I was the one who dragged Caleb back to the shore, after which I forcefully draped more clothes on him. His gaze was wary, and his voice was hoarse as he asked, "Why did you save me?"

"Because I can see the future," I had said simply. "I know that you're going to become a force to be reckoned with in the future—the type of person who can turn the entire world upside down."

I hadn't been lying. Caleb was a major antagonist in the book. As long as he managed to overcome the toughest period of his life, he would become even more powerful than the main character.

Caleb was naturally suspicious, but he chose to believe me. In the end, he only used three years to become the person that everyone referred to as the madman who would stop at nothing to gain power and wealth.

As for me, I was his only weakness.

I snapped back to my senses when I saw Caleb raise the carving knife. He didn't hesitate for even a second when he sliced his fingers, letting the fresh blood drip onto the wooden doll's lips as the finishing touch.

He smiled as he slid his bloodied fingertip across the doll's face, his eyes shining with satisfaction and obsession. "My Lena is so pretty. It's a shame that you're not her, no matter how much you resemble her."

My body trembled as I traced his line of sight, feeling the blood in my veins turn to ice. The wooden dolls that filled every nook and cranny in the villa looked exactly like me. They were extremely lifelike, showing how obsessed the sculptor had been—how much care he had placed into creating them.

It had been six years since I last saw him, but it seemed that Caleb had become even more insane.

"Ms. Rockworth, Mr. Finley has been locking himself in the villa all the time with the dolls ever since you left. He can't bear to be away from them for even a moment. Even when he's severely ill and vomiting blood, he'd still rush back here as soon as he can."

I pursed my lips, feeling the guilt fester in my heart.

There was a series of knocks on the door. The caretaker, who had just arrived, said carefully, "Mr. Finley, Ms. Westley couldn't get in touch with you, so she asked me to pass on her message. Another woman who looks like Mrs. Finley has appeared by Mr. Arthur's side.

"The new woman has Mr. Arthur wrapped around her finger thanks to her lies. He insists on acknowledging her as his mother. I'm assuming that he's missing Mrs. Finley because he just completed his surgery.

"I'm a little worried that the woman will trick Mr. Arthur into leaving with her. Why don't you visit him?"

Caleb's voice was colored with displeasure at being disturbed. "He can acknowledge whoever he wants as his mother. He can also leave if he wants to. Don't get in my way. Mrs. Finley and I are celebrating our anniversary."

The caretaker sighed before leaving quietly. The furrow between my brows deepened as the conflict in my heart grew. I wondered why Caleb acted so terribly toward his own son. What on earth happened between the two of them?

"I'm sorry. I was a little loud just now, wasn't I? Did I scare you?"

Caleb murmured as he ran his fingers up and down the doll's hair. His eyes were like two bottomless pits of despair and loneliness. "I miss you so much, Lena. When are you coming back to see me?"

Subconsciously, I held my breath, worried that he would notice me. I told the system, "He seems to have lost his marbles, but he still looks quite energetic. What did you mean earlier when you said something had happened to him?"

Before the system could answer, a flash of red popped up on the screen. Caleb didn't hesitate at all before slicing his wrist open. His gaze was cold as he watched the blood stain the wooden doll's skirt.

My pupils contracted as I exclaimed, "What is he doing? Is he trying to kill himself?"

The system replied, "This is a ritual. Apparently, if a person drops their own blood on a wooden doll during their wedding anniversary, their other half's soul will take over the wooden doll's body. Perhaps he's using this way to try to summon you."

"He's really gone mad," I said through clenched teeth.

There wasn't a single maid in the villa at the moment. The caretaker had been chased away by Caleb earlier, too. He continued to deepen the cut on his wrist. If he didn't stop, it was highly likely that he was going to die today.

Panic rose within me, and my voice trembled as I asked, "Didn't you bring me back to stabilize the world, System? If an antagonist of Caleb's caliber dies, the main character won't be able to show off his true prowess.

"The main character only seems strong when the antagonist is equally as strong. Hurry and think of something to save him!"

"Don't fret, Ms. Rockworth. There is a way."

In the next second, the photograph that had been hanging on the wall fell and crashed on the coffee table. It knocked the first-aid kit off the table, landing heavily next to Caleb's foot.

It was the same first-aid kit that I had prepared for Caleb a long time ago. He tended to accidentally hurt himself, so I prepared a first-aid kit for him and stocked it with items he would regularly use.

As expected, Caleb was stunned. His eyes were crazed and obsessed when he looked at the wooden doll in front of him. "Did you come back, Lena?" he asked.

His question went unanswered, no matter how long he waited. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he barked out a self-deprecating laugh. "I really must have gone insane. I really thought your soul entered the doll."

The system sounded elated as it gave its next report. "Ms. Rockworth, the timing for the soul-summoning ritual has passed. Even if Mr. Finley wants to slice his wrists and sacrifice his blood, he'll have to wait until next year."

I looked at Caleb. He had thrown the carving knife aside in favor of kneeling to grab the bandages in the first-aid kit, wrapping them around his wrist. I breathed out a sigh of relief, but I couldn't help the pain that gripped my heart when I took in his pale complexion.

"Don't tell me that Caleb has tried to sacrifice his blood every year since I left?"

"Correct. But he never cut himself so deeply in the past. It is likely that he truly wanted to sacrifice his life at that moment earlier."

I fell silent as the regret brewing within me intensified while the system removed the screen. My gaze returned to Arthur, who had curled up into a ball. He was still grabbing my hand tightly as if he were afraid I would leave.

I could feel my heart softening once more. It was hard to believe that he was my child and Caleb's. He looked a lot like Caleb, but he also looked a lot like me. I couldn't help but smile.

Arthur suddenly jolted awake when the sun was setting.

I gently wiped away the sweat beading on his forehead. As I took in his face that had turned as white as a sheet, I asked, "Did you have a nightmare?"

Arthur's eyes reddened in an instant when he looked at me. He then threw himself headfirst into my embrace. "It really is you, Mommy. You really came back, and you didn't leave. I dreamed that the madman had everyone who looked like you killed."

He was trembling slightly in my arms as he spat the words out through clenched teeth, "Not only is that man insane, but he's also blind. He might not be able to recognize you like me. He might assume you're like the others and have you killed."

His eyes were filled with loathing and repulsion at the mention of Caleb. I truly didn't understand how their relationship had deteriorated so badly when Caleb was the one who raised Arthur. I was about to ask Arthur for more details when he leaped off the bed and pinned me with a serious look.

"He's sick in the head, Mommy. I know you must have left because you hated him. I'm very normal, so why don't you take me away with you? I know how to earn money, and I know how to do chores too!"

He rummaged through his bag and pulled out several cards before pressing them into my hands. "There's a total of ten million dollars in these cards. It's not much, but I can work hard to earn more and take care of you for the rest of your life."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as I held the cards. Instead, I asked, "Arthur, why do you hate your father so much? Why would you speak ill of him?"

Arthur didn't answer immediately. He pulled me closer with his warm and tiny hands before whispering, "I'll answer your questions after we leave, okay, Mommy?"

My heart completely melted as I looked into his pleading eyes. "Okay. I'll do as you wish. Let's go."

Joy flickered in Arthur's eyes. He grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. "Don't worry, Mommy. I'll help you escape, and I'll protect you forever. You—"

He ran into a tall and solid body before he could finish his sentence.

Meanwhile, my expression twisted as my feet froze in place. Caleb's lips were curled upward slightly as he stared at me. He was carrying himself with a charming demeanor, but there was also a strange sense of danger in the air around him.

"You'd rather run away with him than stay for me, Lena? Do you really want to abandon me for the second time so badly?"