The Woman From Hell

I looked up at him. I spread open my hands, leaned back, and motioned for him to look at me. "It's like this. I'm alone now, and people will threaten me from time to time. I don't even dare to keep my children by my side anymore."

He looked at me. Despite the smile on his lips, it did not reach his eyes. Instead, it looked a little deep. "There's so much more to your words, Miss Lane. You seem to have been married but are now divorced. You took the children with you, but your ex-husband doesn't seem willing to let you go. He even sent someone to threaten you. Just like that group from before, yes?"

While it was not the same, it was more or less accurate.

I was too lazy to explain further, so I just nodded. "More or less."

"I didn't expect your experience to be more worthy of sympathy than mine." After saying that, Neil abruptly realized that he had said something wrong and quickly waved his hand. "That... I didn't mean that, I meant..."

Seeing him flustered like a child, I smiled. "It's alright. I get what you mean."

"Good." Neil heaved a sigh of relief at my response. "It's unusual we ended up confiding in one another. Let's have a toast."

He did not wait for me to answer after he said that and got up. He went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses. He walked back over and poured two glasses of wine. "We're both unfortunate individuals who have come to sympathize with one another. A toast, Miss Lane?"

Red wine did not cause drunkenness.

So, I accepted. I raised my glass to make a toast with him. "Alright."

Upon downing the glass, I felt pretty good.

It was my first time meeting this stranger, but our conversations were quite soothing.

"You deserve someone better, Miss Lane."

Someone better...

I lowered my head and gently shook it. "I insist you call me by my name, Mr. Hendersohn."

"You're right. We are, after all, two individuals who have confided in one another. Call me by my name too, then. It's my honor to have met a friend like you."

Neil stunned me by calling me a friend.

He noticed my expression and was stunned. "What's wrong?"

The corners of my mouth were raised, and I said indifferently, "How can I have new friends? I just lost my old ones."

"Why did that happen?"

I swirled my glass and stared at the way the wine swirled as I spoke carefully, "I don't want to trouble them. I also don't want them to get hurt because of me."

Neil lowered his head and pondered for a moment before looking up again. "But don't friends support each other?

"Friends enjoy the smooth sails together but also lend a helping hand during times of crisis so that everyone may move forward. Isn't that what true friends are like?"

I looked at him and waved my fingers. "You won't think so when your friends start getting hurt because of you. You'll only feel immensely pressured. What happens if they get hurt again? it's better to stay away. At least you can protect them."

"You may think you're protecting them, but they'd be very disappointed. You may choose to stay away from your friends because you don't want to hurt them, but that'll just make them feel like you've never regarded them as friends. They'll be disappointed and lonely. You shouldn't just think about yourself."

Neil's words threw me into deep thought.

Could I have been wrong?

I downed the red wine in the glass, but my mind was still confused.

"You should drink to liven things up, not to drown your sorrows." Neil took away my cup and turned it upside down on the table.

"You said I shouldn't only think about myself. I think I get it now. Thank you, Neil."

"I was just sharing what I thought. Don't mention it."

He was a good listener and comforter. At the very least, my mind had gotten clearer after talking to him...This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.