Chapter 31 - A Trial? (4)

Theodore opened the door when he saw a familiar figure of a young girl with long wavy light brown hair and a pair of watery blue eyes giving off an immature vibe outside. She was Emily, someone who he considered a childhood friend.

They grew up together and were familiar with each other because they were neighbors. Emily's house was only a few blocks away; her parents were also good friends of his teacher, Nathan.

In a sense, they were a childhood sweetheart under the tactic approval of Emily's parents.

Her current appearance confused Theodore because she had never visited him for a long time. To be more precise, the frequency of her visit had been less and less since his teacher started getting ill until she never came again.

The last time he heard about her was that she was getting along with a certain young master from an inner city. He still signed and felt heartbroken some time ago.

Despite feeling bad, he also understood her concern and the reality of his current dire situation. He might have made a similar decision if he was in her place.

However, an understanding was an understanding; he still never intended to forgive her.

He and Emily barely maintained our delicate relationship by ignoring and pretending not to know each other. Then there came a question.

"Why are you here?" Theodore directly and coldly asked what was on his mind without intending to give the other party any face after leading her to a nearby tree's shade outside with a quiet atmosphere.

"Do you think I want to come here?" Emily replied with a similar distant expression; however, her voice carried a hint of awkwardness.

She was also embarrassed to come here and talk to Theodore as well! She would not have revisited him with their current relationship if it were unnecessary.

Seeing Emily's response, Theodore frowned, looking at her while wondering if something was wrong with her head.

Being familiar with Theodore from childhood, how could Emily not guess what he thought? She took a deep breath to calm her anger before gathering the courage to state the purpose of her visit.

"Is there any possible way to save her?" Emily finally started the conversation with some hesitation in her voice.

"Who is she?" Theodore asked for more clarification; however, he had some premonition in his heart.

"One of my best friends, Jasmine," Emily replied with difficulty before further explaining. "Today, I was also there when the famous young master Chasin forcefully took her away. I saw that you were nearby, working as a city guard; can you help her?"

Theodore's expression softened and became more complicated. He answered truthfully, "Do you think I don't want to save her? If you were there, you should know the decision of the city guard."

It was not that Theodore did not feel bad about abandoning a helpless girl and her father behind, but what else could he do?

"How about you? Why don't you ask the young master you get compliant with for help?" Theodore also took turns to question Emily his doubt in return.

Emily was silent for a long time before saying, as she sighed, "I tried. I really did try."

Emily recalled trying to intervene and save Jasmine at that time, but her parents, who were with her, forcefully stopped her. Afterward, they even reprimanded her for wanting to get involved.

"Everyone refused to help... both my parent and him." She lamented, her voice carried faint sobbing as if she felt disappointed.

Theodore looked at Emily silently. He did not take this rare opportunity to criticize her; condemning her now was like reproaching himself indirectly.

After all, their situation was similar, and they both made an identical decision. Perhaps, this was the reason why Emily came to him. Asking for help was one thing; it was more about having someone to consult with.

"Do you know what happen to uncle John, Jasmine's father?" Emily asked a question; however, it did not seem like she wanted an answer, and she promptly continued. "I went to see him, but his situation was not good. Not only did he refuse the treatment; he was also greatly agitated."

"He threw away a pouch and money near his bed as he burst into crying, screaming, and cursing. Uncle John also tried to commit suicide when I went out." Speaking to this part, she started choking from crying.

"Fortunately, it failed. However, uncle John had lost his will to live." Emily took in a deep breath before she continued with her voice trembling.

Theodore lightly frowned as he crossed his arms, listening. Unlike Emily, he knew whose pouch and money John threw away belonged to.

He knew the stories behind the puch and the money; he believed that John could similarly infer what had happened. In a sense, John's action was understandable.

'I still did not think things through enough.' Theodore muttered sorrowfully in self-contemplation to himself.

When he gave John the money, he did not consider John's feelings or cared whether John wanted it or not in that situation.

Thinking back, if he was John, would he be happy to receive money from the person who abandoned him and his daughter, indirectly causing his current circumstance? His answer was a big NO!

Instead, he would rather not receive anything so that he could hate to his heart's content.

'It was no wonder that John got triggered.' Theodore reflected. He only considered how to make himself feel better and completely disregarded John's feelings.

He now felt that what he did earlier was genuinely hypothetical.

Emily did not know what Theodore was thinking; she only wanted to vent herself to someone willing to listen to her.

Theodore kept quiet, listening to Emily's venting until she said a sentence that caught his heart.

"I-I, more than once, wondered if it would end up differently if I stood up to interfere at that time," Emily spoke, trembling.

Theodore was tongue-tied; the words Emily said disturbed him greatly. He felt similar to her, but he did not express it.

He realized that, at the beginning, he was just trying to forget and avoid the truth. When he returned part of the money to John, he only attempted to comfort himself. If Emily did not come to tell him about the follow-up, he might also ignore the matter afterward.

Theodore also considered the possibility of stepping up and intervening and thought about what might be different. However, he also knew that he would still make the same decision even if he had another chance.

'This is the kind of person I am.' Theodore smiled in self-ridiculed.

Emily also talked for a long time as she cried, and her voice became hoarse. When she finished, she forcefully grinned.

"I am selfish; I always am, and everyone is. That was why I came and made you feel guilty because I only knew you who would be remorseful with me." Emily said nonchalantly, with teasing in her tone.

Theodore responded to her with a stern gaze.

Emily softly laughed in response before saying, "That's why don't blame yourself. In this world, if you are not a little narrowed-minded and think about yourself, no one will."

Theodore intended to say something; however, Emily waved her in interruption as she walked away.

He looked at Emily, who was walking away, for a long time before sighing and returning to his house.

Theodore lay on his bed, looking aimlessly at the ceiling. John's situation and Emily's words kept echoing in his mind. At the same time, the alarm in his heart that had recently subsided fluctuated and rang up again.