I transmigrated and got a husband and a son!
Chapter 888: If you die, I’m good as dead.

Chapter 888: If you die, I’m good as dead.

"You’re silly. Why did you stay for me?"

There was a reason Hera avoided his question the first time. It wasn’t like she didn’t expect Leo wouldn’t notice. He was a smart man. It was the reason he lasted this long in this place all on his own.

"I promised you, didn’t I?" Hera replied without looking back at him. "I am the one responsible for your situation and thus, it’s only natural if I help you out of here."

Leo balled his hands into a tight fist as dismay shone in his eyes.

"It’s silly, indeed, but I’ve always told myself calling you that night was a mistake," she added in the same distant tone. "Once we get out of here, forget everything. Treat it as an awful nightmare. It’s best if you do that. In that way, you can go on with your life. If that’s a little too much and impossible, then delude yourself you’ve played a role and it’s now time to be you again."

Hera closed her eyes and took another deep breath. When she reopened her eyes, resolve shone in them. Taking another step felt heavy, but she mentally screamed at herself to move forward. She should have done this the first time; she should’ve maintained a distance from the beginning. Letting him get closer wouldn’t do them any good.

Once they escaped this place, she was aware there was another hell that awaited her beyond the gates of this prison. There was no way in hell she would drag him into her situation once again. She couldn’t keep holding on to him selfishly. That would be too unfair for him.

"Wait."

As Hera was about to reach the exit of the dining room, a hand grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Hera, wait," Leo repeated under his breath, looking at her with mixed emotions. "Why... I mean, why are you speaking as if this might be the last time we’re ever going to talk? But once we get out of here..."

Hera swallowed hard, gazing down at the hand wrapped around her wrist. Her jaw tightened, maintaining her cold front. Acting had always been a piece of cake for her. This skill alone helped her survive this long. And this was how she also planned to deal with this situation.

"Mr. Wu," she called without any tinge of affection, looking back at him coldly. "Did you know that just holding my hand might cost you your life?"

"Huh?"

"If Dragon sees you or if one of his people sees us, he’ll have your head," she warned. "Don’t have any silly ideas, Mr. Wu. I felt responsible for you, and frankly, I find it annoying to be responsible for anyone else except myself. So, I want to get rid of this unpleasant feeling of being responsible for another person by saving you. Once everything is settled, we can go our separate ways."

Leo assessed that look in her eyes and couldn’t see anything else aside from resolve. If he took her expression and words at face value, he would believe her. However, he had seen the other side of her. That warm and kind smile she bore amidst this burning inferno.

"Let go," she said, glancing at his grip on her hand.

Leo slowly gazed down at their hands. His grip wasn’t even tight, and she could free her hand from him at any moment. And yet, she was asking him to let go. That only meant one thing; she wanted him to let her go on his own. Like a practice or a test run, so he would get familiar with it in the future.

"I can’t," he whispered.

"Mr. Leo Wu."

"I can’t, Hera." He slowly raised his eyes and locked his gaze with hers. "I feel like if I let go of your hand, I will regret it for a long time."

Her face slightly turned red because of dismay. Her pupils dilated as her neck tensed, but her initial surprise immediately compelled her to laugh in mockery.

"What did you say?" she chuckled, looking at him in ridicule. "Mr. Wu, don’t tell me you fell in love with me?"

Did he? Leo was unsure about that. He couldn’t say he fell in love with her during this time with her, considering he had been so busy trying to survive every single second in this hell. However, why didn’t he want to let go?

"I can’t say I am in love or anything like that," he answered truthfully and sincerely. "But I feel like this is the right thing to do."

Right thing to do?

Hera let out a scoff. "Let me tell you what’s the right thing to do now, Leo Wu. You should —"

"I am an actor, Hera. There were times I was a doctor, a policeman, a businessman, and even a cold-blooded killer," Leo spoke, stopping whatever she was about to say. "So, one thing I learned from doing all those roles is that I... can differentiate what’s real and not."

He took a step closer, eyes still on her. "If you’re going this far and to this extent just to push me away, then can you at least be honest and give me the real reason? I thought you already know what kind of person I am. To push me away, you can only do so with the truth. Otherwise, all your lies will only make me hold you, foolishly and selfishly."

A heavy silence hung in the air as both stared at each other.

"Why, you ask?" she whispered as a thin layer of tears coated her eyes. "Because I already lost a lot from the very start."

Her father, her career, her son whom she treated terribly, and herself. The person trapped in Hera’s body lost everything and everyone; she couldn’t protect anything or anyone in the past. She couldn’t revert time to save them. What she could only do was to move forward and live in the present.

And in the present, she hoped she was able to protect one person this time. At least, one person who has held a significant place in her heart. Perhaps this was also a way for her to move forward or start anew once they escaped in here.

"I can’t lose another one in this lifetime," she added quietly. "If you die, I’m as good as dead. So, please... don’t take that away from me. Let’s escape here and forget each other. Forget everything and move forward. Not only for you, but also for my sake."