“Episode 60”
“Even if you show me the ocean or take me anywhere, Clodan, you’ll never let me meet anyone, just like with Mary and Philip, and everyone else I’ll meet in the future.”
“If you want to meet someone, I’ll let you.”
“What I want… is not to be stuck by your side because of the blood or any other reason, not in this situation. I just wanted us to live happily together, really together.”
Ray swallowed the rest of her words, unable to speak further with a choked throat. She knew he would scoff at her wishes to see their child or grow old together happily. What was the point of saying more to someone who wouldn’t blink an eye even if she said she’d rather starve to death? Ray pulled her hand out of his grasp and sank deeply into the sofa.
“Maybe after a few decades, my feelings might change.”
Ray spoke as if it were nothing, looking indifferently out the window. Her demeanor, indicating there was nothing more to say, tore Clodan apart inside.
“Should I bring Mary?”
He asked, trying to divert her attention, but Ray’s eyes remained fixed on the window.
“Later.”
Ray, who had stopped crying and rebelling, no longer looked at him. He thought it was what he wanted—her acceptance—so why did he feel so wretched?
***
Snow fell as if trying to hold back someone leaving. Naturally curious, Thomas found this mansion he stumbled upon enchanting, but no matter how long he stayed, his interest waned as he gained nothing from it.
Moreover, leaving the clinic unattended during a busy time like this wasn’t ideal. In a small town like Foren, Thomas was the only reliable doctor, and there were many patients he felt sorry to miss, including a pregnant woman due to give birth by the end of the month.
“Mr. Thomas!”
As he leaned against a bare tree smoking a cigar, John came running up. At first, he engaged with John to gather information about the mansion, but John, knowing little and rambling nonsense, became burdensome. Exhaling a sigh mixed with smoke, Thomas stubbed out his cigar in the snow and forced a smile.
“Good morning, John.”
“But didn’t you say that illness… manifests once you leave this place?”
“Mr. Thomas, you know everything. Besides, if we’re going to operate, you’ll need to examine me first. I’ll make sure to conceal it well on the way.”
Thomas hadn’t anticipated that his casual lie to extract information from John would snowball into this. He had no intention of descending into the village with this lunatic. While pondering how to rid himself of this nuisance, John’s grip suddenly clamped down on his wrist.
“Mr. Thomas.”
“Yes?”
“You’re not lying, are you?”
John’s eyes were menacing, as if he might beat Thomas and tear out his ribs. Frightened, Thomas managed to move his lips in an attempt to reassure him.
“Of course, of course not.”
Only after several reassurances did John’s menacing gaze soften, and he released Thomas’s wrist.
“I’ve been disappointed by people more than once.”
Seeing John’s anxious, wavering eyes, Thomas thought that he indeed needed treatment. Looking at the red marks left on his wrist from John’s grip, Thomas resolved to leave this place as soon as possible.
“Don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you, John.”
Thomas was slowly becoming terrified of this mansion, the people living in it, and everything about it.
