The scissors were covered in rust, and holding them was a bit painful in Autumn’s hand. Autumn stepped on a dead mouse, and their gaze turned cold. In an instant, they forcefully stabbed the mouse’s neck with the tip of the scissors, and the old, rusty scissors unexpectedly pierced through the mouse’s head, causing blood to flow.
Autumn stared at the dead mouse beneath their feet, their expression becoming ferocious. Elisa suddenly felt a chill run down her spine upon witnessing this scene. It was too eerie.
Expressionless, Autumn used the scissors to pick up the dead mouse and threw it into the trash bin. They turned to look at Elisa, and the hostile expression on their face instantly disappeared, replaced by the previous foolish look.
“Ellie, I can solve anything that scares you, including people.”
Elisa caught a glimpse of a hint of bloodthirstiness in Autumn’s eyes.
She didn’t understand why Autumn emitted such a terrifying aura. Fear flashed through her mind. It was as if an unintentional action had opened a cage, revealing a fierce beast that was now glaring at her.
In the next moment, Autumn panicked. They realized that their previous actions might have frightened Elisa. They looked at their hands, which were not stained with mouse blood but covered in rusty marks, and wiped them on their pants.
“Don’t be afraid of me. I just want you to understand that I can protect you.”
How could Elisa not understand Autumn’s intentions? “Autumn, don’t waste time on me anymore. We can never be together. I’m going back.”
Autumn looked at the smile on her face, wanting to say something, but seeing the pale and tired look in her eyes, they ultimately remained silent.
Anxiously, Autumn watched her figure as she walked away. They felt as if their chest had been scalded by hot oil, causing a numbing pain that was almost unbearable. They stiffly followed behind her. They were so close to Elisa, and yet, it felt like there was a great distance between them.
Autumn was afraid. They were afraid that Elisa would be afraid of them, avoid them, and distance herself from them. They didn’t care about anyone else’s gaze, but just one fearful look from Elisa made their heart tremble.
They had wasted some more time, and by the time Elisa returned with her bag, ten minutes had already passed.
Hamish stood at the entrance of the hall and said to her, “You’re five minutes late.”
Elisa didn’t say anything. Hamish glanced at her slightly pale face and then shifted his gaze to Autumn not far away.
A cold and stern expression appeared on Hamish’s brows, accompanied by a touch of chilliness and hostility. He extinguished the cigarette in his hand, his thin lips filled with contempt, and his scrutinizing gaze turned into a menacing one.
He had an instinctive feeling that something had happened between these two. The thought of them doing something behind his back that he didn’t know about made Hamish feel annoyed.
As Elisa approached, he forcefully pulled her wrist and pulled her into his embrace, leaning close to her neck to take a sniff.
Such actions, in the eyes of others, were a declaration of dominance.
Regardless of whether there were others around, after sniffing Elisa’s neck, Hamish raised her long hair to look at the skin underneath.
Fortunately, there was nothing. She was clean.
Elisa looked at him with eyes as sharp as poisoned knives. After being examined from head to toe, she sarcastically said, “Have you seen enough? Do you want me to take off my clothes so you can inspect me properly?”
“Go back and change.” Hamish forcefully held Elisa’s hand and pulled her away from the orphanage. The orphanage director wanted to see them off, but a single glance from Hamish made them stop in their tracks.
After they left, the director asked Autumn, “Have you been with Miss Powell just now?”
Autumn couldn’t speak but nodded.
“What have you been doing for such a long time?”
Autumn replied, “Talking and killing a mouse.”
After a brief hesitation, the director understood, “There are mice in the storage room again?”
“Yes,” Autumn replied, their eyes fixed on Elisa until she got in the car and left.
The director sighed, “Stop looking, she already has a husband.” And even if she didn’t have a husband, she wouldn’t be interested in a fool like you.
The director thought of something hurtful but didn’t say it out loud.
“I know,” Autumn muttered, feeling empty and uncomfortable. They clenched their fists, thinking about what Hamish had done to Elisa just now. His gaze and actions showed no respect for her.
They really wanted to kill that person, just like killing a mouse.
Hamish continued to drag Elisa along, not caring if she could keep up ornot. His steps were large as they walked together.
“Get in,” he said, still maintaining some rationality, as he opened the car door without forcefully pushing her inside.
Elisa hesitated for a moment, looking at her wrist that he had gripped tightly, and rubbed it. She raised her head, furrowing her brows as she looked at Hamish, wondering why he suddenly went mad.
Even though he had humiliated her in front of so many people, she wasn’t angry. How could he have the audacity to be violent towards her?
Elisa gently pursed her lips, placing the gift she was holding onto the backseat before sitting in the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt obediently.
“Why are you angry?” she asked.
“I don’t like the way that fool looks at you, and I don’t like you being close to him,” Hamish replied, his face covered in a cold, frosty demeanor. “Elisa, it’s best if you stay away from him.”
Ironically, seeing Autumn and Elisa standing together made him feel a sense of crisis, a feeling even stronger than what Micah had caused him in the past.
“What are you thinking, Hamish? Do you see me as a prostitute? Do you think I throw myself at every man I meet? I’m tired of dealing with you alone. I don’t have the energy to deal with other men,” Elisa mocked and sneered.
Hamish tightened his thin lips, gripping the steering wheel tightly with his hand.
“Elisa, where did we meet sixteen years ago?”
Elisa’s eyes flickered with surprise. This was the first time Hamish had brought up the events of sixteen years ago. After a moment of shock, she regained her composure.
“Aren’t you the one who doesn’t remember? Why are you asking so many questions?” When she was madly in love with Hamish back then, she used to say in his ear, “Long time no see,” hoping that he would remember even a bit.
Unfortunately, some things are forgotten once they are forgotten, just like the ring she forcefully put on her ring finger. She hadn’t worn it since the moment it became loose.
Now, she didn’t want to bring up the events of sixteen years ago. Those beautiful memories were permanently sealed in her heart, untainted by the present Hamish.