Chapter 3: Cave of Regret and Reckoning

I was speechless. The chat’s hint flashed in my mind—well, what the hell, nothing else has worked.

I reached out, careful, and stroked his wolf tail. Instantly, it went stiff, like he’d been shocked.

Ethan looked up at me, eyes wide with disbelief.

"You... If you want to break the love curse, you don’t have to do this."

A cold flash in his eyes—he pulled out a dagger, ready to cut his wrist for blood. My heart lurched.

I knocked the dagger away and straddled his waist, pinning him down.

"This time, I want to try something else."

Ethan’s ears turned bright red. He said coldly, "Get off. If you don’t leave now..."

I blinked, confused. "What are you even talking about?"

I kissed him—his lips, red and soft, opening and closing under mine. For a second, he froze, stunned.

The restlessness in me faded as I pressed against his cool skin, my nerves buzzing.

Ethan’s pupils widened, disbelief written all over his face.

Then came the unease—he tried to push me away, but I didn’t let go.

I kissed him again, clumsy and determined, prying his lips open. The wet heat of his mouth sent a jolt down my spine.

His hands, which had been shoving at me, suddenly stopped. His breathing went ragged. He closed his eyes, trembling.

He flipped us over, pinning me down, kissing me hard—desperate, hungry, like he couldn’t get enough.

[Villain knows she’s just faking it for her crush, but he can’t help falling for her anyway.]

[Dang, villain’s hot like this. Even now, he’s holding back—afraid of hurting her.]

[Can’t wait for tomorrow’s spicy scene.]

I jolted, losing control for a second. A sweet, metallic taste filled my mouth—blood.

Ethan snapped out of it at the taste of blood, pulling away fast.

The bedroom air was heavy, thick with tension—then a knock at the door shattered it.

"Miss, my young master wants to know—did you get the werewolf’s core yet?"

"Guild competition’s next month. He needs that core to win."

Damn it, why now?

Ethan’s eyes went cold, his whole body stiffening.

"Jessica, so it really is for him!"

"No, wait—just listen to me!" I begged, reaching for him.

He shoved me off and bolted out the window.

The black wolf tail vanished into the night, gone before I could move.

[Obsessive boy is broken. Couldn’t push her away during the kiss, but now he’s outta there.]

[Villain’s so pitiful. She always drinks blood to fight the curse herself.]

[He gets through the love curse alone in the cave, clinging to anything that smells like her.]

Ethan and I live in separate rooms. Always have.

To punish him, I’d make him stay in the cave behind the waterfall, way out in the woods. Like some kind of exile.

As the chats kept scrolling, it hit me: Ethan and I are just supporting characters in this messed-up world.

Daniel is the righteous male lead, out to wipe out every supernatural and monster he can find.

And I’m the bitter, jealous supporting female—hell-bent on ruining the hero’s relationship.

After the love curse backfired and I got stuck with Ethan, I held a grudge. I never let it go.

After tormenting Ethan over and over, he finally snapped—went full villain, locked me up, and made me pay every night.

In the end, he told me about Daniel’s wedding himself. That was it. I broke. I couldn’t take the humiliation, so I ended it all.

After I died, Ethan turned on Daniel, wiped him and the whole guild out in one go. Only the heroine was left standing.

Yeah, it’s still a tragedy.

[Girl, go find him. Villain’s probably curled up somewhere bawling his eyes out.]

[Treasure him tonight—before he turns dark for good.]

I bolted for the cave in the woods, heart pounding.

Ethan’s always been silent and cold as ice with me.

Even after everything I did—again and again—he never showed anything but contempt and indifference. Not once.

I’m the daughter of the Grand Elder of Silver Hollow Guild. No one’s ever dared cross me. Not until Ethan.

But Ethan always made me furious. Always.

I wanted him to beg for mercy, to admit he was wrong, to give in. But he never did.

The more I pushed him, the more distant he became. Like nothing I did could reach him.

Now, I wondered—could he really be off somewhere, crying alone?

With my head spinning, I crept to the cave entrance, using the waterfall as cover to spy on him.

Under the dim candlelight, Ethan looked almost unreal—human face, wolf body, something wild and magnetic about him. It was like seeing a fairytale monster come to life.

His pupils were vertical amber slits, his hand gripping a mug so tight I thought it might shatter.

It was one of mine. I recognized it instantly.

His fur glinted cold in the candlelight, wolf tail swaying, restless and uneasy.

"Jessica..."

I froze. Had he noticed me? My heart hammered in my chest, and for a second, I was twelve again, caught sneaking out after curfew. The roar of the waterfall behind me faded as Ethan’s voice cut through the noise—raw, uncertain. I took a shaky breath, stepping out of the shadows, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and something wild. Something that was all Ethan.