Rachel had never seen Aoife look this way, with a coldness that exuded a sense of desolation, sending shivers down one’s spine for no apparent reason.
Was this her daughter?
For a moment, Rachel almost couldn’t recognize her.
In Rachel’s eyes, Aoife had always been timid and weak, perhaps due to being bullied since childhood. Aoife had developed a timid and submissive personality, incapable of refusing, only cowering and crying on the sidelines when frightened, making her easy to manipulate.
When did Aoife change?
Rachel paused for a moment, suddenly recalling that year when she tied up Aoife to force her into a marriage for a dowry. During that time, Aoife’s gaze was as cold and distant as it was now.
That’s why when she cut ties with the Powell family by offering $300, 000, the rift had been so final. For her, there was truly nothing worth clinging to in this family.
Rachel didn’t feel like a mother to Aoife, perhaps because she had never truly loved her.
As Aoife observed Rachel’s changing expression, she grew increasingly mocking. She never expected to receive any affection from her.
Even now, Rachel remained stubborn, trying to extract any possible usefulness from her.
Aoife was not disappointed because by expecting nothing, she ensured no disappointment could come.
“They never wanted me to be okay, and I don’t want them to be okay either,” Aoife said to Finn without even looking at him. “Can you take care of them?”
“As long as you want…”
“I do.” Aoife pursed her dry lips, turning away.
Upon their arrival in the village, Finn had already arranged for someone to handle the situation. Rachel was silenced by the arrival of the person, and as Finn’s expression grew colder, she dared not speak further.
With the matter resolved, Finn escorted Aoife into the car and left Evergreen Village.
As the car rattled down the road and merged onto a straight path, Finn turned to glance at Aoife. Her eyes were closed, eyelids tinged red, with moist lashes.
Though she claimed indifference, her heart still ached.
The hurtful words she had heard today had only been through online sources. Even bystanders like him felt uncomfortable hearing them. What about Aoife, facing such harsh words? Was she tormented every moment?
Indeed, empathy only went so far. Even if he were to kneel before Aoife now and apologize, it would likely hold no meaning.
His words of apology seemed laughable, akin to a bystander asking if the fire across the river was severe. It was the same principle.
“Aoife, I never knew how difficult your life had been,” Finn remarked.
He expected Aoife to remain silent, but she gently spoke, “I’m used to it.”
“Finn, do you know why I fell for you in the first place?” Aoife asked, opening her eyes.
“Why?”
Aoife explained, “In such a family, where I lacked love, any semblance of kindness would captivate me. Even if it was merely a piece of candy, I would cherish it, reluctant to consume it. So, even though I knew you were using me as a stand-in, I willingly stayed by your side.”
“Finn, at my lowest point of needing love, you suddenly appeared, making me believe you were the light to save me. Looking back, I realized that you weren’t particularly kind to me. You restricted my freedom, demeaned my value, burnt my back with cigarettes…”
“But I never chose to leave, not because I loved you, but because a love-deprived me denied my worth. I believed someone like me didn’t deserve good things, although I yearned for the feeling of being loved…”
Finn had briefly shown her love, but mostly denial. She believed she was unworthy of love. Ethan’s arrival, on the other hand, proved otherwise. He recognized her worth, showed her a better life, and that she deserved to be loved.
Only those who have experienced darkness understand the value of light. Ethan was her last ray of light, extinguished by Finn.
Finn’s heart clenched. He had once been Aoife’s light. If only he had been kinder to her, perhaps that light could have warmed her more, leading to a different outcome.
Desperate for an answer, Finn grasped Aoife’s thin shoulders and asked, “What am I to you now?”
Aoife looked at him quietly, her once bright eyes now dark and devoid of him, “You are no longer in my eyes.”
-Finn, you are not in my eyes at all.
Finn gazed into Aoife’s eyes, once radiant and reflective. Now, he couldn’t find a trace of himself there.
Finn never considered himself a good person; he was vengeful, often displacing anger onto innocent individuals. He was self-centered, unmindful of others’ feelings.
His heart was tainted, his body pierced with thorns.
But a single word from Aoife could cleanse his heart and remove the thorns from his body, even if it meant bloody sacrifice.
Previously, Finn had dismissed Aoife as inconsequential, a mere plaything. But now, she had become a part of his soul.
He didn’t know how he could exist without Aoife in his world.
“Aoife, can you love me once again? What Ethan can do for you, I can too. I will respect you, love you, make you feel secure. I will punish those who hurt you, even if it’s me,” Finn pleaded, tears streaming down his face as he gripped Aoife’s shoulder.
“I will give you anything you desire. Can you… can you give me another chance? Aoife, I have never loved anyone in my life. You say you lack love, so do I. I don’t understand how to treat you well, how to express my feelings for you. I never intended for things to turn out this way, nor did I want Ethan to die.”
As Finn’s words trailed off, tears fell uncontrollably onto Aoife’s cold hand. She trembled slightly, watching the man bow before her.
It’s too late, don’t you know? Finn.
With a forceful motion, she pried his hand off her, extracting his fingers one by one from her palm, her voice chilling, “Finn, if I were to turn back even for a moment, I would rather die!”
In a frenzy, Finn embraced Aoife, choked with sobs, “I’m sorry… Aoife, I’m sorry… I’m sorry… please hit me, just spare my life. You can vent your anger however you like, stab me as many times as you want, as long as it eases the burden in your heart.”
Finn felt his nerves shatter under the weight of recent events, dragging Aoife down into a deep abyss alongside him.
Only upon entering Aoife’s “world” did he realize how grim her living conditions were.
He had never known before.
It’s not the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, but the weight of the final one that truly bears the guilt.
Looking at Aoife’s lifeless, cold demeanor, Finn’s heart felt dull as a knife, realizing he had been the one to push the gentle Aoife into a frigid hell. He was the one who deserved the most blame, the one who ought to perish.