Her Voice 2 [JENLISA]

Chapter 17 (M)

Lisa

I followed the melodious sound of the piano playing. It was so serene, calm…beautiful and exotic. My lips quirked up in a smile as I stopped in front of the piano room and silently opened the door. Inside, I found Irene and Aleyna.

Princess was sitting beside her mother, listening to Irene play with rapturous attention. Her eyes were big and bright. It was clear she was a happy baby. My gaze found Irene, and she had her eyes closed, a sweet smile on her lips.

She looked happy too. Really happy. The type of happiness that came from the soul and shone on the face.

I wanted to protect this. Them. This beautiful moment.

I wanted to be the reason for their laughter.

As their protector, I wanted to make sure they would always have a reason to smile. Seulgi. Aleyna. Irene. This family. My family.

They were the King and Queen.

I was the soldier.

And I bowed to them.

Irene had borne enough in life she didn’t need to go through more pain.

She deserved this—her happy ending.

It was my duty to preserve this…their happiness.

Their love.

Walking further into the room, I closed the door behind me and watched them.

She belonged in heaven but fell down to earth to grace us with her sweet soul.

Leaning against the wall, I watched her play. Watched this moment.

For a brief moment, I thought how it would be if I were in Seulgi’s place and Irene was my wife.

If I were sitting on that couch across from the piano and watched her play every night.

If Aleyna was my daughter.

If Irene were my woman and every night she was in my bed and I was wrapped in her embrace.

This had been my vision of happily ever after for so long. My vision of love. I was jealous of Seulgi. Angry and hurt that she had what I wanted…needed.

For the longest time, I wanted to know what it would feel like to have Irene's lips on mine. To have her smile at me the way she would at Seulgi. I used to imagine she’d walk into my arms instead my sister’s.

She would be mine.

And I’d had everything I ever wanted.

Right now, I thought of it again. I forced myself into this moment. My heart squeezed and my lungs clenched with every break I took. It hurt.

It hurt because I could no longer imagine myself like this.

Months ago, it had been easy to put myself in Seulgi's position. It was so easy to envision Irene loving me.

But now…it felt as if there were an invisible barrier stopping me.

My heart refused to succumb to my delusion. My soul refused to sway with my fascination.

My breathing stuttered when a gasping realization dawned to me.

Kang Irene used to be my infatuation, an addiction that had sunk deep into my skin.

But not anymore.

She had lost the shine I used to see around her. She was still beautiful. I still found myself drawn to her sweet voice and her sweet smile, her innocent soul. Yet…