The Woman From Hell

Cindy seemed to be still lost in her sorrow when she got up and held Theo’s hand.

"Theowy, Daddy and Mommy loved me very much since I was young, but they left me too early.

Thankfully, you were around to love and pamper me o n behalf of them. However, all you do is ignore me now. I'm so afraid that I'll be all alone. Theowy, I beg of you, please don't abandon me, okay?" Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

Theo frowned as he spoke, "Stop messing around, Cindy. I'm not ignoring you. It's just that you've found your biological parents who love you, and I have my own family. It's time for me to end things."

"I don't want to! My biological parents may love me but I'm not close to them. I'm not happy at the Louises '!" Cindy wailed.

"Theowy, I don’t wanna be with the Louises’. I just wanna be with you, Zedd, and Mason. You three are m y family. I don't want anything else. I just want us to b e like how we used to be. I just wanna be your little sister and be with you every day.”

The ice on Theo’s face cracked, and his expression softened. The coldness in his eyes had dissipated. I knew him. He may look cold and aloof on the outside, but he had a tender, gentle heart. After losing his

parents, he needed warmth. He was willing to give others that warmth as well.

All this while, Cindy had been very dependent on him. He could relate to what she said, and it brought comfort to his lonely heart. After spending so many years together, it would be impossible for him to leave her be.

Rather than saying that Cindy could not live without Theo, he also needed her to depend on him.

Sometimes, to be depended on was also a way of love.

I stood at the side, watching all these unfold before my eyes.

Even though I was unhappy, I knew full well that this would happen sooner or later. He could never leave her side, and I had no leverage to fight her. Her trump card was one with unlimited use.

Theo gently lifted her off the ground and tenderly wiped her tears away.

I saw how gentle he was and the tenderness in his eyes. My heart sank. I thought I had gotten him to change recently, but it seemed like all my efforts were in vain.

I had lost, and it was a crushing defeat.

On the way back to the city, none of us spoke a word. I was in the passenger seat with my eyes fixed ahead. Cindy was sitting behind, occasionally weeping. Theo was focused on driving. The atmosphere was odd.

I could no longer ignore my inner turmoil so I turned t o Theo and said, "Stop at the T-junction in front. I have something to do later so I'll head back myself afterward.”

He turned to me, looking slightly displeased. "What are you going to do?"

I plastered a smile onto my face, but it did not reach m y eyes. I replied gently, "There’s a fruit shop further u p. Cecilia is craving walnuts, so I'm gonna go get her some. I could use a walk too."

"I'll go with you." His voice was cold.

"It's okay, I want to walk by myself.” My inner turmoil was unbearable, so I subconsciously raised my voice.

"It's really sunny out, and it's easy to get a heatstroke.” He was relentless.

"I've said it's unnecessary. Can’t you understand?!" I exploded. I later realized that something was not right with my emotions. I calmed down and spoke slowly, "I have an umbrella, and it's really near the hospital. You can send Miss Reed home, then come over and get me, okay?"

Theo looked at me, and after a long time, he agreed. "G o straight to the hospital. Don't buy any fruits as they’re too heavy to carry. I’ll get some later and send them over.”

I nodded. I could not stand the atmosphere in the car. No matter what it was, I just wanted to be let out of the car straight away.

After I got down, I smiled and waved goodbye. I stood a t the side of the road, where I watched them leave like a considerate and obedient wife.

I could not hold it any longer once the car disappeared from my line of sight. My energy was drained, and it seemed like there was a ball of fire burning in my chest. It was painful and made me miserable. I felt like I was going to explode. I had a strong urge to just run into the rush of traffic.

While shaking, I tried to look for my phone to call Jerome. I could not find it and only remembered a while later that I had thrown my phone away yesterday.

I staggered forward, trying very hard to stabilize my emotions so I did not lose control and rush into traffic.

It was a hot afternoon in June. The sun was scalding, scorching the land. The greenery beside me seemed to have been burnt to crisps. However, my body felt like I was in the harshest of winters with ice covering me from my head to my toes. I was so cold I was shivering.

When I could not take another step, I squatted down o n the pedestrian lane and covered my ears. I tried very hard to block out the sound of the cars. 1