The sound of keys turning came from outside the door. Gloria quickly packed everything up, wiped his tears, and turned to walk out of the bedroom.
Patrick walked to the bar counter with a shopping bag in his hands. "The beef is so good today. I picked some and brought you breakfast. Gloria, go wash up and sit down to eat."
As he spoke, he placed the bag next to the sink, which was filled with many kinds of food. Patrick rolled up his sleeves in front of the sink and started to wash the vegetables.
Gloria's hands were hanging by her side, behind her back. She clenched her fists so hard that the nails sank deep into her tender palms.
She raised her head only to see that outside the balcony, the windows had already been equipped with bars, enveloping the large room.
There was wind blowing, but she felt suffocating.
Gloria did as she was told silently. He asked her to go wash up and then have breakfast.
She went to wash up and then sat down quietly to have breakfast.
Patrick was in the open kitchen, washing vegetables and cooking nimbly, while Gloria sat at the bar, having her breakfast in silence.
The room seemed to be filled with warmth and happiness.
She didn't even ask him when he had the windows barred.
It seemed that everything was fine. Yet every time she glanced out of the corner of her eye at the windows, there was deep disgust and fear in her eyes.
Day after day, Patrick cooked. When he went to work, he brought Gloria with him all the time. He always kept an eye on her, as if they were a cute couple who loved each other.
People envied Gloria.
Some sighed, "That Gloria of the Carter family has finally made it out. Back then, she courted Patrick so desperately."
Someone echoed, "Now, she finally gets what she wants."
One weekend, Gloria suddenly took the initiative to make a request.
"I want to see him."
Patrick looked up. "Who?"
"Harry."
Patrick's eyes flickered, but he remained expressionless. "About Harry, just forget about it."
Gloria squeezed her palms. After a while, she said, "He is very sick. I want to see him."
"Am I not nice to you?" Patrick was so certain that she was trying to escape from him again. "Is Harry that good? Is he that important to you? Do you still want to donate your bone marrow to him? Let me tell you something. I won't let you see him. Just forget about it."
Right now, any trivial matters or words would make him recall the fact that Gloria had fled from him again and again.
"Whether Harry lives or dies is none of your business. Gloria, be good, OK?"
He was so afraid that he would do anything to keep her in sight.
Gloria was enraged. She had already felt suffocating, and right now, she could no longer bear it. "Be reasonable, OK? I just want to see Harry! Besides, I own my body! Who are you to make decisions for me?"
"You still want to donate bone marrow. Are you so desperate to get away from me?" Patrick was furious and turned even more unreasonable. "Gloria! Are you so desperate to get away from me?"
"Yes! I just want to run away from you! Happy now?"
She did not dare to say anything before, but now she blurted out, shouting at him, "You are sick! You imprison me, and I'm supposed to be grateful to you? You treat me well?"
She laughed so hard that tears came out of her eyes. "You said you treat me well? Then please, stop it. If you really want to be kind to me, let me go!"
Patrick dropped the work in his hands and walked to her with a livid face. "Take back what you just said!"
"No! Take what back? Let me go? I want to run away from you? Patrick, I've had enough! Why should I listen to you? What right do you have to imprison me?" Gloria trembled with anger.
She thought, 'I have done whatever he asks.
I just want to visit Harry. He has taken my phone away, and I don't even have a person to contact. I don't know how Harry has been doing.
I just want to visit Harry.
I should hate Harry. I should hate grandpa.
But I can't.
In the dead of night, I will be afraid sometimes. I'm afraid that my grandpa was kind to me for a purpose and that he had other intentions from the beginning. I'm afraid that he was kind to me to make me want to be nice to Harry. What's more, I'm afraid that my grandpa had never loved me, not even just a little bit.
What does that make my life?
He was kind to me, and I have always kept his kindness in mind. I loved my grandpa, and yet someone told me that he might never have liked me.
I loved Patrick, but I couldn't get what I wanted. I did this to myself, and I accepted it.
But look at my life. Who am I? What am I?
Harry shared my blood, and he was nice to me when we were kids. I just want to go and see how Harry has been doing.
Yet Patrick doesn't even allow me to do that!'
"Gloria, don't make me angry." Patrick's face was livid. He said sternly, "Do you remember? I said it before. Don't let me hear the word 'leave' again."
Gloria was angry. "You are so sick! You blamed me for Gabrielle's death. Fine! As long as you're happy! And look at me! Am I not miserable enough? What the heck do you want from me? A life for a life? Fine! I will make things right!"
In the blink of an eye, Gloria grabbed the fruit knife on the side and stabbed her heart without hesitation.
It might be an impulsive decision to pick up the knife. Anyway, when the knife reached her chest, Gloria felt utterly relaxed and relieved.
Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to smile with relief.
She heard the sound of the knife cutting into flesh, and blood flowed out, but it was not hers.
She looked down and saw that the sharp blade was held tightly by Patrick's palm, and his blood was dripping to the ground.
Before she could see the pain in Patrick's eyes, he snatched the knife from her hand and threw it far away, as if he couldn't feel physical pain at all.
The next second, her world turned upside down.
Looking back, she was carried into the bedroom.
Her face turned pale, and she instantly realized what was going to happen.
"Hank, Patrick is injured!" She knew that if she begged him to let go, he would never listen.
She could only shout at the door.
Sure enough, someone rushed in from outside the door. "Alpha Patrick!"
"Get lost!" Patrick's cold voice rang out at once.
Hank stopped at the door of the bedroom. The next moment, he retreated and closed the door.
"Patrick! You're crazy!" Gloria shouted in despair. "Patrick! How dare you!
"Patrick, I will hate you."
She shouted from the bottom of her heart, and it ended with despair.
Her world was finally dark.
"You imprison me and force me to have sex with you. What am I to you, Patrick?" Gloria mumbled in her hoarse voice.