Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

"Scarlet... Don't cry... I don't blame you for anything... It was my own foolishness that brought these consequences." Cecil murmured as she tried to reassure her friend while she could barely hold onto her consciousness anymore.

Hearing this, Scarlet tightened her grip around her waist, refusing to let go of her.

Meanwhile, Asher frowned after sensing the life force within Cecil fading away with each passing second, while there was also a strange spirit essence circulating in her body.

It didn't take him long to discover that Cecil was dying because of those foreign energies within her body.

'It seems like no matter what is used to cure her, that strange energy would stop it before nullifying it,' Asher thought as he analyzed her condition.

However, as he saw Cecil and Scarlet hugging and comforting each other while being on death's door, he was reminded of his own past life, where he had no one by his side even during his final moments, and how painful and regretful that feeling was, making him unable to watch two girls experiencing it for himself.

'Although I won't tolerate anyone who could betray their close ones for benefits, looking at that red-head's behavior, it's quite clear that there was more to the story behind her action, which I still don't know anything about, so I can't judge the matter blindly.' He thought, coming to a decision in his mind.

"Hey, silly girl." He called Scarlet, who was still trying to ease Cecil's pain, bringing the attention of the two girls toward him. "Do you really not want your friend to die and be separated from her forever?"

"Y.. Yes!" Scarlet replied, nodding her head immediately and without hesitation, which was expected.

However, Asher didn't say anything to her again, instead moving his eyes towards the dying Cecil. "How about you? What do you want? To die and escape from the responsibility of your actions or be cured, start anew, and atone for your mistakes while also reconciling with this naive girl in the future?"

Cecil listened to his words without saying anything at first and just closed her eyes as a bitter smile flashed across her face.

A moment later, she opened them again while looking at Asher with determined eyes and answered, "If I get a choice between dying here without paying for what I had done to her or being cured so that I could make amends with her and myself, I want the second one."

Scarlet was shocked to hear Cecil's determined response and wanted to say that she didn't need Cecil to atone for her mistakes or pay for them because that wasn't her fault.

However, Asher's stern gaze, as if warning Scarlet to refrain from uttering unnecessary words in front of the dying Cecil, made Scarlet gulp down and bite her lips.

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Soon, tears streaked her cheeks as she looked at Cecil with guilt marring her pretty face, feeling responsible for her suffering and now also her death.

Asher's face turned serious as he asked one last question, "What if the price to cure was your loyalty? Although you won't be forced to do anything, you would never be able to betray me."

As those words left Asher's mouth, the girls widened their eyes in shock upon hearing this question and looked at him with disbelief and even fear in their eyes.

Scarlet gritted her teeth as rage coursed through her body while looking at Asher in an angry manner, wanting to curse this shameless man for trying to blackmail them in this life and death moment.

"How are you any different than that bastard? Cecil was also forced to stay obedient to him. And now you try to use similar means and force us into serving you... That's too low. I didn't expect this from you." Scarlet muttered in disdain, as she couldn't accept that a person whom she had hoped for and who had saved her previously would behave the same as her enemy.

Asher also saw hatred filling Cecil's eyes towards him at that moment as Scarlet lashed out at him.

"Damn it, girls. Don't you dare compare me to that low life. It's just your thoughts that are naive, which makes you think that I would share my secrets without any price. Because in reality, the thing I would do for her won't be any different from a miracle itself." He retorted in an annoyed tone.

Scarlet looked stunned as his words caught her off-guard because what she thought would be used to cure Cecil would be the same white light that also cured her poison before.

"Also, let me make one thing very clear to the two of you again: I won't be able to force you to do anything no matter what; however, you won't be able to betray me in any way. So whether or not you choose the deal with me depends solely on yourselves and how far you are willing to go for each other. So choose now. I don't think she has all the time in the world.

Decide before she dies right in your embrace in another minute," Asher added in a firm voice after noticing the hesitation in their eyes.

Both the girls remained conflicted as a myriad of emotions crossed their minds, fearing whether this stranger would be true to his words.

However, Scarlet understood that they had no time left to waste since Cecil's condition was getting worse with every passing second. She decided to take a leap of faith for her friend and hoped she wouldn't regret this decision later or again get betrayed by others, causing the same tragedy as earlier.

"Cecil... I don't care about any consequences. I'm willing to bear any burden along with you, no matter what, if you stay alive. So let's just trust him this time." Scarlet said with resolve reflected in her beautiful red eyes, which glistened with tears.

Cecil smiled weakly upon hearing her words, accepting them without hesitation. "Then you don't need to worry. I will also follow you. Let's hope that trusting him is the correct choice this time..."