Finn always forced Aoife to look at him, demanding her gaze to fall upon his face, gripping her jaw and staring directly into the depths of her eyes.
The stars had long vanished from within, at what point had Aoife’s eyes lost their light, leaving only pain and despair in those dark, desolate orbs, mixed with a hatred that made him tremble.
Was she always in such pain and despair when she was with him?
A new flame suddenly ignited in Finn, this fire came inexplicably, the reason being himself.
Finn exerted more force, and the usually silent Aoife hoarsely cried out in pain.
This one-sided suffering continued into the midnight hours, and weary as she already was, physically and mentally exhausted, she collapsed faint.
Finn, displeased by her tendency to faint, tore down the towel hanging on the wall, wrapping her up and placing her on the bed before calling for a doctor.
Upon examination, aside from external injuries, she had a fever of 39. 5 degrees, with flushed cheeks and slightly dry lips.
Fever? Finn only learned of Aoife’s discomfort after the doctor measured her temperature.
The doctor, matter-of-factly, reminded, “This situation needs to be moderated, after all, she is a woman…”
Finn felt some guilt as he took the medication and inquired about the instructions.
In truth, he had noticed something was amiss with Aoife along the way.
Although Aoife had a gentle nature, at times she could be stubborn like a mule, enduring pain without a sound until it became unbearable.
She struggled as well, but Finn mistook it for her stubbornness, ignoring her until she suddenly fainted, realizing then that something was indeed wrong with Aoife.
The doctor inquired about Aoife’s recent circumstances.
Finn recounted Aoife’s recent condition to him, such as her introverted and isolated personality, lifeless eyes, aversion to speaking, isolating herself in the bedroom all day without interacting with others.
This doctor’s opinion was not much different from the previous family physician.
“Mr. Snearl, you should take better care of her. A person who was once well now in this state must have psychological issues. I suspect she’s suffering from depression. It’s best to take her to the hospital for a detailed examination, in addition to other bodily checks.”
A healthy person who is isolated at home for an extended period can also fall ill and become disconnected from society.
Isn’t this common knowledge? The doctor furrowed his brows, muttering an expletive internally.
Finn was familiar with depression, as his mother had suffered from it. Although she appeared normal outwardly, she was already shattered internally. With the advancements in technology in recent years, depression had become a much-publicized issue, ranging from mild to severe, causing much uproar online, with reports of celebrities taking their own lives due to depression.
The doctor continued, “Since she’s new to this country, she’s unfamiliar with everything and everyone except you. You should accompany her, care for her, and at the very least, engage more with her to help her integrate here.”
Accompany her more? He had been by her side every day recently, never taking his eyes off her. Was that not enough?
He believed Aoife didn’t need his company; she would probably rather escape from him.
Finn nodded and, after seeing off the doctor, returned to the room, feeling Aoife’s burning forehead, “Sickly.”
Could Aoife really have depression? How could she contract such an illness?
Aoife drowsily opened her eyes and saw Finn touching her forehead. Instinctively, she recoiled, trying to move away.
Finn grabbed her ear, not allowing her to escape, rubbing her soft earlobe with his fingertips. Aoife’s ear was small, with fleshy lobes that were quite attractive in shape.
Because she was afraid of pain, she had never pierced her ears. Holding onto that tiny bit of soft flesh felt soothing.
“Are you hungry?”
Aoife shook her head.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling unwell?”
Aoife remained silent.
Finn smiled, “The doctor mentioned you might have depression, so I’ll take you for a check-up. He also recommended I spend more time with you and take you out more. Do you… want me to accompany you? It’s impossible to take you out more; what if you familiarize yourself with the surroundings and run away when I’m not looking? Where would I find you?”
“I intend for you to stay here forever,” Finn gently said, “Don’t go back. You have no family or friends here anyways. Stay here, and Lily won’t be able to find you. We’ll live our lives, and even if you have a child for me in the future, it doesn’t matter.”
Angered by his words, Aoife trembled but said nothing, closing her eyes and mouth shut.
“If you don’t answer me, I’ll take that as a yes.”
If it turns out Aoife has depression, she would need medication that would prevent her from getting pregnant. If she doesn’t have depression, then they could move forward with trying for a child, and by this time next year, he might be holding a child that belonged to him and Aoife.
An appointment was set at the psychiatric hospital in the city center, and Finn took Aoife for the examination the following day.
“Has her condition always been like this?” the psychologist asked.
Finn’s gaze fell upon Aoife, her frail body, pale complexion, the light gently illuminating her as if her skin was slowly vanishing.
Aoife’s long hair fell loosely around her, and as she looked down at her toes, the white dress she wore was too small, hanging loosely on her, clearly oversized. Her body leaned forward, curved like a shrimp, devoid of any grace.
Confined at home for an extended period and suffering from illness, her skin appeared sickly pale, with dark circles under her eyes, devoid of vitality.