I Am An Illegitimate Child With A Legitimate Reason For Revenge-Chapter 218: Steve’s assurance

The drawing that portrayed a happy family was far from the way they were. They were not even a family, not to talk of a happy one. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

If only she could keep her heart in order and say it clearly that he should move on.

His inability to move on was what was keeping him hooked to the image of his late wife. He was seeing her in Alexa and that was why he was treating her so well now.

Those were her thoughts and it was actually painful.

It was painful knowing that no matter how much her feelings for him grow, he would never love her the way she loved him.

"Please, just... just give me a moment." she pleaded for the time to compose herself. She could only wonder how her daughter was feeling seeing her mother cry like that.

But she wasn’t a good mother. She couldn’t even get her emotions in check. Best psychologist? What a joke she was.

"Mummy." Rachael held her hand, bringing her back from her reprimanding thoughts. "Does it hurt that much?" She asked in her childlike innocence.

She looked down at her daughter who was genuinely worried and then at Romeo at the side who looked scared. Then, her eyes trailed to Raymond and Jane.

They all looked genuinely worried and here she was worrying about if her feelings would ever be reciprocated. She was truly the worst.

"I’m fine now." She said and wiped her tears with the hanky Jane handed to her. "Right now, I’m a bit tired. You guys can go ahead to the event." She smiled and to Raymond, she added, "I’m not feeling too well. I guess I’ll get on the wheelchair tomorrow. Hope you don’t mind."

"Of course not. But are you sure you’re okay?" Raymond asked with a worried look. His eyes were unsteady and it appeared like he had seen a ghost.

"I’m fine." She managed to say and they all went out.

Once they were gone, she looked at her hands and once again saw the void. In this life, where exactly was her position?

She covered her face and shrunk in her bed.

After they left, Steve arrived at the facility to check up on Alexa before going to the event.

He met her staring out the window with a sad expression.

"What happened?" He asked as he entered the room.

Alexa kept her gaze as it was and asked,

"Didn’t you leave with the others?"

He shook his head and stood next to her bedside.

"I was busy with some things at the mansion so I couldn’t make it on time. I’ll be there soon but not right now." He explained and she closed her eyes, as if nodding but not with her head. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look like you’re hurt." He said and she paused.

"Did Raymond tell you that?"

"No. It’s what I’m seeing right now." Steve said and viewed her closely. "You have the image of someone suffering at heart. What happened?" He inquired for the third time.

"Your boss, he’s far out of my league, don’t you think?" She suddenly brought up and he tilted her head.

"What makes you say that?" He took a seat, ready to head the whole tale.

"My face, it’s the only reason why I’m getting this nice treatment, am I right?" Steve was silent. Well, it was not weird for her to think that way. Anyone who didn’t know the truth would immediately come to that conclusion. "I wanted to act like it didn’t matter. I wanted to accept his affections as they were, even if they were not being directed at me but... I can’t deny that it feels painful to be treated nicely in place of someone who’s dead."

Tears gradually slid down her eyes and Steve could not see it because he was sitting at the other side.

"I’m supposed to be his psychologist yet I’m secretly enjoying the fact that he is still dwelling on the past and can’t move on, showering all that broken affection on me... I feel so awful." She cried, covering her face and then Steve finally noticed she was crying.

"Hey, don’t think too much about this." He said. "You’re putting too much thought into it and that’s why it’s hurting you. Things aren’t the way you think they are."

He wanted to assure her entirely but saying too much might give away half the tale.

"What if...?" He paused. "What if Raymond genuinely starts liking you not because you’re the look alike of his late wife?"

Alexa kept silent.

"You never know. The human heart is like a labyrinth. You have to go through a lot of similar roads to finally find the answer. You, as well as him, might feel that his feelings are steaming up from his past relationship but then, what if his feelings change along the way and solely belong to you?"

"Are you just saying this to cheer me up?" She asked, finally turning her head to face him.

She saw him in a new light. He was wearing a gold tuxedo with an indifferent expression on his face. His hair was also down nicely and this image was far more sophisticated than she had imagined.

He was always on a lab coat so seeing him like this, she felt she wouldn’t have recognized him if not for his glasses.

Well, that was not what she was to think of at this moment. She watched him adjust his glasses and said,

"Maybe I am." He leaned closer to her, stretching his hand towards her head. "And maybe I’m not." He smiled, gently grazing her hair. "What’s important is what your heart concludes on. If you agree that you’re a substitute then there’s nothing I can do. But if you agree that he loves you for you then, that’s good. There’s only so much a person can resemble another, you know."

She watched his expression. He was being sincere. If he thought so then what was the use of doubting so much?

She closed her eyes, a tear slid down and dropped on his palm.

"Thank you for your words." She said and opened her eyes. "I’ll try to think more positively."

"Alexa, you like Raymond." Steve suddenly declared and though she did not confirm it with words, the way she turned her head away with the little flush on her ear gave him his answer. "That’s alright."

He got up from his chair and glanced at her for a while.

’I guess the mind can forget but the heart will never forget.’ he concluded with a little chuckle. But he suddenly turned serious.

The lady lying on the bed and the man who was trying to put up a presentable image at an event he didn’t even like has both been through a lot.

’With all that has happened, they both need a break to be happy. Please, let them be happy. I beg of you.’ He silently prayed and made his way to the door. "I’ll be going now. Make sure to get some rest." He told her and she turned to look at him. Once again, she said,

"Thank you."

He nodded and wondered if he should tell her about Raymond’s plans. Well, it was better to get results than to hear plans that were still in action so he thought against it.

"Don’t think too much about it, okay? I assure you, the way things are is not how you view them. Take a rest at heart and body, alright?"

"Alright." She closed her eyes.

Once he stepped out the door, he glanced back inside through the glass and sighed.

They say oblivion is bliss but at the same time, oblivion can kill. Not knowing who she really is, Alexa will feel Raymond’s feelings are steaming up from his affection from Ariel and never feel truly loved.

He shook his head. The world was complicated as it was. Now he knew why Raymond told them not to disclose her true identity to her yet.

If she was suddenly told that she was Ariel, she would immediately believe that they were saying that to mask her true self and give Raymond the woman he truly desired whereas she wasn’t.

She would never believe it and her heart would break because then her efforts to be seen as herself would crumble.

"This is why I wish to abstain from love as much as possible." He muttered and turned to the guards. "She’s in your care now. There’s four of you. So there should be no problem if one of you goes to call the nurses. Make sure nothing happens to her, else, you’re dead."

He simply said and they stood at attention.

He wasn’t the one they were scared of even if his orders were also absolute. They were scared of getting on Raymond’s bad side. He just might get rid of them if something happened to that lady in the ward so they were going to do their job to the best of their abilities.

"Call me if anything crops up." He concluded and walked away.