Chapter 166 I Miss Her
"Not really." Harriet took a sip of red wine. "We're already separated. I don't need to hide from Tristan. I just got tired of staying in Emberfall and wanted to get some fresh air."
"Back when I graduated, I took my grandmother to Emberfall for treatment. To earn more money, I applied to work for the Lancaster family as a caregiver for Mrs. Gemma Lancaster."
"Later I married Tristan, and then I went to prison. Come to think of it, the last time I left Emberfall was for my grandmother's memorial day—my first time leaving in all these years. What's ridiculous is that on my rare trip back home, Tristan and I still ended up parting on bad terms."
Finnegan felt sad hearing this. "Harriet, you really have suffered a lot being married to Tristan."
"It was my own choice. Nothing to complain about." Harriet smiled. "It's just that since this path was wrong, of course I need to turn back in time."
"Don't blame me for speaking up for Tristan, but he just doesn't know how to express himself." Finnegan sighed. "You know his family background was messed up. He doesn't understand love and doesn't know how to love."
"I understand that."
"But you still insist on divorcing him, right?"
Harriet smiled faintly. "When we got back together before, he once said he wanted me to teach him how to love. I admit, I'm a failed teacher. I can't teach him, and I don't want to try anymore. Mr. Savoy, you've probably never experienced the feeling of complete disappointment, have you? If you had, I think you'd understand me."
The moment Tristan chose to keep protecting Lark, she felt the same way as when she saw Elowen's Facebook post.
Disappointed to the point of numbness.
Especially with Tristan—he'd already hurt her so much she felt nothing anymore.
She could decisively give up on Elowen, and she could decisively give up on a Tristan who didn't love her.
The doorbell suddenly rang. Harriet said goodbye to Finnegan, hung up, and got up to answer the door.
Griffin stood outside. "Harriet, I bought you the barbecue you like."
"I'm not hungry. You eat it yourself."
Griffin insisted, "Have some. You had noodles for dinner—they digest easily. You'll get hungry."
"I'm really not hungry." Harriet declined politely. "And it's too late now."
Being alone in a room with a man this late at night could easily be misunderstood.
"Are you afraid Tristan will be upset?" Griffin called it out directly. "Harriet, you two are getting divorced."
Only then did Harriet realize that Tristan was the only one who would misunderstand.
And her instinctive reaction was not wanting Tristan to misunderstand.
Harriet's previously calm heart suddenly became unsettled.
Griffin smiled. "Harriet, we have nothing to hide. Besides, I'm here because I have something to ask you."
Harriet had no choice but to agree. "Alright, come in then."
She went to the bathroom to change clothes. When she came out, Griffin had already set out the food on the table.
"Sit." Griffin opened the red wine. "Want some?"
Harriet shook her head. "Water's fine for me."
Griffin poured himself a glass. "Harriet, I never asked you—how were things for you and your grandmother during those years?"
Harriet put on disposable gloves and ate the barbecue. "In my fourth year of college, my grandmother's condition got serious. She received treatment on and off in Luminara City for a year, but never got better. The doctor said only The Lancaster Hospital in Emberfall might have a way to save her life."
"Aunt Xanthe refused to pay. I was still in school with no income, so I could only sell the house and take my grandmother to Emberfall. But fortunately, I later married Tristan, and as part of the deal, The Lancaster Hospital treated my grandmother for free."
On this point, Harriet was grateful to the Lancaster family.
If she hadn't married Tristan, she would have had no way to afford Cleo's medical expenses, and Cleo would have died long ago.
"It's my fault." Griffin was full of self-blame. "If I hadn't suddenly disappeared, you wouldn't have had to face these difficulties alone. Maybe you wouldn't have had to marry Tristan."
"Griffin, don't blame yourself. My grandmother was my responsibility, not yours." Harriet said. "Her greatest wish was for you to be alive and safe. Now that she's in heaven, she can rest in peace seeing this."
"Harriet, I'll take care of you for your grandmother."
"I'm not a child anymore. I can take care of myself."
"I know." Griffin looked at her. "You've grown up. You're not that little girl who used to follow behind me anymore."
"We haven't seen each other in five years. Of course there'll be changes." Harriet ate her barbecue. "But you haven't changed much."
Griffin looked at her. "What if that's just an illusion?"
"I know you must have suffered a lot in Vesperia, but Griffin, I hope you can stay true to yourself. Your mother was a good person. She raised you, and you definitely won't let her down."
Pain welled up in Griffin's deep eyes. "Harriet, I miss her."
Harriet's hand holding the barbecue paused. "Griffin, you living well is the greatest comfort to her."
"And one day, we'll be reunited with our departed loved ones."
"Yes, that day will come."
At that moment, in the CEO's office at Apex Global Group.
Tristan's eyes stared unblinkingly at the computer screen, coldness growing in his gaze.
The footage showed Griffin and Harriet walking and talking at Maplewood High School.
They walked and chatted like a couple.
Then the two sat down by the field, and Griffin handed her a hot dog—he practically fed it to her!
They didn't leave together until sunset.
Tristan switched the footage.
The screen showed the hotel corridor surveillance.
Half an hour ago, Griffin had entered Harriet's room and hadn't come out.
A chilling coldness spread through Tristan's eyes. He picked up his phone and made a call.
Though Harriet wasn't hungry, she unknowingly ate quite a bit.
She was about to clear the table when an alarm suddenly sounded from outside.
Both of them were startled and rushed to open the door, discovering the sound was coming from the fire alarm in the hallway.
People from other rooms also came out, rushing toward the stairwell exit.
Griffin grabbed Harriet's wrist. "Harriet, let's go!"
The two went down the stairs to the fire safety level. After more than half an hour, staff came to inform them there was no fire—the alarm had malfunctioned.
Only then did they go back upstairs and return to their respective rooms.
After all that commotion, Harriet really was tired. She brushed her teeth and lay down on the bed.
She was clearly exhausted, but her mind seemed to grow more and more alert.
She couldn't help wondering—if there really had been a fire today, or if she had died here, would she have any regrets?
Perhaps she would.
About Tristan.
They'd fought so badly, never properly saying goodbye.
It turned out she still wanted to say goodbye to him properly.
Harriet closed her eyes, suppressing the tears welling up, and forced herself to sleep.
The next morning, Harriet went to work on time.
The clinic in Luminara City was adequately staffed, so she wasn't very busy.
But Harriet didn't slack off. Instead of rushing to leave after work, she organized the medical books in the reading room, finding ones she thought useful for the doctors here to read.
Griffin called while Harriet was busy.
She swiped to answer and put it on speaker. "Griffin, what's up?"
"You're not off work yet?"
"No, I'm still busy."
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes, I have."
"Then go back early."
"Okay."
Harriet hung up and continued organizing the bookshelf.
After another half hour, she was finally almost done.
Harriet stood on a stool to put the organized books on the shelf.
Suddenly, Harriet felt dizzy and quickly got down from the stool, supporting herself on the table and gasping for air.
A man's urgent, panicked voice suddenly reached her ears. "What's wrong with you!"