They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 602: She Lied About the Poison

"So tell me... what's your plan? Poison him slowly? Break him down until he dies? All because he doesn’t love you

back?"

Her words hit like a blade of their own. "Isn't that kind of stupid?" she pressed, her tone sharp but not cruel.

"Killing someone you claim to love?"

"The plan was never to poison him," Cynthia snapped, her voice trembling as if she was convincing herself as

much as Nnenna. "I could never do that to Carl. But when | saw how badly he was being affected, how much of it

was because of you, | realized his feelings for you were only growing firmer each day that passed. | had to do

something."

Her eyes flickered with desperation. "At first... | thought maybe I could poison him just enough to make him

weak, then swoop in and save the day. Who wouldn't love the person who risked their life to save them? Maybe

then he would seeas someone worth spending the rest of his life with. That's all. | never meant to let it go

too far. | could never hurt him."

Her grip on the knife shook. "And then you showed up out of nowhere." Her face twisted, hatred spilling out. "So

| thought... why not adjust the plan? If | framed you for Carl's attempted murder, you would be executed for

treason, and | would be the hero who exposed you. Then he would finally see me, love me, more than you. It was

perfect." Cynthia's voice cracked into a shout. "But you ruined everything with your stupid investigations! And

now you're trying to get my parents killed on top of it!"

Nnenna’s chest tightened, but she refused to back down. "Don’t you see what you've done?" she demanded. Her

words cut through the room’s chill like fire. "When | chere, Carl had one month left to live. One month! If |

hadn’t stepped in, he would already be dead. You talk about never letting it go too far, but every step you took

brought him closer to the edge."

"That's not true!" Cynthia shouted, but her voice shook, weaker than before. Her denial faltered as her hands

trembled.

"Then why was he dying?" Nnenna pressed, eyes narrowing.

"I—I was told nothing would happen to him," Cynthia stammered, shaking her head violently. "I was told... he

would still have six months even with the dose | give him..."

Her voice trailed off, fear creeping into her anger.

"Who told you that?" Nnenna asked, her voice low but sharp.

"Queen Athena," Cynthia blurted without thinking, still wrapped up in convincing herself she had done nothing

wrong. "She toldCarl would be fine, that even if | gave him the dose, he would still have six months left. |

wasn't going to let him die..."

The knife in her hand trembled, but Nnenna was no longer focused on it.

Her breath caught. Athena.

The nechoed through her like a curse. First the housekeeper, then Nanny, now Cynthia. She had dismissed

it, thought it coincidence, thought the housekeeper and nanny were just latching onto that nto make the

crseem convincing. But Cynthia’s words left no room for denial.

It was you, Aunt...

Her mind reeled. Why? Why go after everyone | love? First my parents, then Somto, now Carl...

Memories churned, that day on the cliff. She saw how Athena seemed desperate to not let that figure see her. As

if she actually wanted to protect her from it.

Yet Athena had started making her next move barely two months after the cliff. Arthur had guessed she would

stay in hiding longer, yet she was already striking again, already trying to take Carl's life.

And then the other thought hit her, cold as steel. That thing in the black cloak... is it still alive? Is Athena still

working with it?

A shiver ran down her spine. That creature, no matter how much strength she threw at it, it simply refused to

die. The fear of it coiled in her chest like ice.

Nnenna'’s fists clenched at her sides. | can’t wait any longer. If this is what Athena is planning... if she’s not going

to stop... then | have no choice but to accept my destiny now.

Nnenna looked straight at Cynthia, her voice steady even though her heart raced.

"If Athena is really behind this, then she knew exactly what she was doing, betting on your willingness to hurt

Carl if you couldn't have him. Cynthia, open your eyes. Athena is using you. She lied about the poison, and she

knew you would end up here. Drop the knife. Don’t let her win. Trust me, you'll regret it if you go through with

this."

"Shut up!" Cynthia screamed, her voice cracking as her grip on the knife trembled. She looked more and more

unstable, like she was breaking apart right in front of Nnenna.

"Cynthia..." Nnenna softened her voice, almost a whisper now, watching the dangerous shift in her eyes.

But Cynthia shook her head, tears

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spilling over. "Queen Athena is the

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whigpefed(ho longer hearing

"

Nnenna. "She knows what has to be

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done." Her voice grew firmer as if she

was convincing herself. The content

is on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Before Nnenna could move again, Cynthia raised the knife high, ready to bring it down once and for all.

Nnenna’s body reacted before her mind caught up. She launched herself forward, diving across the room. She

crashed onto Carl, shielding his unconscious body with her own.

The knife cdown.

A white hot pain exploded in

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Nnenna's lower back, just above fer

waist. The blade pierced déepinto

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her Spine exactly where Carl's heart

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would have been if she hadn't

covered him. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Her whole body jolted, breath ripped

from her lungs. For a pak m

i

moment she couigit fel her legs. A

cling Mubhess spread downward,

as if her body no longer belonged to

her. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

The room fell silent, except for Cynthia's ragged breathing and the ringing in Nnenna’s ears.