Aoife had seen Hamish’s photo, and could naturally recognize him at a glance.
Compared to the photo, the real Hamish appeared more weary, a shadow of melancholy hanging over his features. Every movement exuded a sense of aloofness, as if he hadn’t expected someone in the room, sensing the presence of a stranger, he furrowed his brows sharply, his dark eyes locking onto the sofa. Their eyes met, one sharp and piercing like a hawk, the other timid and vulnerable like a deer.
Upon seeing Aoife’s face, Hamish was momentarily stunned, standing still as various memories flooded through his mind like soap bubbles, easily burst and shattered.
He took a few slow steps forward, his eyes carrying a dreamy haze, as if he could only see the figure in front of him.
He unconsciously called out a name.
“Elisa.”
The person who had weighed on his heart for a year, once spoken aloud, shattered the “dream” before him in an instant, like a bucket of cold water poured over him, chilling him to the core.
This was not Elisa, Elisa would never show such a timid and weak expression. Bankshire’s Miss Powell was born with pride, even in the face of adversity, there was an unyielding strength in her gaze.
Moreover… Elisa was long gone… Driven step by step to her death by him, perishing in that mess, a punishment for his arrogance and blurred judgment.
She used her own death to torment him, to suffer in pain until her last breath.
Over the years, many people had tried to fill the void around him, all of these women had one specific trait, they looked like Elisa.
And today, this one looked the most similar, dressed in a red dress, her consciousness hazy, almost mistaking it for the first time meeting Elisa.
Back then, Elisa was also wearing a red dress, holding a candied apple, walking towards him: “Hamish, long time no see.”
How he wished to hear Elisa say those words again.
But alas, they would never see each other again.
“… Mr. Burns…” Aoife stammered, unable to meet Hamish’s eyes, bowing her head.
Following behind Hamish, besides Tobias, there were several bodyguards. Tobias, standing outside, heard a familiar feminine voice and frowned.
Who didn’t know that “Elisa” was Hamish’s sore spot, these clandestine acts of sending women were strictly prohibited, yet today, someone exploited a loophole.
As he entered, and saw the figure in front of him, his mouth gaped in surprise, almost calling her “Madam.”
She was too much like Elisa, he began to suspect she might be a lost daughter of the Powell family, how else could she resemble her so much?
Hamish’s gaze grew colder, the hotel was of his choosing, able to smuggle this woman in without notice, undoubtedly indicated her identity was not simple.
Putting aside these thoughts, there was also her appearance, intentional makeup, the red dress, it was all too purposeful. Hamish was deeply cunning and calculated, giving it some thought…
Only Finn could disgust him to this extent.
Hamish approached Aoife step by step, taking a cigarette out of his jacket, igniting it with a lighter and holding it against her chin, lifting it up: “Who sent you?”
He had been trying to restrain his temper, but this woman still trembled in fear, no matter how much she resembled Elisa, she possessed none of Elisa’s courage.
A look of disgust crossed Hamish’s face, “Was it Finn?”
Aoife’s trembling eyelashes fluttered, “Yes…”
Hamish released her, as if she would take a sigh of relief, but a frosty male voice sounded in her ear.
“Forfeit one of your fingers as a lesson, never mimic her again. Otherwise, the price will be one you can’t bear.”
With those words, Hamish suddenly grabbed Aoife’s left hand, gripping her little finger and forcefully breaking it downward, “Ah!” Accompanied by a painful cry from Aoife, her little finger was fractured.
Already fearful of such a man, the pain of her fractured finger caused her mind to momentarily blank, blood rushing through her body, uncontrollably slipping downwards.
Hamish sneered, “Throw her out.”
The bodyguards entered from outside, dragging the now “heap of mud” Aoife from the floor and throwing her outside the front door.
Onlookers who witnessed this scene couldn’t help but stop in their tracks, watching as a woman was thrown out of the hotel, without a doubt understanding what had transpired.
Trying to climb high branches, yet failing.
Especially the waiter who had escorted her upstairs, his eyes filled with disdain, piercing her like knives, leaving her nowhere to hide.
Being cruelly tossed to the ground, it felt like every organ had been crushed, not just physically hurt, but at that moment… her dignity was lost as well.
Someone like her probably didn’t deserve to have any dignity, hence being trampled and degraded by others.
Faced with sneers and whispers, Aoife wished she could disappear into thin air.
“Tsk tsk, such a disgrace, didn’t know who she was trying to entice, got thrown out by someone.”
“Look at her attire, clearly a vixen.”
“As a woman, how can she have no sense of self-respect, maintaining her purity?”
Amidst this chorus of comments, Aoife stood up from the ground, the outcome she faced was the best she could hope for, at least she didn’t have to degrade herself to please another man with her body.
Clutching her left hand, looking at the broken finger, they say the fingers are connected to the heart. Although she had only broken a portion of her finger, the pain tore through her heart. With a broken finger, even if it was mended, it would still affect her ability to play the violin. How wonderful…
Aoife wasn’t an “optimistic” person, she was merely accustomed to comforting herself, trying to see the silver lining, because she still had to keep on living.
…
Hamish immediately changed rooms, then dismissed the person who had booked the room, a person who resembled Elisa by Finn’s side, what were they up to? Dining together, sleeping together… and after using her, tossing her at him like trash, was it to mock him or flaunt in his face?
But regardless of the reason, Finn’s intentions had been achieved, he now felt nauseated and disgusted.
Hamish had never been so repulsed by a person.
When one is already in grief and trouble, the heavens always seem to pour cold water. Upon leaving the hotel, it began to rain shortly after, and not long into the downpour, Aoife, limping in high heels, walked aimlessly, unsure of where to go.
However, she did possess some sense of safety as a human, she tried to walk towards crowded areas, and when tired, she stopped and found a flowerbed to sit on.
As the rain grew heavier, everyone sought shelter, but Aoife remained seated on the flowerbed, a little dog ran to her feet and looked up at her.
She reached out to pat its head, “It’s raining, aren’t you going home? Or perhaps you don’t have a home? Like me?”
After saying this, a woman not far away called out, “Lele, come here.”
The little dog scurried over to its owner as soon as it heard her call.
Aoife watched the figure of the dog, self-mockingly thinking, it seemed she wasn’t the only one without a home.
Her face was soaked, her vision blurred, she couldn’t distinguish whether the water on her face was rain or tears, she reached up to touch it, the rain was not warm.
Her fractured finger needed attention, so she entered a clinic, had an X-ray taken, and her bones reset with a cast.
The doctor asked her, “How did this happen?”
“I accidentally took a spill.”
The doctor pushed up his glasses, thinking to himself: This doesn’t quite seem like a fall, but how she broke it is the patient’s personal affair, he couldn’t pry any further.
He opened a drawer below, pulled out a pack of tissues, tore it open and handed it to her, “Wipe yourself, you’re all wet, you might catch a cold.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
After getting her prescription filled and receiving detailed instructions, Aoife went to pick up her medication.
After paying the medical bill, the rain outside had yet to cease, so she sat in the lobby, watching the rain outside.
Her phone had been in her hand the entire time, besides a few junk messages, there was nothing else. She scrolled through Finn’s number, checked her Facebook, but there was no information from him.
What was she really hoping for?
She probably hoped for a miracle, a crow to whisper sweet nothings.
Sitting for a while, feeling a bit cold, Aoife got up and paced back and forth to keep warm, after a trip to the restroom, she returned and realized her head was spinning, feeling a bit feverish.
Just like Finn had said, she had no princess syndrome yet embodied it entirely, and now, she caught a cold by accident.
Suddenly, her phone rang, Aoife opened it with one hand, walking with her head down, not looking ahead, she accidentally bumped into someone, not too hard, but enough to make her dazed for a moment.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Aoife hurriedly apologized, bowing her head as she spoke.
“Were you trying to walk into a wall or something?”