Jonah continued, "After his identity was exposed, Khaos abandoned him, and Cloudtop hunted him


    down. Traitors always meet the


    sfate—death."


    "So... back then, you executed him as Judas?" Alyssa''s voice trembled as a chill ran through her body.


    Jonah closed his eyes and shook his head in pain.


    "When | becthe leader, | swore that | would never kill. It was my bottom line. But back then... everyone


    was pressuring me


    and forcingto execute him myself."


    Listening to this, Alyssa felt suffocated. Her heart pounded in fear.


    "He didn''t want to putin a difficult position, so he grabbed the gun from my hand and shot himself."


    Jonah''s tone was calm and low as he recounted the event again. If it weren''t for the crimson in his


    eyes, Alyssa would have thought


    he was telling someone else''s story.


    Would anyone in the world be able to bear such a devastating blow as watching their beloved take their


    own life before their eyes?


    If Jasper had done that, Alyssa might have picked up the gun without hesitation and followed him into


    the afterlife.


    "Enough about that. It''s all in the past now. It''s all in the past..." Jonah murmured as if trying to heal his


    bloody wound with those


    words.


    "Jonah, I''m sorry about the person''s death, but | have to ask you."


    Alyssa looked at him intently and continued word by word, "Did you choose to be with Jul because he


    looks like that person?"


    While clenching the photo in his hand, Jonah bowed his head and grazed his teeth with his tongue.


    "From the moment you saw Jul, you were attracted to him because he resembled that person. When


    you approached him and


    showed him kindness, it wasn''t just to helpwin him over, was it?


    "You wanted to see him and couldn''t resist being near him. He simply reminded you of that person,


    didn''t he?"


    After a long silence, Jonah slowly parted his lips. "Yes."


    "Jonah!" Alyssa widened her eyes in shock.


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    "Lyse, perhaps I''m always perfect in your eyes. To you, I''m a good brother who''s emotionally stable,


    has strong moral principles,


    respects elders, and cares for younger siblings."


    Jonah smiled bitterly while shaking his head. "But I''m far from as good as you think. In fact, I''m not


    even as good as many ordinary


    people."


    "Jonah... how could you... how could you use Jul as a substitute?"


    Alyssa anxiously grabbed his arm. Her fingers were almost embedded into his skin. "Jul gave up


    everything to be with you! All this


    time, he''s been helping you, our family, Jasper, and Lauren wholeheartedly! How could you do this to


    him?"


    "Lyse, | admit that | was attracted to Julien initially because he resembled that person."


    Jonah''s eyes turned red-rimmed. He clenched his fists until the pain pierced his palms before slowly


    releasing them. "But now... I''ve


    truly fallen in love with him. It has nothing to do with his face. | love him for who he is."


    "Do you love Jul, or do you love that person more?" Alyssa persisted.


    "They cannot bepared, Lyse. It''s a different kind of love."


    "Love is love! Love only varies in depth! How can there be a difference?"


    Alyssa was both anxious and angry. Her chest heaved violently. "Jonah, have you ever considered the


    consequences if Jul were to


    find out? How would he feel knowing he''s just a recement for someone from your past?


    "How devastated, angry, and desperate would he be? How could you do this? How could you mistreat


    someone who loves you so


    deeply?"


    Jonah parted his pale lips but couldn''t utter a word, as if a sharp thorn had pierced his throat.


    "Burn this photo in front ofnow and forget about this personpletely." Alyssa''s eyes zed with fury.


    "If you really want to


    grow old with Jul, if you truly love him, then burn it!"