Indeed, one was a heiress from a wealthy family, and the other was from a modest background in the village.
Finn couldn’t help but notice how Aoife always kept her head down, despite having a beautiful face that she rarely showed.
Aoife had been by his side for half a year now, yet she couldn’t seem to change her ways. The earthy smell that clung to her seemed unshakeable.
“Do you know what you did wrong?” With Burns family genes running through her veins, even as an illegitimate child, she still exuded a powerful aura. With just a casual question, she managed to intimidate others effectively.
“I shouldn’t have secretly taken on a job…” Aoife admitted her mistake sincerely. Finn got up and said, “It’s alright, I don’t need that money. I can provide for you. Just stay at home, focus on your studies, and take care of cooking and laundry. Look at yourself, it’s hot outside, and you smell like a stray dog, all dirty and smelly. You reek.”
Finn enjoyed belittling others, and Aoife was his favorite punching bag. No matter how harsh his words were, she never minded or got angry. She would even make breakfast for him the next day, as if nothing had happened.
She was the epitome of patience, more so foolishness than good temper.
Aoife’s eyes turned red, be it from the recent fall or Finn’s cutting remarks.
She knew she didn’t have many talents, having left high school and moved to Chiwood without attending college. In this bustling city, she always felt out of place.
For Finn to keep her by his side was a stroke of luck for her. He had rescued her from the abyss, provided her with a sense of security, and given her a “home.” He patiently taught her how to survive in this new environment.
She didn’t have much to offer, except for doing household chores diligently and preparing meals for Finn every day.
Finn’s anger subsided. “Alright, go take a shower, freshen up, and put on the red dress I bought you yesterday. I’ll be waiting for you in the study.
Aoife nodded quickly, got up, and hurried back to her room. She rummaged through her wardrobe to find the dress Finn had bought her.
Finn had bought her several red dresses, claiming the color suited her well. Aoife thought she looked pretty too. She didn’t understand high-end brands, but she could tell the dress was well-made and probably expensive. She hesitated to wear such expensive clothes.
She had never worn such good clothes before. Back home, she would wear hand-me-downs or even her brother’s clothes. Old habits die hard, and even with these clothes, she still preferred to buy cheap shirts at roadside stalls, ones that would last for years.
After washing her hands, Aoife picked up the dress, brought it to the bathroom, and carefully put it on. It was a backless design that accentuated her curves, making her feel sexy. With her freshly washed skin, she felt delicate. She was not used to such revealing clothes and always covered herself with her hands.
She recalled how Finn had forced her to wear such revealing clothes for the first time.
With her hair still wet, she nervously knocked on the door of the study.
“Come in.”
Upon Finn’s response, she opened the door to find him lounging on the sofa, his legs casually crossed on the coffee table, with a violin nearby.
Aoife trembled at the sight of the violin.
Finn beckoned her over, pointing at the violin on the table. “Let me see how well you’ve been practicing the violin.”
Aoife nodded, picked up the violin, and prepared to play.
Finn added, “If you’re not good, there will be consequences.”
Aoife had no talent for playing the violin. Her hands, calloused from farm work, were stiff and awkward. Despite Finn taking her to hand treatments, her hands remained rough.
Every time she played the violin in front of Finn, he would ridicule her, followed by punishment.
The thought of punishment scared Aoife. She adjusted her posture, gripped the bow, and played the first note, only to falter due to nervousness.
Halfway through, Finn impatiently stopped her. “Awful.”
His eyes filled with anger, even more so now than before. Aoife shivered and lowered her head.
Seeing her timid demeanor, Finn couldn’t help but feel disappointed. It had been half a year, yet she still couldn’t play properly. Despite their similar appearances, she was nothing compared to Elisa.
The mere thought of Elisa made his fingers itch.
Elisa had died three years ago, and though he had been violent towards others, none had the impact that Elisa did.
The satisfaction of seeing a proud rose trampled in the mud or stripping the quills off a hedgehog, reveling in their bloodshed, was unmatched.
Finn acknowledged he wasn’t a good person. He enjoyed tormenting others for his pleasure. He had admitted this to Aoife, but she still thought highly of him.
Finn had lost interest in tormenting someone so easily manipulated and foolish. However, his anger flared at her recent indiscretions and her inability to mimic Elisa.
His violent tendencies surfaced, and Finn lit a cigarette. “Come here.”
Aoife hesitated.
Finn’s voice turned menacing. “Do I have to ask you again?”
Aoife slowly moved towards him, and as she approached, he yanked her wrist and pulled her onto his lap. She instinctively tried to struggle, causing the violin in her hands to fall to the ground.
The expensive violin was now damaged, leaving Aoife flustered. Before she could react, she felt a sharp pain on her back.
“Ah…” Aoife cried out, her body trembling like a fragile leaf in the wind.
Finn pressed the lit cigarette against her back. With each agonizing moan from Aoife, the ember embedded itself into her flesh.
As tears streamed down her red eyes, she tried to wriggle away, but Finn firmly held her in place.
Aoife twisted in pain, her face tense and fearful.
“Mr. Snearl, it hurts…”
“Endure it,” Finn replied coldly. He applied more pressure, causing the burn to bleed.
Leaning closer to her ear, Finn whispered, “I told you, there are consequences for a poor performance. If you move again, it won’t be just a burn.”
Aoife stayed still, quivering in fear.