With the heavy burden of hatred lifted from my shoulders, my life became simpler.
I wrote my thesis, applied for jobs abroad, spent afternoons in the coffee shop, enjoying the last moments of university life.
A few times, I noticed Thaddeus nearby, secretly watching me. I paused for a moment, but didn't turn around.
Until Thaddeus's mom came to visit.
Seeing her, who had once been like a mother to me, I hesitated for a moment and asked, "Is there something you need?"
"Thaddeus likes you, Irene. What happened with your parents is our fault, but people should always look forward, right?"
"Marry him, and we can compensate you, and take care of your parents for you." I listened calmly.
I had already encountered this woman's lack of clarity in my previous life, and now it didn't affect me much. I just didn't want to engage in conversation with a foolish person:
"Do you have anything else to say? If not, I'll leave."
She frowned, looking at me with an arrogant gaze: "Look at you now. Who else could you marry if not Thaddeus?"
"Besides, it's common in business to fight for advantage. Your parents were a bit too weak, you can't blame everything on our family... Ah!"
I splashed the scalding water from my cup onto her face. Hearing her scream, I froze my expression:
"You can say whatever you want, but you cannot insult my parents."
"You people who break trust and speak ill of my parents, don't you feel disgusted with yourselves?"
Before the incident, Thaddeus's father and my father had called each other best friend, and Thaddeus's mom called my mother her good friend, often dragging her to shop.
If my father hadn't trusted the Sinclair family enough, he wouldn't have been driven to such desperation, and my mother wouldn't have...
No!
I couldn't think about it anymore.
Since I decided not to repeat the past, I couldn't keep dwelling on these matters: "Don't bother me again."
I stared coldly at her ruined makeup:
"Otherwise, I don't know what I might do in order to avenge my parents."
---
If I could still be conflicted about Thaddeus, I had no patience whatsoever for his deceitful parents.
Thaddeus clearly knew this as well.
That night, he called to apologize, his voice filled with defeat.
"No need to apologize. Just take care of her," I said calmly.
"If I ever see them again, even if I end up in jail, I'll try to kill them."
"Don't say that, Irene."
Thaddeus's words were full of helplessness: "Don't destroy yourself over them. It's not worth it."
I pulled the corner of my mouth in a faint smile, remaining non-committal.
In my previous life, I really did try, to exact revenge on them for my parents. But unfortunately, Thaddeus discovered and stopped me.
The dagger went into his body, and he begged me in pain, "Irene, all your hate and suffering, just direct it towards me, don't harm them, please..."
Later, he strengthened the security around his parents and I could never find another chance. It was rather regrettable.
After all, now, for my future, I couldn't do it myself.
---
I went to abroad to find the doctor who could treat my mother.
In my previous life, that doctor had come to our country for surgery, but due to equipment problems, the surgery failed. Now, I wanted to try abroad.
Out of guilt or something else, Thaddeus gave me a large check, helped me arrange the hospital, the doctors, and even took care of my mother's transfer.
I took it all without hesitation.
At the airport, he came to see me off, his chestnut-colored coat wrapped around his slim waist, his expression full of melancholy:
"If you need anything, call me. I'm always here... I'll wait for you and your mom to come back." I calmly took the boarding pass, not even having the inclination to argue with him.
At security, I could feel his intense gaze from behind, like a laser beam, or like a wolf in the forest, closely following its prey.
Thaddeus was watching me. But I didn't turn around.
As the plane took off, I looked out of the window at the shrinking buildings, gripping the ticket stub tightly.
I was leaving here... and I might never come back. I had finally escaped the cage of my previous life.
