LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 40: Jealousy
After turning down Robin's confession, Ani made her way to the train station, her heart thrumming with excitement at the thought of meeting Adam.
Her mind buzzed with his image—his school dress clothes, his enigmatic presence, the way his intensity seemed to spark every time they spoke.
She smiled to herself, feeling a bit giddy, as she recalled their moments together.
But unknown to Ani, Robin was lurking behind, his eyes narrowed and his gaze fixed on her.
The rejection he faced had struck deep, and the sight of her happily heading toward someone else made his jealousy surge.
Keeping a careful distance, he followed her down the streets, his footsteps silent, yet his heart pounding with rising bitterness.
He had to see for himself who Ani was going to meet.
Ani, lost in her thoughts, didn't notice him at all. A few minutes later, she reached the station where Adam was waiting, his figure blending with the shadows.
As she approached, she gave a cheerful wave. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
Adam's face softened slightly, his guarded demeanor easing. "No, you got here pretty fast," he replied. Her presence seemed to lift the weight he usually carried, and together, they turned to leave the station.
But then, Adam's attention sharpened as he heard a faint voice in his mind—Pratham, his AI assistant, alerted him. "Lord Adam, your classmate Robin has spotted you with Miss Ani. He's been observing both of you from a distance."
Adam's eyes narrowed as he turned to look over his shoulder, scanning for any sign of Robin, but the crowd had already swallowed him up. Sensing Adam's sudden change in focus, Ani frowned slightly, tilting her head. "Is something wrong?"
Adam gave her a reassuring smile, although his mind was on high alert. "It's nothing," he murmured. "Come on, let's get going."
Ani, sensing his mood shift but trusting him, simply nodded, a small, comfortable smile lighting up her face as they walked together.
Meanwhile, in the distance, Robin's resentment simmered, watching the two of them disappear from sight.
---
The scene shifted to Ani's room later that night. She lay on her bed, clutching Adam's ID card, her fingers tracing the faint outline of his picture.
Meeting him had been the highlight of her day, and her thoughts replayed the quiet moments they shared, each one bringing a warmth that she didn't fully understand.
Lying back, she stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Why did I tell Robin I like someone else? she pondered aloud, pressing her hand to her cheek as a blush crept over her face. It wasn't really true...was it? She had said it on impulse, hoping to end Robin's pursuit. But why had Adam's face appeared so vividly in her mind at that moment?
She groaned, trying to shake off the confusing emotions swirling inside her. No, there's nothing like that between us, she told herself firmly, attempting to dismiss the idea.
But her mind betrayed her, wandering back to the thought: If Adam had confessed to me instead of Robin, what would I have said?
Her cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red as she imagined Adam standing before her, his usual confident expression softening just a little. "I like you, Ani," he would say in that deep, mysterious voice of his.
She squirmed, hiding her face in her pillow as her mind ran wild with the thought. What am I even thinking?!
---
Meanwhile, across town, Robin lay on his bed, consumed by anger and disbelief. The room was silent, the air thick with his frustration as he replayed the earlier scene in his mind.
He had seen Ani with Adam. How could this be? he thought bitterly, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.
The darkness in his eyes grew as he recalled how she'd rejected him so effortlessly.
Ani, the girl he had admired for so long, had smiled at that nobody, Adam. "Why would she choose someone like him?" he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with resentment.
Robin had always prided himself on his achievements—captain of the soccer team, a top student, and admired by everyone.
And Adam? Adam was barely noticeable, a quiet shadow in the class, someone who always seemed on the brink of trouble.
The thought of someone as perfect as Ani choosing Adam filled him with rage.
Shoving himself off the bed, he paced the room, his mind racing.
His belongings were strewn around haphazardly—he'd come straight home from school and hadn't bothered to change or even tidy up.
He couldn't let this go. He wouldn't allow a mere nobody to steal what he believed should be his.
"She's too naive to see it," he muttered, trying to convince himself. "Adam must have manipulated her. She's innocent, too kind. She couldn't see through his facade." His voice rose, fueled by his growing anger. "If Ani is going to belong to anyone, it'll be me. And if she can't be mine… then I'll make sure she's no one's."
He seethed, a dark resolve taking root. Adam had unknowingly crossed a line, and from that moment, Robin made his decision.
Adam would become his enemy. Whether it took weeks, months, or years, Robin vowed to destroy every chance Adam had with Ani—physically, emotionally, mentally.
Whatever it took, he'd break down the connection he'd witnessed.
With his mind filled with dark thoughts, he collapsed back onto his bed, his anger mixing with a twisted sense of purpose.
Ani may have rejected him, but he would make sure she paid attention to him, one way or another.
That time Robin cannot sleep, he just keeps thinking about what Adam will do to Ani, it is his duty to stop Adam at any cost.
And after thinking like this for a while, he falls asleep and gets lost in Ani's dream where he and Ani are together and both of them are happy and there is no Adam there.