Chapter 4: A Pawn in His Game

Amidst the flying stones, Nathaniel pulled me away.

His grip was tight, almost bruising, as he dragged me through the chaos, shielding me from the worst of it.

Once we were clear, Nathaniel panted—and smiled, satisfied.

There was a strange light in his eyes—a thrill, a sense of power. It made my skin crawl.

His eyes gleamed with a thrill that chilled me.

Gone was the boy who’d wept for me. In his place was a man hungry for something more.

Nathaniel arranged for me to stay in a small apartment. After that day, I didn’t see him for a long time.

The place was sparse but clean—a cot, a window, a faded rug. I felt like a kept secret.

Mrs. Henderson—the older lady who brought my meals—kept me updated. Outside, everything was shifting.

She’d bring me the news with my breakfast—rumors, reports, the latest town gossip, all tinged with fear.

People believed the river spirit was trapped and a demon was wreaking havoc. Everyone was terrified, seeking out preachers and exorcists to drive away the demon.

Preachers came from neighboring towns, waving Bibles and shouting sermons in the streets. None of it seemed to help.

How could mortal preachers deal with the river spirit?

They were out of their depth, but desperation made people believe in anything.

Clashes kept breaking out. From the reports, I could tell the river spirit’s patience was thinning—she was close to erupting.

Storms grew wilder. The river rose and fell with her moods. People whispered that the end was near.

I couldn’t help but worry.

Every night, I’d stare at the ceiling, heart pounding, wondering how much longer I could stay safe.

Being transported to another world was already unsettling.

I still felt like an impostor in my own skin, caught between two lives that didn’t quite fit.

On top of that, I was now caught up in a conflict between spirits and humans, as if one foot was stuck in a whirlpool. No matter how I struggled, I couldn’t get out easily.

The sense of helplessness was suffocating, like being trapped underwater all over again.

If the conflict escalated and the river spirit became enraged, I, a powerless woman, would probably die a horrible death.

I imagined the river swallowing the town whole, and me along with it.

What’s more, I was now a chess piece in Nathaniel’s hand.

That’s right, I didn’t think Nathaniel was hiding me to protect me.

His smile never quite reached his eyes. I knew what ambition looked like—and I saw it every time he looked at me.

That calculating look in his eyes that day was too obvious. His greed and ambition bore no resemblance to the gentle man in my memories.

The boy I once knew was gone, replaced by someone colder, sharper.

I figured he meant to use me against her.

I rehearsed conversations in my head, wondering what move he’d make next.

I waited ten whole days before he finally came to see me again.

The anticipation gnawed at me, but when he finally appeared, it was as if nothing had changed.

“You mean, you want me to persuade the river spirit to step back and let you act as her representative in the mortal world?”

I stared intently at Nathaniel’s shining eyes. Seeing his ambitious nod, I couldn’t help but laugh in anger.

His confidence was infuriating. I almost wanted to throw something.

“And what makes you qualified?”

My voice was sharp, my patience gone. He blinked, surprised by my tone.

Nathaniel’s calculating gaze, as if he couldn’t wait to take her place, made me feel sick. All the resentment from my previous life surged up again.

Memories crashed over me—old wounds, old betrayals. I clenched my fists, determined not to be used again.

Before all this happened, I had just led my team to a breakthrough in gene therapy.

For eight whole years, I worked day and night for that project, practically living in the lab, dealing with chronic illness and pressure from my family and society.

The ache in my back, the headaches, the endless nights—none of it mattered when I believed in the work.

But when the research succeeded, every report left out my name.

I watched in disbelief as my contributions vanished, replaced by someone else’s signature.

A male team member, who’d started as my assistant, got all the credit—he got the press conferences, the grant money, even tenure. The discovery was named after him.

He smiled for the cameras while I stood in the shadows, invisible.

All my work seemed to be for someone else’s benefit.

It was like watching my life play out in someone else’s hands.

They acknowledged my contributions, but not my gender.

A pat on the back, a whispered "thank you," but never my name in the headlines.

I dropped the nice-girl act, and the sudden edge shocked Nathaniel.

He recoiled, eyes wide. For the first time, he seemed unsure.

His bewildered look showed he had never considered that I wouldn’t stand on his side.

He’d always assumed I’d be grateful, loyal, willing to play my part.

Yes—the girl I used to be was gentle, the kind who always put others first.

She’d been taught to sacrifice, to smile through pain, to make herself small for others.

When the river spirit’s tribute was chosen, it was between me and Nathaniel’s younger sister.

One was Nathaniel’s beloved, the other his blood sister. The hardest time was for Nathaniel.

He hit the bottle hard every night, suffering, until he suddenly seemed to have a revelation and told me he couldn’t lose me, so he wanted to run away together.

But I was so kind, how could I bear to see my beloved in pain?

She’d rather drown than let him suffer.

So she did.

If she left with Nathaniel, his sister would be the one drowned in the river.

She couldn’t trade one life for another, not even for love.

With a life between them, even if they escaped, they could never truly be happy.

Some choices haunt you forever. She chose sacrifice.

So I bravely stepped forward, for Nathaniel and for his sister.

I walked to my fate with my head held high, hoping it would spare others.

Such a kind girl, willing to die for him—how could she now be so sharp and refuse him?

Nathaniel’s eyes flickered. After a long time, he steadied himself and tried to smile gently, saying, “Sarah, let me explain.”

He put on his best earnest expression, but I saw right through it.

“I believe you, so I believe that... that lady is really the river spirit, but the world doesn’t know.”

“People are ignorant. They can’t accept the river spirit is a woman. I know the river spirit is angry, but she can’t force the world to change its mind. If the conflict keeps going, nobody can bear the consequences!”

He sounded reasonable, but his words dripped with self-interest.

“I just want the river spirit to step back. She’ll still be the river spirit, I’ll just be her representative in the mortal world to comfort the people, and everyone will accept it more easily...”

Because he’s a man, people would accept him more easily.

He wanted the power, the prestige, the adoration. All under the guise of "helping."