I Was the Stepping Stone novel Chapter 20

Chapter 5

But I simply stood there coldly, unmoving.

He must have thought I hadn’t heard clearly, and took a step toward me.

“Serin, do you still want to marry me or not?”

“Didn’t you stay here just to help me awaken my divine power? Why aren’t you doing anything?”

When I remained rooted to the spot, expressionless, a trace of panic finally appeared on his usually smug or indifferent

face.

“Serin, don’t joke around. Not now.”

“These nine flames will kill me if I don’t suppress them. You’re really going to just stand there and watch me die?”

How amusing-Aether, of all people, was actually begging.

I remembered how, after marrying him in my past life, he had always treated me with indifference and coldness.

Back then, I thought that was simply his nature.

Until one day, I accidentally saw him in a secret meeting with Shael. His gaze toward her had been filled with tenderness

as he gently rubbed her reddened hand.

“Starfire family is too harsh. You never meant to impersonate Serin. How could they treat you like this?”

I had stood there speechless, resentment boiling in my chest.

It was Shael who had coveted the Starfire family’s sacred treasure. She had tried to steal it under the guise of my identity

and was only caught because she failed.

Had she not knelt, weeping bitterly, and begged the High King and my mother to spare her, she would’ve been reduced to

ash by divine flame.

Aether had known all of this.

Back then, he had even frowned and coldly said she was greedy and insatiable.

Yet now, he blamed me for everything.

I had wanted to confront him then, but a searing pain suddenly tore through my belly.

It felt like fire devouring my insides, ripping apart my organs. I collapsed, writhing on the ground in agony.

Just when I was on the verge of passing out, a pair of black combat boots stepped into my field of vision. I looked up to

see Aether standing over me, a cold gleam in his eyes, a long sword in hand.

The next moment, blood sprayed through the air. In blinding pain, I lost my Heartflame core.

The memory made me want to rip him to pieces.

Chapter 5

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The flames in the lava pit below began to surge.

Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Aether finally panicked. “Serin, you-”

Before he could finish, the first flame burst forth with a deafening roar!

“Ahhh!”

The violet-gold fire exploded across his body, its sheer force overwhelming.

Having recklessly summoned all nine divine flames at once, the first was already many times stronger than what most

could bear.

Aether, still distracted, hadn’t even raised his power to resist it.

He screamed in pain and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“No!!”

Shael’s face twisted in horror, but in the blink of an eye, her small Heartflame core shattered with a sharp crack.

The spiritual energy instantly drained from her body.

Her face went pale, blood dripping from the corner of her lips.

Even more horrifying-her once youthful, delicate features rapidly shriveled. Wrinkles crept across her skin, aging her by

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