Casting off the Deadweight

Leonard sounded a little helpless. "I'm almost home already. I'll go buy ingredients now. Do you want potato or seafood chowder?"

Clara's face flushed red from anger at his gentle tone.

Thea had sharp eyesight. She clearly saw a figure turn and run off.

With her goal achieved, she offered a perfunctory response. "You decide."

Leonard's indulgent voice came through. "Alright, my queen. Just wait and eat."

…

Thea went home first.

She had only taken a few sips of the chowder when Leonard called out, "Clara, Thea doesn't have much of an appetite tonight. I made her some chowder. Do you want a bowl?"

Clara walked over and suddenly flipped the bowl over.

Scalding chowder splashed onto Thea's wrist, leaving an angry red mark.

"I'm allergic to seafood. What are you trying to do?" Clara snapped.

Leonard was smiling, but his eyes were full of provocation. "My darling likes seafood chowder, so I make seafood chowder. What's that to you? Who are you to me? Why should I consider you?"

Thea set her spoon down with a sharp clink.

Her voice was cold as she said, "I don't care what issues you two have. Either wipe the chowder off me or lick it clean. Leonard, I picked you up off the street. I suggest you remember your place."

Leonard's pupils shrank.

Clara's face was twisted in disdain. "Quite the temper you've got. Watch your tone, or I'll tell Jeremy and have you kicked out in an instant."

Thea raised her brow, frost in her eyes. "Go ahead. Tell him. See if he dares say a word."

Right now, the Storme family couldn't afford to lose her. If she left, where would they find another daughter to marry in Clara's place?

After shutting Clara up, Thea turned to Leonard. "You seem to enjoy bickering with Clara. I'll make the decision for you. You can marry her instead as a live-in son-in-law and go with her to the Larkin family. Interested?"

Leonard forced a laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. 'Live-in son-in-law' is just a title. It's not like I'm losing myself. Why do you have to put it so crudely?"

"I'm just being nice to you," Thea cut in coldly. "Everything you have comes from me. Even your life belongs to me because I saved it. What right do you have to say no to me?"

She stood up to leave.

Suddenly, the system warned her, "Thea, watch out!"

The crystal chandelier hanging 13 feet above came crashing down.

Everything happened too fast.

Thea had grown up tough. The moment she heard the warning, she covered her head and ran outside.

But what she never expected was that Leonard would shove her aside and pull Clara out of danger instead.

The chandelier smashed down hard. Shards of glass tore into Thea's body, carving countless wounds.

The pain nearly knocked her out, but she stared stubbornly at Leonard and Clara.

Just before losing consciousness, she saw Leonard rushing toward her. He pressed his cold hand against the wound on her arm.

That was the final straw.

…

When Thea came to, the sharp smell of disinfectant filled her nose.

She clenched her teeth hard, as the fury churning inside her had nowhere to go.

Before she even opened her eyes, she heard Clara crying beside the bed.

"Leonard, you still love me, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have saved me. If that's the case, take me away. Let's run away. Mom, Dad, and Jeremy will marry Thea to the Larkin family to calm them down for sure. We can come back once everything settles."

"Clara…"

Even without opening her eyes, Thea could imagine the smug satisfaction hidden beneath Leonard's gentle gaze.

He had finally succeeded. He had won Clara over.

Before he could say anything else, Thea forced herself awake and ripped out the IV in her right hand.

When Leonard heard the movement, he spun around and asked anxiously, "Thea, you're awake? Are you feeling okay?"

Thea slapped him hard across the face. The sheer force of the blow snapped his head to the side.

Leonard's pupils shook. "Have you lost your mind?"

Ever since Leonard became the most powerful figure in the underworld, no one had dared treat him like this.

A slap was worse than a knife.

But Thea didn't hesitate. She slapped him again. "Leonard, whose fiance are you exactly? Does your conscience really tell you it's okay to shove aside your lover to shield another woman in your arms?"