Veikko didn't respond, but his refusal was apparent.
He did that to put an end to all the feelings she harbored toward him. If he continued to give her any hope, all he previously did would be in vain.
Caridee pursed her lips, knowing he didn't want to give her that chance.
After a moment so silence, she added, “Considering my arm got crippled because of you, shouldn't you at least show the courtesy to clarify some matters to me?”
He was taken aback, and a hint of coldness flashed across his eyes.
The female assassin on the bedside quickly stepped in to mediate. “Ms. Caridee, Veikko is still very weak at the moment and couldn't talk for long. Why don't you visit him on another day to talk things over when he's feeling better?”
Her gaze rested on his chest. When she heard he had suffered an injury to his heart, she found it difficult even to breathe.
Afterward, when she learned he had been resuscitated, only then did her heart recover sinus rhythm.
She firmly believed the feelings she had for him were what others termed as love.
That was why she wouldn't mind facing any obstacles head-on and would never give up just like that.
She didn't want to admit defeat after finally meeting someone who could make her heart flutter in the sea of people.
“I have a few questions for you. Tell her to leave, and I'll go once I'm done asking. If you don't agree, I'll continue to stand right here.”
The female assassin wanted to say something, but Veikko waved his hand to interrupt her. “You may go out first.”
The female assassin felt utterly relieved. To be honest, I genuinely don't want to offend Ms. Caridee. Most importantly, she's also Ms. Jefferson's sister-in-law.
After the female assassin left the room and closed the door behind her, Veikko lifted his gaze to look at Caridee, standing near the foot of the bed, and uttered casually, “If you have any questions, just ask. Don't beat around the bush.'
She stared at him with tear-stained eyes and croaked, “Do you think what you're doing is meaningful? For the sake of rejecting me, you simply hooked up with a woman to disgust me. Do you really think this is at all worthwhile? You could've told me if you didn't love me. There wasn't a need to use another woman to humiliate and provoke me. Can't my admiration for you be reciprocated with your honesty?”
Veikko bored his eyes into her impassively. “If I had told you that, would you have disappeared from my sight? I highly doubt that. Also, that woman is my friend with benefits. I wasn't lying to you about this. For people like us who live on the edge where we could die at any moment, we live our lives to their fullest, indulging in bodily pleasures whenever we feel the time is right.”
Caridee shuddered greatly. Tears brimmed in her eyes and threatened to stream down her cheeks at any moment. He was serious when he told me he didn't love me. He was also extremely solemn when reassuring me that woman is truly his friend with benefits. So, everything has been wishful thinking on my part all along? Even if that woman isn't the love of his life, they engage in physical intimacy. Their interaction has nothing to do with love and is purely the expression of male and female desires. He can treat that woman like a tool to vent his urges, but it seems I'm not qualified even to be his friend with benefits. That is why he has been avoiding me, wishing to sever all ties with me. He's really sick of my brazen persistence in clinging to him. ”M-My arm was crippled because of you. Don't you harbor the slightest sympathy toward me? After all, it is undeniable that I got injured for you.”
A woman could be humble to the extent of being pathetic for love. Caridee didn't expect she would one day join the ranks of those foolish women who swooned over men.
Veikko narrowed his eyes at her and uttered in a deep voice, “What's the matter? Has the daughter of the most prominent family also learned how to win a man's pity by playing the victim? Aren't you afraid you will tarnish the Luther family's reputation by doing so? I told you I would ensure your arm would be treated. When your arm fully recovers, our scores will be settled. By then, I hope you won't pester me anymore. You're really quite annoying.”
Drip! Drip! Drip!
Beads of tears rolled down from the corner of her eyes as Caridee staggered backward until her back stuck against the door. Realizing she couldn't retreat further, she abruptly straightened her body. “Can't you try loving me?”
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