Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 1005

Zoey cried into the night.

The forest was utterly silent. The only sound echoing through the trees was the sobs of a purple-haired young girl, a girl whose beauty could start wars.

But right now, there was nothing beautiful about her.

Her face was a mess of tears and thick snot.

Her legs had given out the moment Atticus left, and she had collapsed onto the soft ground.

Her fragile frame trembled, her hands covering her face as she tried, desperately, to wipe away the endless stream of tears.

But no matter how much she wiped, more fell, like a rushing waterfall.

Her clothes were soaked in tears.

Her body shook uncontrollably.

And for another time in her life, Zoey cried without restraint.

She felt everything.

Shame.

So much shame she could barely breathe.

How could she ever face him again?

Atticus had been nothing but good to her.

He had been gentle. Caring. Affectionate.

He had so much talent, so much standing, so much to be proud of, and yet, he had still treated her as an equal. With nothing but love and respect.

He was good.

Too good.

And what had she done?

She had let jealousy taint it all.

She had been weak. A fool.

She had envied the very person who had shown her nothing but love.

Her fingers dug into the dirt, her breath ragged, her heart aching.

’I deserve the worst.’

’I don’t deserve him.’

Dark thoughts slithered through her mind, whispers of escape creeping in.

’Maybe it would be easier if—’

A small figure fluttered before her.

Zoey’s blurry vision landed on the petite spirit standing in front of her.

Lumindra.

The spirit didn’t say anything.

She only watched Zoey, her expression filled with utter sadness.

Zoey couldn’t see her clearly, but right now, she didn’t need to.

More tears flooded down.

"L-Lumi…" Zoey choked.

She sniffled, her nose running, her voice broken.

"L-Lumi, I’m a bad person."

The words tumbled from her lips, filled with anguish.

"I-I don’t deserve him. I deserve the worst. I don’t know how I’ll ever face him."

"I don’t know how I’ll ever move forward."

"I-I just want it all to stop."

Her fingers curled into her palms.

"It hurts so much."

Lumindra remained silent.

She was a centuries-old spirit, one who had seen everything. Nothing should phase her.

And yet—

As she stared down at the wreck of a girl before her…

The same girl she had watched grow up. The child she had been there for, through all of her firsts.

Her first steps.

Her first words.

Her first laugh.

Her first time discovering what she wanted to fight for.

Zoey had once been pure.

A girl full of life, full of determination.

And now—

She was this.

A broken mess.

Tears welled up in Lumindra’s own eyes.

She stepped forward and hugged Zoey.

Her petite arms barely covered inches of Zoey’s trembling frame, but the warmth she gave was overwhelming.

A warmth that Zoey hadn’t realized she needed.

Zoey cried harder, louder, and she clutched onto Lumindra, as if afraid she would disappear.

For a long time, Lumindra said nothing.

She simply let Zoey’s sobs fill the air.

And then, finally, her voice broke through the silence.

"Anger."

"Hate."

"Envy."

"Jealousy."

"Pain."

"Love."