Too Late to Love Her Right

Chapter 6 Deep Love, Deeper Hate

　　In the haze of sleep, Fiona vaguely heard someone calling her over and over again:

　　"Fiona, Fiona... please wake up. Don't sleep anymore, okay? I'm begging you, wake up. If you wake up, I swear I won't treat you like that again-never again. Please, Fiona..."

　　Her head felt heavy, her whole body limp, but Fiona thought, lying there without feeling anything was kind of nice. Ever since she'd ended up around Carlos and Debbie, it had been forever since she'd felt such peace.

　　So please... whoever you are, just let me sleep a little longer, okay? Just a little bit more.

　　In her mind, she whispered this quiet plea. But the images she'd tried so hard to bury all these years suddenly burst into her thoughts, messy and sharp-cutting open all those things she'd fought to forget.

　　Countless times, she'd heard her mom casually tell people that Fiona had taken too much nutrition in the womb, leaving Debbie with a weak heart.

　　Her dad would say, "You owe her. You're not allowed to fight her for anything."

　　Her mom would add, "Your sister's not strong. Be nice to her, don't upset her."

　　And Debbie once said to her, "You like Carlos too? Well, so do I. You have to back off."

　　Fiona could give up everything for Debbie-but not Carlos.

　　Since the Mortons moved next door when she was five, Fiona had liked him. He was everything-a little wild but kind, confident with that crooked grin, and eyes that hinted at a million unspoken stories.

　　Then on her eighteenth birthday, right before sunset, he trapped her against the wall and said with a wicked smile: "Fiona, from now on, I'm taking over your life."

　　But that same night, Debbie had a heart episode and landed in the hospital.

　　The next thing she knew, her dad handed her a one-way ticket to Eldoria and coldly said, "Debbie and Carlos are together now. You sticking around is complicated. I'm afraid you might lose your head and hurt her."

　　Standing outside the Morton villa all night, gripping that ticket, Fiona waited-but Carlos never showed. No explanation, not even a goodbye.

　　Under the same wall where Carlos once cornered her, she carved the words line by line:

　　"Carlos, goodbye."

　　And she meant it.

　　She left.

　　Five years of drifting, no home, nothing but emptiness.

　　In a foreign land, no calls, no messages-not because she stopped loving him, but because she was forcing herself to lock that love away.

　　Until that day-Debbie called and asked for her blessings on their marriage. That was it. Fiona finally let go for real and tried to accept Bruce's sincere love.

　　But who was going to tell her-why did Bruce have to die just like that?Why is happiness always out of her reach?

　　*****

　　The warmth in her palm felt like someone was gently pulling her out of the darkness and into the light.

　　"Bruce?"

　　Fiona's heart leapt. Her eyes snapped open in a rush of hope-

　　And all she saw was a pair of icy, bone-chilling eyes.

　　"You're awake?"

　　For a second, Fiona had no idea where she was. Then, as her gaze took in the cold, sterile hospital room, the stiff bedsheets beneath her, it all hit her. A smirk tugged at her lips.

　　"Mr. Morton, I'm not dead. You can leave now."

　　So distant. So cold. So... resentful.

　　Even in dreams, this woman called out that dead man's name! And now, when she finally opened her eyes, she looked at him like he was a total stranger.

　　Carlos's jaw clenched, the veins at his temples twitching with restraint. His tone dripped with mockery. "You think I want to be here? I'm only sticking around 'cause you're pregnant."

　　"What? I'm... pregnant?!" Fiona's voice cracked. Her mind flashed back to the sight of blood in the sink.

　　Her hands instinctively moved to her stomach. Her voice shook. "The baby... is the baby okay?"

　　Debbie answered before anyone else could. "Yes, sis. The baby's safe."

　　She walked over with a glass of warm water, placing it quietly on the bedside table. Standing behind Carlos, she looked at Fiona, her face soft with apology. "I didn't know you were pregnant. I didn't mean for any of this to happen..."

　　But then, without warning, her tone shifted. "Wait, sis, you didn't know you were pregnant either? It's been almost two months. Or was it that you-"

　　Carlos cut her off, every trace of warmth draining from his face. His sharp gaze stabbed into Fiona like daggers. "Fiona, you kept this from us on purpose? Was this some twisted plan to drag him down with you?"

　　Fiona's face turned ghost-pale. Debbie's words were like a poison-laced knife straight to the heart.

　　"Carlos, even if I didn't want to carry your child, this is still a life! Why would I ever try to hurt it?"

　　But her voice wasn't enough anymore. It didn't matter.

　　Debbie didn't even give her a chance to say more. She bit her lip, tears sparkling in her eyes, her voice low and pitiful. "Please, sis, don't do anything crazy again. Just give birth to the baby safely. Carlos and I will make sure he's taken care of."

　　Fiona froze. "Debbie, what are you saying?"

　　Take care of the baby? She's the mom, not you. Why should her child be raised by someone else?

　　Debbie blinked at her, like she genuinely didn't get what she'd said wrong. Her voice turned soft, cautious. "Carlos is my husband now, sis... and you know what that means. We've already discussed it. I'll raise the baby like he's mine. He'll be a proper Morton heir, not some random kid with no name."

　　"No freaking way! You are not taking my child!" Rage exploded in Fiona's chest as she slammed her fists against her stomach. "I'd rather lose him than hand him over to you!"

　　She'd already given that woman everything. Why should she take her baby too!?