It was already late winter and the night wind blew mercilessly outside.
Although the weather had been good for the past few days, the temperature varied significantly
between day and night in A City.
As the night wore on, the wind's icy blasts swept across people's faces like sharp knives and the pain
was extreme.
Molly and Steven were sitting on a bench in Moonlight Street, one of the busiest streets in A City at
night. To others, this might have felt like paradise, yet the two felt like they were kicked down into hell
once again.
Molly looked up at the bright neon lights of the Grand Night Casino. She felt numb, inside and outside.
She thought, 'Life is quite strange. One moment you are struggling to pay your bills, and in the next
moment, you want nothing in life.'
Steven, who was sitting beside her, felt nervous about her silence. He was wrapped in his guilty
conscience, yet many of the things that had happened were out of his control, like his addiction to
gambling.
Molly's pale face was now flushed because of the cold wind and her eyes were still red and teary. Her
long curly eyelashes kept fluttering and it seemed as if she was feeling doubtful and perplexed about
the world around her.
Steven decided to break the long silence. With knitted eyebrows, he rubbed his hands together to
warm them, and started,"Molly-"
But Molly interrupted him and said,"You know what, dad?" Her voice was hollow and it quickly drifted
into the air like a light breeze. "I was kidnapped yesterday."
"What? When was this? How did that happen?" Steven's eyes widened in shock like large saucers. He
examined Molly up and down, and asked her worriedly,"Did you get hurt?"
Molly shook her head as she looked away from the neon lights and stared at her father. The worried
look written on his face was sincere. She knew that, although her father didn't care about her daily life
too much, she still did have a place in his heart as his family member.
"During this past month, I've been kidnapped twice and I've fallen down from the staircase once," Molly
recalled in a low voice. She felt sad when she saw Steven's contorted face, but she continued to
say,"There's a cut in my back which I got during the first kidnap and another in my chest. The cut in the
back was patched up, but it broke apart several times and it was healed again and again. At the
beginning, it was really painful every time it broke, but gradually I got used to it."
Steven's face took on a ghastly expression and he was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt.
"In the past, I had to work really hard to pay your debts, mom's medical bills and Daniel's tuition," Molly
said with a smile on her face, although her voice was full of sorrow. "But now, I'm living a great life! I
don't need to think about my living expenses, neither do I have to worry about mom's illness or Daniel's
tuition. Believe it or not, I spent a few million during a shopping spree this afternoon at the Falloon
Mall."
Steven silently listened to her, but he felt difficult to breathe, as if her words were weighing on his mind.
He had never seen Molly talk to him like this. He knew that she was feeling terrible in her heart, yet the
look on her face was stronger and tougher than usual.
"Dad, I don't know whether you understand how high-status and powerful Brian is." Molly lowered her
head, concealing the bitterness and helplessness in her eyes. "His world is totally different from ours.
There are only four days left till the end of the month and after that I was supposed to be free." Molly
paused and sniffed. With teary eyes and shivering lips, she stared at Steven and went on to say,"But
now, it looks like I will never be able to leave him."
Steven's heart ached when he saw Molly's despairing face. He replied,"Molly, I only went to the casino
today because-" Steven failed to finish his sentence. He thought, 'It will be better if she doesn't know. I
should never tell her about it. Even though she would never forgive me for ruining her life, it's still better
as long as she remains safe and sound.'
When Molly saw his hesitation, a shade of disappointment flashed in her eyes. She bit her lips tightly
and swallowed all the bitterness that had swelled up in her heart. Holding back her tears, she said in a
shaky tone,"Dad, our family will soon fall apart if you don't quit gambling. You used to be so bold and
vigorous. How could you become like this? Or have you totally given up on yourself after you made that
mistake?"
Molly eventually stopped trying to repress her sadness. Tears welled down across her cheeks and
slipped past the corners of her mouth, but they didn't taste nearly as bitter as the feelings in her heart.
"Dad, you hate me, don't you?" Molly raised her gaze and stared at Steven's tilted face. She sobbed
and then took a deep breath, forcing herself to stop crying. Then she continued in a trembling voice,"I
owe you for everything that had happened in the past. As for all of these things happening to me now, I
know they're what I deserve. If you think that I could never compensate for the past regardless of what
I do, then just leave me alone."
Molly's eyelids fluttered uncontrollably. She sniffled and swallowed hard as she slowly stood up from
the cold bench. She watched the people passing her by on the street and let out a sigh saying,"I've
been deceiving myself all these years. I told myself that I was still young back then and you would
eventually forgive me even though you lost your pride and joy because of me. But now, I have realized
that I have been living in my own dreams without daring to face the reality. If... If this is what you want
for me, then just let it be! If you are happier this way, then I will accept it as long as you're satisfied."
Molly's hot tears continued to drip down her cheeks and they quickly became icy cold due to the winter
wind.
Steven still kept his silence, but he clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles had turned white.
Molly's words were like an icicle stabbing his heart, harder and deeper. He felt extremely painful and
heart-broken, yet he could do nothing at all!
Molly expected him to say something, but felt disappointed by Steven's silence, and the last spark of
hope in her eyes vanished. She closed her eyes in agony for a while, then she dragged her legs and
forced herself to move forward. Her small figure trudged towards the busy crowd and gradually faded
away.
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