Chapter 194 Because I Love You
The more Harriet listened, the more confused she became. By the end, she hadn't understood a single word."Mr. Savoy, what are you talking about? What about Griffin and me?"
"Harriet, I've always admired you for being straightforward and honest. Why is it so hard for you to admit that Griffin was your first love?" Finnegan was quite displeased.
He had made himself so clear, yet Harriet still wouldn't admit it?
"Griffin is my first love?" Harriet was so angry that she laughed. "Who told you that?"
Finnegan stared at Harriet.
She was actually a very transparent person.
So transparent that Finnegan felt she wasn't acting.
But if Harriet wasn't acting, then many things became terrifying to think about.
Finnegan looked at her seriously. "Maybe I expressed it wrong. You and Griffin weren't together, so you can't call it first love. But even if you weren't together, Griffin being the first man you fell in love with is a thorn in Tristan's heart. Not to mention, you used Tristan as Griffin's substitute."
"What are you talking about? How could I possibly love Griffin?" Harriet also sensed something was wrong. "Why would you all think I love Griffin? How could Tristan possibly be Griffin's substitute?And what did you mean earlier when you said my past with Griffin affected the child?"
Finnegan frowned. "Didn't your health problems come from saving Griffin?"
"Who said that? Griffin?"
"Griffin has a diary that Tristan found in your old house. It's written clearly inside."
"How is that possible?"
"Why not?" Finnegan asked. "Is the diary impossible? Or is the situation impossible?"
Harriet thought back. "Griffin did leave a diary at my house, but I don't know what's in it. It was locked. How did Tristan know? Have you seen that diary too?"
"Not only have I seen it, I've read it carefully. It records the regret of you and Griffin loving each other but unable to be together," Finnegan said honestly. "That diary has been in Tristan's office the whole time. It's a thorn in his chest. I don't know why he keeps it to torture himself."
Harriet didn't know how she walked out of the coffee shop.
When she came to her senses, she was already standing on the busy street.
This city had always been fast-paced, with pedestrians always walking hurriedly.
Someone bumped Harriet's shoulder, jolting her back to reality.
Her mind was a mess, like tangled threads with no way to find the end.
But one thing she was certain of—everything revolved around that diary.
Without hesitation, Harriet took a cab to Apex Global Group.
It was already seven in the evening. Most employees had left, but the skyscraper was still brightly lit.
Harriet thought it wouldn't be so easy to get in, but surprisingly, the facial recognition system at the entrance quickly let her through.
"Mrs. Lancaster?" The security guard on duty on the first floor saw Harriet and immediately approached. "What brings you here? Mr. Lancaster has already left for home."
"I'd like to go up."
"Of course, Mrs. Lancaster, please go ahead."
Harriet smoothly entered the CEO's private elevator and reached the top floor executive office.
She walked behind the desk and sat down, opening the drawer in front of her.
Just as Finnegan had said, a rather familiar diary lay quietly inside.
Harriet took out the diary and examined it, finding that the combination lock hadn't been damaged.
Harriet closed her eyes to think about the password.
The password Griffin set—if Tristan could guess it, could it be related to her?
Harriet turned the numbers, setting them to her own birthday.
Sure enough, it unlocked.
Harriet's brow furrowed slightly.
She had never touched this diary, let alone tried to open it, so she had never thought the password would be her birthday.
Harriet composed herself and opened the diary. When she saw the writing inside, her pupils suddenly contracted.
Griffin was on his way home when he received Harriet's call.
"Griffin, where are you?"
"I'm almost home."
"Good, I need to see you."
Griffin returned to Lakeside Gardens and went straight to Harriet's house.
He could clearly tell something was wrong with Harriet's expression.
Griffin followed Harriet inside and immediately saw the diary on the coffee table.
Griffin's brow furrowed slightly. "Harriet, where did this come from?"
"I'd like to ask you the same thing." Harriet handed him the diary. "If I'm not mistaken, that's definitely your handwriting."
Griffin took the diary and opened it. A strange look flashed across his gentle, refined face, but it disappeared instantly."Did Tristan give it to you?"
"How did you know this diary was in Tristan's hands?" Harriet demanded. "Griffin, tell me the truth. What role have you been playing between Tristan and me?"
Griffin calmly sat down on the sofa, picked up the glass on the coffee table, and poured himself some water.
"Harriet," he said calmly, "I'm very sorry."
"I don't want to hear sorry. I want your explanation." Harriet picked up the diary and opened it. "You said I confessed my feelings to you. When did I confess my feelings to you? This date—it was clearly when I came back from studying in Emberfall and told you I had fallen for a guy!"
"I did fall into water in winter and my health got worse, but it wasn't to save you—it was to save Tristan! Griffin, why would you write these made-up diary entries?"
Griffin slowly looked up at her. "Because I love you."
Harriet froze. "What did you say?"
"I said I love you." Griffin spoke calmly but firmly. "Harriet, can't I love you?"
"You..." Harriet's mind was in chaos. "We've always been family. How could you have romantic feelings for me?"
"Why not?" Griffin smiled. "I've loved you since we were young, but I didn't dare tell you."
"I kept thinking, when you're a little older, I'll confess to you. When you graduate from college, I'll propose, and then we'll get married, have children, take care of Grandma together, and live the most peaceful, happy life."
Pain flashed in Griffin's eyes. "But Harriet, in your first year of high school, just because you went to study in Emberfall for two weeks, everything changed."
"When you came back, you told me you had fallen for a guy at first sight. You said you wanted to get into Emberfall to see him again. Do you know how my world collapsed in that moment?"
"But I didn't even have the right to be sad. I had to smile and tell you to go for it. Do you know I had a high fever after that day?"
Harriet looked at him in disbelief, her brain unable to process anything.
Griffin closed his eyes, suppressing the pain in them, and continued, "The content in this diary is my fantasy. I fantasized that the person you liked was me, but I rejected you."
"I fantasized that even if you couldn't be with me, you would marry someone who looked like me in the future."
"I fantasized that you jumped into the water to save me because you loved me desperately."
"During those agonizing days, if I hadn't relied on these empty fantasies, I wouldn't have known how to get through it."
"Harriet, if loving someone is a crime, then I'm already beyond redemption."