Chapter 174 Foolish Man

Frank was still awake.

I could tell. His breathing was steady, not like someone who had passed out.

Since Ronald's psychological attack worked and Frank coughed up blood, he hadn't said a word.

Maybe the talk with Ronald brought back all his feelings of defeat. His former sharpness was gone, replaced by a long silence, waiting for death to come.

That's what I thought, but I didn't expect Laura, acting like a madwoman, to walk over to Frank and say those words.

"I've always loved you. My blood flows in your veins. You won't die. Go and enjoy the world I've walked through, you foolish man."

What did she mean by "my blood flows in your veins" and "enjoy the world I've walked through"?

Wasn't it Alan who did the blood transfusion for Frank? Was it actually Laura?

Why did Frank have to live with Laura's blood?

I looked at Alan. His eyes were tightly shut, and tears were slowly falling down his cheeks.

"Alan."

Frank slowly opened his eyes, turned his head to look at Alan, and said seriously.

"What is this blood transfusion all about?"

Alan didn't speak. He placed his hand on Frank's shoulder, gently pressing down on his trembling body.

"I wanted to. I owed you, and I paid you back."

Laura chuckled, a carefree laugh, as arrogant as ever. 

But watching her, I felt a strange pain in my heart. I wanted to say something, but the words stuck in my throat.

"Who told you to pay me back? I don't need it! Laura, who allowed you to do this? Tell me!"

Frank's eyes widened in rage. Somehow, the usually weak and sickly Frank found the strength to shout, his voice booming like thunder, filled with endless anger.

"What are you all hiding from me? Alan, speak up!"

Frank kept pounding on his wheelchair, trying to stand up several times but ultimately failing.

"Why, why do you always make me owe you?"

"Can't you just let me hate you? You'd be free, and so would I."

"Why say these things? You didn't have to."

"Why give me a blood transfusion? Wasn't Alan's blood the only match for me?"

"Do you think I'm a child?"

I couldn't bear it. I glanced at Alan and squeezed his hand.

Alan sighed deeply and choked out, "Frank, Laura's blood has always been the match for you, not mine."

Frank's cries grew louder. He pushed Laura's hand away, stomped his feet, and wailed, repeatedly asking why. 

He was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. All the love and hate over the years seemed to turn into a joke.

In a daze, I seemed to understand Frank and Laura's relationship. 

Their interactions were always misaligned. Laura realized this first and ended the misalignment, letting Frank persist in his own beliefs to keep living.

When a man encounters love, his heart softens, especially for someone like Frank, who has a severe illness. Too much tender love would make his tumultuous life too easy, causing him to lose the will to live. 

Only by constantly provoking his hatred could Frank live longer.

For a man, mere hatred for an enemy isn't enough. The power of love turning into hate is far more piercing.

I started to rethink my feelings about Laura, or maybe my guilt. 

Out of all the kids from the old steel mill, I thought Laura had the easiest life over the past twenty years. But it turns out she carried the most pain.

Ronald clapped and sneered, "Well, look at that. Over twenty years, you've all grown up, especially you, Laura."

His gaze was intense, his eyes revealing something unreadable. He said in a low voice, "You and Erica must have had a lot of talks over the years, you self-righteous woman."

If Ronald hadn't brought it up, I wouldn't have thought of it. 

Just now, thinking about Laura, I had a vague sense of familiarity but couldn't place it.

The moment Ronald mentioned Erica, it clicked. 

Erica's love for Ronald was just as deep. Even after fully understanding Ronald's nature, she still loved him unconditionally.

Erica had known Ronald's plan all along. She was selfish and indecisive enough to sacrifice the old steel mill, saving only Lally, Duke, Alan, and Tom. She chose to bear the infamy and pain, still indulging Ronald, hoping he would change one day.

Laura loved Frank. She understood his inner insecurities and pain too well. If she was too tender with him, it would make him lose the will to live. She chose to let go and constantly provoke him to keep him alive.

These two women were so similar, so selfish, so unforgivable.

At the same time, they evoked involuntary pity and tenderness.

These two men were also so similar, scheming to destroy each other.

But tracing back to the root, their reasons were laughably similar.

Everyone tried their best to escape the curse of fate, yet subconsciously followed its path.

Just like Laura's words: foolish men.

"When Erica insisted on adopting you, you went to Sand Village to dig up George's background. I thought you were loyal to me, but I didn't expect you to be so..."

Ronald paused, squinted at us, and chuckled, "We're not ordinary people, so we can't analyze things from an ordinary perspective. Otherwise, I'd lose."

"In my life, I've only acknowledged two men: Alan, who was like a father and brother to me, and Frank, whom I'll never forget. Alan left the old steel mill, and his life will only get better. He doesn't need my help, but..."

Laura glanced at Frank, a hint of tenderness in her eyes. "But Frank, he's still under your control. He'll suffer greatly. And Douglas is still alive. He must die by my hand, just like the poem he wrote for me, to die in the fire. I'll fulfill his wish."

She looked at Frank, who stared at her in disbelief, tears streaming down his face.

She smiled, a smile more like a little girl, looking at Frank with a mix of shyness and boldness. "What, never seen me talk so much? Or did you think I was going to go crazy?"

Frank stared blankly, a mix of a smile and a frown, trembling as he lowered his head. "Are you leaving?"

"Laura, why did you do the blood transfusion?"

"Why?"

"Alan, why didn't you stop her?"

"Alan, you've left me with no love!"