get closer to him. She had hoped that one day he would accept her feelings.

  Nylah parted her lips, wanting to say something, but she was left speechless. Her eyes teared up, and she stared hard at Melanie, who was the reason why Simon didn't even bother to spare a glance at her.

  "She's a human and we all know a human's lifespan is short. She will die, and even if you would turn her into a vampire, with the amount of silverwater that she has consumed, I doubt the transformation would work," Nylah warned him about the repercussions.

  "I am perfectly fine with her continuing to live as a human. I will still love her the same way, when her skin shrivels and she complains about back aches, and her eyesight grows dimmer," smiled Simon and Nylah's eyebrows drew in together.

  "You will break your heart in grief once she's gone," the vampiress continued to warn him.

  "I will cherish the memories we built together. I will live through in them," stated Simon, and Nylah felt a pang of pain in her chest.

  For years, Nylah had craved Simon's affections. Wanting to be loved by him, but he had chosen another woman over her.

  Nylah clenched her hands, her nails digging into her palms, and after a few seconds, she said, "You will regret it, Simon. And I will wait for that day."

  "Let us look forward to it then," Simon smiled before adding, "I hope you don't cross paths with Melanie to cross her or her parents. Because I wouldn't be pleased with it, and you know what I do to people whom I am not particularly fond of?"

  Saying this, he turned and caught hold of Melanie's right hand, ready to take her away from there. But before they could leave, Nylah stated,

  "You don't know him the way I do. You don't know about his nature or his moods, what he likes and doesn't. Or about his past." Her words were directed to Melanie.

  Melanie stared back at Nylah while Simon released a frustrated sigh from his lips. Melanie calmly replied,

  "True that I don't. But in time I will learn what Simon likes and doesn't. And if it is about his past, he's already told me the worst parts of him and I have accepted it. It is the past of what he did and went through that makes him, him now. Thank you for your concern."

  Even though Nylah had subtly threatened Melanie, she felt pity for the vampiress. She understood how it felt to be on the path of grass where one's feelings were not reciprocated. Simon tugged on her hand, and they both left the place, with Nylah standing behind and staring at them.

  When Melanie and Simon came to stand far away from people, Simon let go of Melanie's hand, and he ran his hand through his hair as if in frustration.

  "Are you okay?" Melanie asked him before she continued, "Like you said earlier you don't have to worry about Nylah. I am a big girl and can handle her all by myself."

  "Of course I know you can," replied Simon, and he turned to look at her with a subtle frown on his face. "I know you are not a woman who wants to be rescued and will probably bite the person's arm off, whoever comes to hurt you."

  Melanie's lips quivered to form a smile, and she asked him, "What is it then?"

  Simon pursed his lips, and Melanie wondered what was up. It was very unlike him to behave like this unless he was trying to prank her again about something.

  "I thought it would be romantic, but it wasn't as romantic as I thought it would be. But it should do," said Simon, and Melanie stared at him.

  "Was it about your undying love for me?" Melanie teased him, and then she said, "It was beautiful."

  "No, it isn't that," said Simon, and he stepped closer to her. He picked up her left hand and ran his finger across the coke can's ring on her finger. "It is this. I am by no means a cheapskate, but I thought it would be nice to reserve your hand just for me and enough to shoo away any potential males."

  Simon's words made Melanie smile, "I think you think too highly about me, Simon. I am by no means as popular as you. And if there's anyone who needs to put a ring on the finger, it is you."

  She pulled out the ring and slipped it down Simon's ring finger as she said, "You are by far more popular than me. Don't you know you have the title of being a heartbreaker hanging around your shirt?"

  Simon looked down at his shirt and then grinned, "I knew about it, but if you would look at yourself through my eyes, you would want to stay locked up in the tower."

  Melanie smiled, "Thank you, Simon."

  "What a willing victim I have in here. Ready to move into my tower," remarked Simon, and he brought his hand up in the air to look at the ring and said, "We both have worn the same ring, how romantic is that."

  "Very," replied Melanie, and she couldn't stop the blush that formed on her cheeks.

  It was because of all the words he had earlier spoken in front of Nylah.

  "I think you are turning into me now," murmured Simon, and Melanie shook her head with a sweet smile on her lips. She said,

  "No, it is just that, you cleared everything so easily."

  "Oh, that. I think it is better to nip things when it's still a bud. Why drag things and let drama build when things can be fixed. I do enjoy drama, but drama with other people than in my life. I have had enough of it," replied Simon.

  "What was it about the silverwater and transformation she spoke about?" inquired Melanie, and Simon put his arm around her shoulder before continuing to walk towards the infirmary building.

  "That…… that is a rare possibility of why many humans end up with corrupted hearts. Because there are often a lot of hiccups. Hiccups like mine because our wonderful family would have fed us with a large amount of silverwater so that they aren't compelled by the vampires. It is also a way to make sure that the humans don't turn successfully," replied Simon, and he noticed Melanie pursing her lips.

  "What are the chances?" asked Melanie.

  "There's a fifty-fifty chance of unsuccessful transformation," said Simon, and he said, "Frankly, I wouldn't change a thing in you."

  He was worried her transformation would go awry and he would lose her forever,Melanie thought in her mind.

  "And this is no time to think about it. We are still young, and we have lots of time. You and I are going to be helping your parents. That is depending on how fast your mother recovers," stated Simon, and Melanie smiled.

  "Yeah, let us not think about it," replied Melanie, and her hand found his, holding each other as they continued to walk.

  Back in the girl's Dormitorium, Julie used the tape to wrap it around the box. She used the scissor to cut the end before turning the box around.

  "Do you need some more boxes?" asked Cillian, who was helping her in packing her things in the dorm so that she could send them to be moved into the new house that Roman had bought.

  "No, I think this is fine. The other things can be carried without the box," replied Julie, and Cillian nodded.

  They continued to pack all her things into the boxes until the room turned empty. A yawn escaped from Julie's lips, and she sat down on the bed, which still had the mattress.

  "You should get some rest. You have been busy packing since early this morning. Did you even sleep?" Cillian questioned her, coming towards the bed and taking one seat away from her.

  "I was so happy after seeing Uncle Thomas' face, the excitement had not let me sleep," replied Julie, and she pulled her legs up to fold it on the bed. "I used to wonder before why mother didn't save herself, but now I know." Helping others and making them happy…… It was exhilarating.

  "Your mother was undoubtedly a wonderful woman, Julie. But don't be her," the Corvin advised her, that had Julie turn and look at him. "She cared for people, and as noble as it is, she lost a lot of people and things that were dear to her. A person should be allowed to be a little selfish, to make them happy."

  "Did you think I was going to bring back mother and father through the stones?" asked Julie, and she saw Cillian smile.

  "No. I knew you would bring someone else back," he replied to her. He took a deep breath before letting it go. "There is something I would like to give you. Bring your hand forward."

  Julie wondered what Cillian wanted to give her, and she turned her body to face him. She brought her hand forward and watched him place a colorless stone in her hand.

  "What is this?" Julie asked him.

  Cillian stared at the stone placed in her hand, and he said, "This is a stone that will dissolve in your palm in a minute or two. Do you remember that because of your multiple visits to the other side of the forbidden door, you cannot travel to the past. But once this dissolves, you will be able to do it."

  Julie was taken aback by his words, and her heart felt lighter by this information.

  "I don't think I can ever thank you enough for what you have done for me," said Julie, looking up to meet Cillian's black eyes.

  "I did it for me," he offered her a slight smile.

  Though Julie believed that she would be one day able to bring her parents and the rest of her family back to life by resurrecting them… Cillian didn't believe in it. He had lived on these lands for a long time, long enough to know what was feasible and what wasn't.

  Not to mention, he sensed something wrong in her soul. It had been stained, and it needed to be purified. And only he could do it. He didn't want Julie losing herself over it.

  "You are an extraordinary woman, Julie. And it has been nothing, but a pure pleasure to see you transform at every stage in your life. I feel blessed to have known you and maybe in another life, we can meet again unlike this one," he said to her.

  "I am not as great as you make me seem," smiled Julie sheepishly. "It is because of your help, Roman's help, Mel and Evans, and everyone…… who helped me."

  "Mm," hummed Cillian, and he said, "I am happy for you, Julie. For moving out of here, where you will be able to make many memories outside this place. And I hope you will forever find nothing but happiness."

  Julie wondered if Cillian was perhaps sad that she was leaving Veteris. She said, "The house isn't too far from here. And I will be coming to attend classes." She wrapped her hands around his body and hugged him.

  Cillian wrapped his arms around her, hugging her closely as she was the important person he had met in this lifetime of his.

  "I am not sad. I feel content right now… as if everything has finally fallen into its place," smiled Cillian, pulling away from her and Julie dropped her hands. He then leaned forward, pressing his lips on her forehead. "I will miss you."

  "You can pop in and out at any time you want. Maybe we should get you a house next to ours," suggested Julie, clearing her throat, but Cillian only smiled at her.

  "Take care of yourself," he said to her, and the next moment, Cillian's body started to turn transparent, and his soul started to get sucked into the stone that was in Julie's hand.

  "W-what are you doing?" Julie turned alarmed, and she noticed there was a circle and star-like marking on the dorm's floor. "Stop it!!"

  "I think I have fulfilled my purpose here, and there's nothing more to do. I lived, I saw and it is time for me to go. Come see me sometime," he placed his hand on her cheek, but Julie couldn't feel his touch. In a blink of an eye, he disappeared and so did the stone in her palm.

  "Cillian!" Julie shouted his name at the thin air around her, but she was the only one in the room.

  —


  Author's note: I will be marking chapter 328 to be the completion of the book. The next chapters will be released purely as extras. A big thank you to everyone who have come this far in reading LTR ^.^ At the moment, I won't be marking the book as officially complete and will do it by end of the month.

  If you haven't added the new book 'Allure Of The Night', please do add it to your library.