Chapter 8
Meanwhile, the hospital room reeked of disinfectant as Declan sat by Ruby’s bedside, his mind clearly
elsewhere.
Just then, his phone buzzed with a file transfer notification from Nina.
Nina? She’d been so cold to him lately–this was the first time she’d messaged him.
Declan felt inexplicably panicked and immediately accepted the download.
The progress bar moved slowly, each second feeling like torture. Ruby called his name softly, but it couldn’t dispel his growing anxiety.
Finally downloaded.
He opened it eagerly.
The first thing that popped up was a video.
Background: Ruby’s hospital room. In the footage, he was focused and clumsy, peeling an orange for Ruby.
The angle was hidden–clearly filmed secretly.
Next were photos: him and Ruby at restaurants, him handing her water; in hospital corridors, him helping
her walk; even one from the amusement park where his eyes unconsciously followed Ruby after she was
hit…
Declan’s breath caught.
He might not even remember these moments clearly himself, yet someone had recorded them all and sent
them to Nina.
Rage surged up, but more than that was an indescribable panic.
She saw it. She saw everything.
His fingers trembled as he scrolled to the next image, where Nina became the subject.
In the photos, her once smooth, pale skin was covered in horrific bruises, some places even split open bloody.
and
Those marks covered her arms, back, waist… barely an inch of unmarked flesh.
16:55
Boyfriend vs. Future Boyfriend–Pick Your Fighter!
35.09
Chapter 8
The final images showed an iron rod carelessly thrown on the ground, seemingly stained with blood.
Declan felt like his head exploded, all his blood flowing backward, making his eardrums ring.
He frantically zoomed in on the pictures, hands shaking uncontrollably, desperate to find any sign they were
fake.
But every detail of those wounds was suffocatingly real.
Who did this? Was it… twenty–eight–year–old Declan?
When he said he’d “teach her a lesson,” was THIS what he meant?
Finally, her message completely broke him:
[I know you’ve fallen for Ruby. So I’ve decided to step aside and let you two be together.]
[I’m not going to Metro University. These ninety–nine blows have completely severed any possibility between us.]
[Declan, we’ll never see each other again in this lifetime.]
His brain buzzed as he frantically dialed Nina’s number.
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently turned off…”
Phone dead.
He tried messaging her, but got only red exclamation marks.
Every way he could think to contact her led nowhere.
Massive panic consumed him completely. He forgot everything else–even Ruby in the hospital room–grabbed his keys and raced to Nina’s building.
He pounded on that familiar door, but only silence answered.
A neighbor stuck her head out: “Stop knocking! Nina’s family moved out. Left this morning with suitcases, said she was going abroad to study.“,
Gone…
Declan stood frozen, ice–cold all over..
All he could think about were those bloody images and Nina’s departure echoing endlessly.
-fi and – Dick Your Fighter!
36.290
Chapter 8
She was really gone.
Because of… those ninety–nine blows!
Because of… twenty–eight–year–old Declan’s misleading photos!
He’d driven away his Nina!
Made her… not want him anymore!
He immediately raced back to Ruby’s hospital room. Twenty–eight–year–old Declan was there, holding a towel like he’d been about to wipe Ruby’s face.
“Was it you? What did you DO to her?!” Declan grabbed his older self’s collar, slamming him against the wall, shoving his phone almost in his face with those close–ups of Nina’s wounds.
Twenty–eight–year–old Declan froze momentarily, his eyes scanning the phone screen with a flicker of emotion before returning to cold indifference.
He pried off Declan’s hands, tone flat: “She drove Ruby to nearly kill herself. A little physical pain is getting off easy. I just wanted her to remember not to mess with people she shouldn’t.”
“YOU BASTARD!” Declan swung at him furiously.
“That was Nina! MY Nina, the girl I love most! How could you lay a hand on her?!”
Twenty–eight–year–old Declan easily blocked his attack, grabbing his wrist with shocking strength.
“Declan, wake UP! For Ruby’s sake, it was all worth it! She’s the one we love–what’s Nina compared to that?”
“NO! You’re lying! I LOVE NINA!” Declan roared back.
“Really?” Twenty–eight–year–old Declan laughed coldly.
“Then why did you abandon her again and again for Ruby? Why did you change schools? Why did you ditch her at the movie theater? Admit it–your heart already shifted! I just sped up the process to save you both
ten years of wasted time!”
For a moment, Declan was struck speechless.
Just then, Ruby started crying from being frightened by their argument: “Declan, don’t fight! I’m scared–it’s all my fault…”
She sobbed breathlessly, face pale as paper, looking ready to faint any second.
Declan felt his mind being torn apart by her crying.
16:55
Boyfriend vs. Future Boyfriend–Pick Your Fighter!
37.39
Chapter 8
Looking at Ruby’s tear–streaked face, then thinking of Nina’s horrific wounds, the two images crashed together in his head, nearly splitting him in two.
Twenty–eight–year–old Declan’s words echoed like a curse.
He shoved the other man away and stumbled out of the room, leaning against the wall and gasping for air.
That night, Declan didn’t sleep at all.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Nina covered in wounds alternating with Ruby’s tearful face.
Chapter 9
