Chapter 146 Foolish Hope
She let the light rain fall on her face, each drop cold, but it helped clear her head, chasing away the buzz from the alcohol. She didn’t even glance at the neon lights glowing around her.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed behind her.
“Tilda, wait up!”
It was Dominic’s voice.
Tilda’s whole body tensed.
She stopped in her tracks, a wave of deep, gut-level disgust surging through her. Slowly, she turned around, seeing Dominic standing there in the rain, his face pale, struggling to catch his breath, like he was running a fever. She didn’t say a word. Her hands stayed tucked in the pockets of her trench coat, her eyes cold as ice, mocking, full of hate, locked onto Dominic. Under that stare, Dominic felt stripped bare, like a criminal about to be executed–nowhere to run, nothing left to hide. Just that look was enough to break him down, all his defenses crumbling. Gone was the old hatred and anger he used to throw back at Tilda.
“Tilda… can we talk? I have so much I need to say to you, please, can we just talk?” Dominic didn’t want to live the rest of his life drowning in this pain. The only way out was to lay everything on the table with Tilda. Maybe then he could finally breathe again–even if things couldn’t go back to how they were, at least he might find a little peace.
Honestly, Tilda couldn’t believe Dominic had the nerve to ask for a heart-to-heart. She couldn’t help herself–she burst out laughing, so hard that tears came to her eyes. She almost never lost control like this.
“You’re like a clown with maxed-out performance skills.” Her voice stabbed at Dominic’s chest.
He stood there, like a kid being punished for messing up, not daring to say a word, letting his fear and guilt stab through him like invisible arrows. In a way, that’s exactly what they were now. Tilda was the mentor, Dominic the apprentice. When the mentor mocked you, all you could do was take it. No exceptions.
“Dominic, do you even deserve it? Deserve anything? You want to talk to me? What’s left for us to talk about? All that mess between us–there’s nothing left but pure, bone-deep hatred! You’re nobody. Stop acting like you matter!” Tilda’s words hit with no mercy.
Dominic looked like he might collapse in the rain, but he forced himself to stand, gritting his teeth, his voice squeezed out between them.
“I know… you hate me, Tilda. After everything, I have no right to blame you. You should hate me… But what we have is so complicated. You want closure, right? At least let’s talk it out, think about the future…”
“Don’t you dare disgust me, Dominic!” Tilda cut him off before he could finish. Just hearing him made her want to puke. Her stomach twisted again, so she tilted her head up, letting the rain wash over her as she swallowed the nausea.
“Tilda…” Dominic’s voice was weak and broken, full of deep sadness–and desperate pleading. “I’m begging you, Tilda–no, Master. Please, just talk to me. Just this once, let’s put it all out there and be free of it. That way, maybe I can live a little better. Even if it’s just a little.” Dominic couldn’t stand the thought of going back to bed with this pain in his heart. It was enough to drive him crazy. No amount of alcohol could numb it forever. Even if he drank himself stupid, he’d still have to face reality once he sobered up. It was tearing him apart.
Tilda’s eyes darkened, like she’d heard something she shouldn’t have. A cold, dangerous anger flickered there, growing stronger by the second. Suddenly, she moved–a blur in the rain, appearing right in front of Dominic.
“Master…” Dominic’s voice came out before he realized it. For a moment, a small, foolish hope bloomed in him–maybe she would finally talk. He couldn’t see the fury in her eyes, couldn’t sense the hate radiating off her.
But–
Smack!
A sharp slap rang out, shattering Dominic’s last bit of hope. He hadn’t expected it at all. He never could have. Tilda had put all her strength into it. If she didn’t let it out, Dominic’s presence would’ve made her so mad she’d bleed.