Rewrite Her Thrilling Life (Lillian and Sebastian) novel Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Her Past

Leonard lingered over the chess piece in his hand, turning it thoughtfully before setting it down with a deep, weary sigh. “I found Lilian seven years ago, abandoned on the shore behind Wyvern Hill. She was battered and bruised, her body covered in wounds, and she didn’t regain consciousness for two whole weeks. When she finally opened her eyes, they were the most lifeless I had ever seen.”

He glanced upward briefly, his gaze distant.

“You know why she took my last name? Because when I asked her, she only told me her first name—Lilian. No surname, no mention of parents. After that, she said nothing more. And I never pressed her to talk.”

Rising slowly, he brushed dust from his robes, his voice dropping to a softer tone.

“She stayed here on the mountain and learned medicine alongside me. Outwardly, she can seem bright and cheerful, but deep down, she’s closed off. It’s nearly impossible for anyone to truly reach her. That’s why I insisted she go to school—to give her a chance to make a few genuine friends.”

He paused, then added quietly, “As for what happened before she turned eight… don’t ask. When she’s ready to share, she will.”

Placing a firm hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, Leonard gave a reassuring squeeze.

“Just remember one thing—never break her heart. If you do, that door inside her will slam shut forever, and you’ll never find your way back in.”

With that, he turned and slowly made his way back to his room, leaving the weight of his words hanging in the air.

Sebastian sat still, his heart aching with a painful twist. He had long suspected that Lilian’s early childhood held some dark secret, something that had left a deep scar. But hearing Leonard’s brief account stirred a new, sharper sorrow within him.

Even in those few sentences, Sebastian could picture the horrors she must have endured.

No wonder Lilian faced danger alone without hesitation.

No wonder she was so desperate to become strong.

No wonder she treated everyone kindly, but kept them at arm’s length, hiding behind an invisible fortress.

She was terrified—terrified of being hurt again.

What kind of trauma could leave an eight-year-old girl abandoned, bleeding, and unconscious on a remote beach?

She remembered everything, yet chose to remain silent. Whatever had happened, she clearly never wanted to confront it again.

What could drive someone to willingly abandon their own name and claim to be an orphan?

The truth was still shrouded in shadows.

Sebastian knew he would have to keep searching for answers.

Taking a deep breath, he forced down the surge of emotions swirling inside him, then glanced toward Lilian’s room. The light inside was dim, casting soft shadows across the walls.

He stepped inside quietly.

Lilian lay curled beneath the covers, her dark hair splayed messily across the pillow. Her breathing was slow and steady, peaceful in sleep.

Sebastian reached out tentatively to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. Suddenly, the haunting image of her lying bloodied and abandoned on the shore flashed through his mind. His hand trembled slightly.

Bending down, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with aching tenderness.

“Rest well. From now on, you will never be alone again. I promise to protect you—for the rest of your life.”

***

The next morning, Lilian awoke to find Sebastian gone.

Lilian nodded thoughtfully. “Understood. You go ahead. I’ll take a look around.”

Jacob left with his team to handle business, confident Lilian could navigate the auction on her own.

***

The outer ring of the venue wasn’t crowded; most people seemed to be waiting for the main event later.

The raw stones here ranged in price from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand.

It was obvious these weren’t the highest quality pieces.

Still, Lilian moved carefully, circling the area and quickly assessing the inventory.

Most stones were ordinary, but a few showed signs of the rare old-pit characteristics she sought.

One in particular—a cherry blossom pink ivory—immediately caught her attention. Without hesitation, she decided to purchase it.

That shade was extraordinarily rare.

She called over a staff member and had all the pieces she marked loaded onto a cart. Then she wheeled them toward the trading hall to finalize her purchases.

Just as she prepared to push the cart toward the cutting area—

“Lilian.”

A familiar voice called softly from behind.