How to Run Away from Obsessed Men

Episode 97. Side Story

The news of Dana’s awakening spread quickly, and the entire family gathered at the Lrsen household.

Mikhail was the first to arrive. His immediate concern was Lindsey. He couldn’t hide his shock after hearing that she had fallen off a horse. He had abandoned all his official duties and rushed back to the mansion.

“Lindsey, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. When I fell off the horse…”

Mikhail’s face turned pale as he anxiously examined her. Only after confirming that she had no injuries did he let out a sigh of relief.

“I think I should give up my title and stay by your side.”

“Don’t say that. You have so much work to do.”

“But if you were to get hurt while I’m away…”

“That won’t happen. Today was just a special case,” Lindsey replied, her tone firm, though gentle.

Reluctantly, Mikhail nodded, though his expression remained troubled.

Lindsey held Dana, who still looked dazed, in her arms. Dana fidgeted nervously, glancing at the gathered family members with uncertainty.

Mikhail looked at Dana with concern in his eyes.
“Dana, you must learn to control your power.”

“Control my power?” Dana asked hesitantly.

“Yes. You’ve only just awakened, so you’ll need to be careful,” Mikhail explained.

Dana understood his words immediately. After all, she had often heard the same from Mikhail when he spoke to her brother, Royden.

She fidgeted with her fingers, remembering how Mikhail would frequently warn Royden about controlling his power. If Royden used his abilities recklessly, he could accidentally hurt his family.

It had taken a while for Dana to calm down enough to let herself be held in Lindsey’s arms after her awakening. She nodded cautiously, her small hands still trembling.

‘Mother said I must protect her.’

Dana realized that her newfound power, if unchecked, could potentially harm Lindsey. She remembered how Royden had occasionally broken furniture or caused accidents—not intentionally, but because he hadn’t yet mastered his strength.

The thought of possibly hurting her mother brought tears to Dana’s eyes.

‘I thought being a transcendent would be amazing…’

But now, she realized how difficult and frightening it could be. Her family noticed the unease in her expression.

“Are you all right, big sister?”

Derrick, her older twin, sat carefully beside her. As a cleric, Derrick gently used his divine power on Dana.

Dana felt the lingering headache she hadn’t even realized she had completely disappear. The soothing sensation brought a small sense of relief to her troubled heart.

It was only now that Dana began to truly grasp the reality that she had become a transcendent.

Derrick, in his gentle voice, tried to comfort her.
“Don’t worry. My transcendent friends often feel unwell too.”

Dana nodded carefully, still processing everything. Beside Derrick, Royden grinned, looking oddly excited.

At that moment, Karen burst into the room, clearly in a hurry.

As soon as he entered, his gaze fixed on Dana, his expression serious.
“Lady Dana, is it true you’ve awakened your abilities?”

“It seems so,” Dana replied cautiously.

Karen closed his eyes and began to sense her mana. The more he examined it, the more his expression hardened.
“Your potential is extraordinary,” Karen remarked, his voice low with awe.

Hearing this, Lindsey’s eyes filled with concern as she looked at Dana.
Even if Dana had awakened as a transcendent, Lindsey had wished for her daughter to lead an ordinary life. But, as the daughter of Mikhail, Dana’s abilities seemed far from ordinary.

Lindsey gently pulled Dana into her arms, closing her eyes as if to shield her from the weight of the moment.
“It’s okay, Dana,” she whispered softly.

Still trembling, Dana slowly began to calm down in her mother’s embrace.
“Everything’s okay. Didn’t I tell you? You’re precious just as you are,” Lindsey reassured her.

Royden nodded in agreement, placing his hands on his hips as he spoke confidently.
“That’s right, big sister. Learning to control your power isn’t as hard as you think.”

“Really? But it feels so scary,” Dana admitted nervously.

“Yeah, but I’ve never hurt you, Mom, or Derrick—not even once,” Royden replied with certainty.

It was true. While Royden had occasionally broken things around the house, he had never once hurt his family.

“So, you’ll be just fine too,” he said with a smile.

Mikhail stepped closer, patting Royden’s head gently before crouching down in front of Dana to meet her gaze.
“That’s right, Dana. Everything will be fine because we’re all in this together. Learning to control your power takes time, and we’ll do it step by step.”

“Together…” Dana murmured.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, the word together filled her chest with a comforting warmth.

Dana nodded, her fear visibly fading away. Seeing this, Lindsey gave her a small, relieved smile.

“Mom, I’m okay now. I think I can do this,” Dana said with newfound confidence, nodding firmly.

“And… I’m not a strange child. I won’t believe what people say about me anymore.”

Dana’s face turned a soft shade of pink as she brought her hand to her cheek and murmured,

“I’m happy, and that’s what matters.”

* * *

After sending the children and Karen out, Lindsey was left alone with Mikhail.

Mikhail sat beside her and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“There were people who said awful things to Dana,” Lindsey began, her voice heavy with frustration.

“Awful things?”

“They called her a failure. Said she was powerless because she couldn’t use abilities.”

Lindsey recounted the hurtful words Dana had overheard.

A faint but unmistakable hint of anger flickered across Mikhail’s face.

“They dared… who would say such things?”

It was a side of him that he never showed to Lindsey or the children.

“I’ll handle it. Leave it to me,” Mikhail said, his voice laced with resolve.

Feeling a sense of relief, Lindsey nodded. While she could ignore insults directed at herself, she couldn’t stand by when those words were aimed at her children.

“I’m so grateful,” she said softly, reaching out to hold Mikhail’s hand. “That I’m not alone… that you’re here with me.”

With Mikhail by her side, the weight of Dana’s abilities didn’t feel as daunting. She knew Dana, like Royden, would learn how to live alongside others.

Unlike her own childhood, Dana had many people to support and guide her. That fact alone brought Lindsey a deep sense of comfort.

“Karen said Dana might surpass me one day,” Mikhail remarked.

“Dana?”

“Yes, he said her potential is extraordinary.”

“He also mentioned that Derrick’s divine power is remarkable. He thinks Derrick might even surpass me someday.”

“Karen has a good eye for these things. It seems the children’s abilities are indeed exceptional,” Mikhail replied with a small shrug.

“It’s still hard to believe Dana awakened her abilities. I remember how tiny she was when I first held her,” Lindsey said, a tinge of nostalgia in her voice.

It was almost surreal to think that a transcendent who might surpass even Mikhail had emerged—and that transcendent was their daughter.

It felt like only yesterday that Dana was a tiny newborn, so small and delicate that they worried endlessly about her. Yet now, here she was, on the path to becoming a transcendent of extraordinary potential.

The child who had once been so small and fragile had now grown into a transcendent with remarkable potential.

Yet, unlike in the past, Lindsey no longer worried about the fact that her children were transcendents.

It was all because of the man sitting before her—Mikhail. Over the years, he had instilled an unshakable sense of trust in her.

With Mikhail by her side, Lindsey knew they could overcome any challenge.

And now, it wasn’t just the two of them anymore.

They had their beloved children, their family, the very embodiment of love and unity.

This certainty allowed Mikhail to speak to Lindsey with unwavering confidence.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Dana is a smart and capable child—she’ll be all right.”

He spoke as though making a promise, just as he had in the past.
“We’ll continue to be happy, just like we’ve been so far.”

“I believe that too,” Lindsey said, her voice steady. “They’re strong children.”

“And you’re a strong mother,” Mikhail added with a smile.

A deep sense of fulfillment washed over Lindsey.

She knew now. She could see it clearly.

Only eternal happiness awaited them in their future.

Any sorrow or pain that came their way—they would overcome it together. There was no fear anymore.

The lonely child who had once trembled in isolation no longer existed.

That child had grown into the happiest adult in the world.

Mikhail leaned in and kissed Lindsey, and she placed her hands around his waist.

It marked the beginning of a long, sweet night.

-Fin