It was six o’clock, and Finn had not arrived yet. Aoife didn’t call to remind him; she just stood at the door, her gaze fixed on the end of the road. Finally, after twenty minutes, she saw Finn’s car approaching.
From afar, Finn could see Aoife standing at the door, with her eager eyes, like a puppy waiting for its owner to come back.
For some reason, her gloomy mood instantly lifted.
The driver stopped the car, and Finn walked towards Aoife’s radiant smile. Such a smile, seen early in the morning, would involuntarily lift one’s spirits.
Finn was somewhat curious about Aoife. Didn’t she hold grudges? He had burned five wounds on her, and she had only cried for a while before returning to normal.
People like her were kind-hearted and didn’t hold grudges, but on the harsher side, they were like a dog that couldn’t change its habits.
“Mr. Snearl, you’re back.”
She could clearly see that he was back, yet she still asked.
Nevertheless, he simply replied softly, “Hmm.”
Aoife kept her distance from him, neither too close nor too far, within touching distance, but their clothes wouldn’t brush against each other.
“I’ve prepared breakfast.” Her beautiful eyes were now shimmering as they stared at Finn, seemingly awaiting his praise.
Even before getting close to see it, Finn could smell the fragrance. His taste buds instantly awakened, and approaching the dining table, they were greeted by a complete breakfast spread. Each dish was perfectly prepared, a feast for the eyes, nose, and taste buds. It was fit for a king.
After breakfast, Aoife cleared the dishes and Finn took her to officially change her name.
From Aoife to Elisa, all the online information was updated with the new name.
Even though her name had been changed, Finn still preferred calling her Aoife. It had become a habit, and also, calling her by a deceased person’s name didn’t feel auspicious.
In that case, wasn’t the name change pointless?
Finn provided a reasonable explanation. Since she was now entering the entertainment industry, this could be seen as her stage name after her debut. Such name changes were common.
There was a low-budget high school drama series that had taken an interest in Aoife’s appearance and invited her to act.
Having never acted before, and after signing with an artist agency for so long without receiving any work, Aoife was both excited and anxious upon hearing about the offer to act in a web drama. She was worried about whether she would do well.
Aoife shared this acting opportunity with Finn.
Finn’s reaction was nonchalant, as he was the one who had invested in this drama for Aoife.
“Go ahead, but no kissing scenes. You know I don’t like anyone touching you. I prefer someone clean.”
Aoife’s only merit was cleanliness.
The romantic scenes in high school dramas were usually innocent, but it was impossible to avoid kissing scenes. Either they would use camera angle tricks, or they would hire a body double.
Finn informed the production team about this.
Filming was scheduled for July, in the scorching heat of summer where outdoor temperatures had already reached 40 degrees Celsius. Due to improper wound care and sweating under the sun all day, the burn on Aoife’s back had become inflamed.
The wound had become sticky and adhered to her clothing. It caused discomfort every day, starting tolerable but growing more painful as time went on. Looking in the mirror, she saw that the original five burns had worsened, turning red and oozing. Since it was on her back, it was hard to apply medication.
Without enough money, Aoife had hoped to endure it and let it pass. However, it worsened progressively. The necrotic flesh needed to be completely removed and treated for it to heal properly, or it would be difficult to heal.
Even after healing, the scars left behind were unsightly. Finn had once said her back was beautiful. Now seeing her back like this, would he find it disgusting? Would he be disgusted by her? Not like her anymore?
Aoife’s world was small, only big enough for one Finn. She had forgotten that it was Finn himself who had caused this injury to her back.
Wanting to go to the hospital while resting, Aoife was about to visit, but she suddenly developed a fever. Lying on her side in bed, she was in agony, her entire body experiencing spasms.
Feeling dizzy and hot on her back, there was a faint odor. This was the first time Aoife couldn’t get up at four in the morning; she felt so unwell. Her throat was dry, and the air around her seemed thin. Breathing became difficult, and even moving a finger was challenging.
Finn only noticed her condition upon returning. He touched her forehead, feeling the intense heat.
Instinctively, he lifted her up, but as soon as his hand touched her back, Aoife winced in pain.
Finn paused and let go. He couldn’t take her to the hospital. He was currently in contact with the Dankworth family, and if they found out he was keeping a mistress, it would jeopardize the marriage alliance.
Although Finn was publicly known as a Sullivan of the Burns family, his status as an illegitimate child was widely known. While he appeared high and mighty, in these aristocratic circles, he was looked down upon.
The prospect of marrying into the Dankworth family was uncertain. Finn, looking at Aoife’s pained expression, ultimately decided not to take her to the hospital.
He called a family doctor and, while waiting, unfastened Aoife’s clothing, revealing the gruesome wound on her back.
Is it still not healed?
It had been about twenty days; the burn wounds had worsened despite the significant time that had passed.