Chapter 869
Thomas said flatly, “Yes, she did deceive me.”
Sharon let out a soundless sigh. “When you learned the truth, were you very disappointed?”
“I actually realized long ago she wasn’t the real one,” Thomas replied. “But at the time, my insomnia was unbearable. I thought maybe hearing her violin again would ease it.”
As for his savior…
A faint, mocking curve tugged at the corner of his lips, hidden by the shadows of the night.
How could a guy like him possibly become so enthralled by a single melody, ready to follow someone blindly? That story of a “life-saving benefactor” was nothing more than a palatable excuse for outsiders, a way to appear human, less cold-blooded and merciless than he truly
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Sharon seemed to catch his meaning. “So you used her as an emotional anchor, pretending she was real?”
Thomas’s voice carried a trace of derision. “Back then, I thought if she could fool me for a lifetime, that would be her skill. Unfortunately, she wasn’t particularly clever. To me, that person could be priceless-or utterly worthless.”
Sharon nodded in quiet understanding, her expression calm, showing no confusion or surprise.
That, in turn, startled Thomas. “You don’t think what I just said is strange?”
“Not at all,” Sharon answered evenly. “Your thoughts make perfect sense.”
“Why?” he pressed.
“Because her music pulled you back from the brink,” Sharon explained. “Yes, you could call her your savior. But if we’re being honest, she didn’t really do anything. Her playing the violin in a garden wasn’t meant for you specifically.”
Even Kelly, she thought, when she once saved Nate, had risked her life and nursed him carefully afterward. Compared to that, someone who only happened to play a piece of music— then casually accepted the title of ‘life-saving benefactor’-seemed almost laughable.
At best, it was naïve. At worst, shameless.
Thomas hadn’t expected her bluntness. He asked without thinking, “If that person were you, what would do?”
you
“If it were me,” Sharon said gently, “I’d accept gratitude, but that would be the end of it.
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There’s a phrase, ‘a debt of gratitude as heavy as a mountain.’ But if I hadn’t truly done anything-if it was nothing more than an unintentional act-then bearing such a weight would only make me uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to carry it.”
“But,” Thomas countered, “have you ever considered that such a debt could earn you many things?”
“Taking advantage of gratitude,” Sharon replied firmly, “is no different from moral blackmail. I believe anyone who helps another does so out of simple kindness, not with the expectation of repayment.”
His voice dropped lower, tinged with something unreadable. “So if it were you… you wouldn’t ask for anything in return?”
Sharon’s answer came without hesitation. “Not at all. Even setting aside that this was only a coincidence, if I truly chose to help someone, I wouldn’t demand repayment. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m some saint or a selfless savior of all. I can choose not to help. But once I decide to, I won’t attach conditions.”
This time, Thomas fell into a long silence.
Sharon assumed his mood had sunk because of the deception he’d suffered.
After a pause, she said softly, “Thomas, the fact that you can talk about this proves your memories are coming back. Take some time to rest, ease your mind, and sort through your thoughts. Whatever decision you make about the future… I’ll stand by you.”
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