Finn never voluntarily shared his painful past with anyone, but Aoife was the first and only one to spend time with him on his mother’s memorial day. He hoped that every year would be like this in the future.
Finn thought about it so simply, but he also knew that not everything in this world would go as he wished.
….
Finn had also thought about hiring help at home to assist Aoife with tasks, but then he realized that if hired help took care of all the household chores, what would Aoife do? With nothing to do, she would just sit around all day, making her mood even worse.
Moreover, he could freely roam the house with Aoife in his arms… It would be inconvenient to have outsiders around in those moments.
The red dress in the bedroom closet had already been taken away by Finn, replaced with a new white dress.
Aoife wouldn’t wear the expensive jewelry Finn gave her, she wouldn’t use the handbags he gave her because she didn’t go out, and she wouldn’t spend the money he gave her. So, giving her clothes was the best option, as people couldn’t go without clothes.
Seeing Aoife in the white dress, she looked pleasing to the eye no matter how one looked at her.
On August 20th, Finn took on a last-minute job that required him to go out of town for a trip. He and the Dankworth family’s engagement party was on September 3rd, with not many days left. He needed to finish his work as soon as possible.
At this moment, Aoife was still kept in the dark and unaware of Finn’s intention to propose.
She flipped through the calendar on her phone, feeling that time had flown by before, but now each day seemed to drag on like a year.
She didn’t know when she could leave this place of troubles and gain true freedom.
She was afraid of Finn touching her, each time feeling a sense of being played with. She was afraid of getting completely involved and becoming what Finn called a whore.
Change always came unexpectedly.
With Finn away on a business trip these days, Aoife was left alone at home. Everything was there in the house, and she couldn’t finish all the food in the fridge on her own.
With Finn absent, she didn’t have to prepare a large meal every day. She could just have a bowl of noodles, sometimes not even needing to cook, just casually sipping milk and eating whole-grain bread. A meal would pass just like that.
The TV was on in the living room, and Aoife sat on the couch, staring blankly at the screen.
Whatever was playing on the TV, she had no idea even after it ended. Her mind was elsewhere, unable to focus.
The TV was on just for the background noise, to keep her world from being too quiet. Sitting there dryly, her gaze occasionally landed outside out of habit.
It was almost lunchtime at ten fifty in the morning, and she wondered what to prepare for Finn today. But as she got up, she suddenly remembered that Finn wouldn’t be coming back for lunch due to his recent business trip.
A sudden emptiness filled her heart, leaving her feeling hollow and unable to express it.
She was “confined” in this place by Finn, cut off from the outside world, making her already small world even narrower, completely consumed by Finn.
No one could escape a “habit.” She had grown accustomed to that person, and suddenly not seeing him made her feel so empty.
When sleeping at night, Finn would always hold her close. With him gone now, she felt cold sleeping alone.
She had no appetite at noon, so she took two eggs from the fridge. Just as she was about to make a bowl of sweet soup to get by, the doorbell rang.
Who could be here at this time? Was it Finn returning? Or someone who knew Finn?
Aoife didn’t have time to think much as she wiped her hands and went to open the door.
The person standing outside was not Finn but a woman wearing a purple dress, looking extremely refined with snow-white skin that complemented the purple dress.
Aoife had never seen this person before, didn’t recognize her, but the hostility in the woman’s eyes indicated that she knew her.
The woman smiled at the corner of her mouth, eyebrows slightly raised, her beautiful phoenix eyes openly scrutinizing Aoife.
After a thorough examination, her gaze finally settled on Aoife’s face, emitting a soft chuckle.
Aoife suddenly felt as if she was being scrutinized naked, giving her an uncomfortable feeling.
The woman had a good demeanor, and Aoife felt inferior in her presence. A sense of shame arose in her heart, as she lowered her head and asked, “Hello, may I ask who you are?”
“Are you the little mistress Finn keeps by his side?”
Upon hearing the words “mistress,” Aoife’s already pale face lost all its color. She lowered her head, silent.
The woman arrogantly glanced at Aoife, then pushed her way past her into the house in high heels.
The visitor turned out to be Lily, Finn’s fiancée.
She first took a sweeping look around the house, then sat on the couch like a lady, crossing her slender legs.
“Is there any coffee in the house? If so, grind me a cup and bring it over.”
“Yes.” Aoife absentmindedly went to grind the coffee. She was engulfed in unknown fear, not understanding who the woman outside was, and how she knew about her relationship with Finn.
Her hand trembled and she was scalded by the freshly ground coffee, leaving a small red mark on the back of her hand. Aoife stared at the small area, gently rubbing it with her other hand. The burn wasn’t severe, but it was uncomfortable, prompting her to keep touching it.
Aoife brought the coffee to the woman, saying, “Please enjoy.”
The coffee was still hot, and Lily, after picking it up, set it back down. She haughtily glanced at Aoife standing beside her, carelessly adjusting her skirt and casually said, “Let me introduce myself first. I’m Lily, Finn’s fiancée. We’ll be engaged soon.”