“Finnick, I really love you. Even though I’m crippled because of you, I’ve never blamed you. Over the years, you’ve seen how I—”
As Evelyn was talking about her grievances and feelings for Finnick, the latter interrupted her, “Evelyn Morrison, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Evelyn was a little stunned when she heard Finnick call her full name and say something like this. “What do you mean by misunderstanding?”
Taking a deep breath, Finnick thought of the doctor’s advice and hesitated for a moment, but he knew that he could not let the misunderstanding go on.
He squatted down and looked into Evelyn’s eyes, saying seriously, “Evelyn, I know that you become like this because of me. I’ll be responsible for you and take good care of you, but,” Finnick emphasized, “you’re not my girlfriend. I don’t have feelings for you either.”
“That’s impossible!” Evelyn screamed in distress. Then, she grabbed Finnick’s hand tightly. “Finnick, you promised me five years ago that you will stay with me forever. You can’t break your promise!”
“Five years ago, I did promise to stay with you and take care of you, but I did not promise to be in a relationship with you. Evelyn, what happened between us had already passed. Don’t live in the past anymore, okay?” Finnick patiently persuaded Evelyn. He wanted to free his hand from her grip, but it was too tight.
“Impossible! You’re lying!” Evelyn bawled, “For the past five years, you’ve been taking care of me, doing whatever I say, and agreeing to all my requests. I don’t believe that you don’t love me!”
“I take care of you because I’m the reason for your injury. It’s because of guilt and not love. Do you understand?”
After hearing Finnick’s words, Evelyn realized that he had always kept a proper distance from her all these years and had not even touched her. She had thought that he took care of her so carefully because he loved her. So it’s not because he loves me?
Finnick went on, “Evelyn, two people get together because they love each other, and only in this way can a relationship last. Do you really want me to be with you because of guilt?”
“I don’t care!” Realizing that Finnick might really not love her, Evelyn panicked as she tightly grasped his hand and said, with a pleading expression, “Finnick, I don’t care about that. I don’t care about the reason you’re with me. I just want you to be with me. I’ve lost my legs now. If you leave me, I’d really have nothing anymore!”
“Listen to me, Evelyn—”
“No, I don’t want to listen, and I don’t care!” Evelyn got a little hysterical. “Finnick, you can’t leave me! You can’t! You’re all I have now, Finnick! I don’t care if you love me or not. I just want you to be by my side! I—”
“Evelyn!” Freeing his arm from her grip, Finnick grabbed her by the shoulders and shouted, “Evelyn, listen to me!”
At that, Evelyn finally quietened down and looked at Finnick with a tear-streaked face. Seeing Evelyn like this, Finnick did not have the heart to say what he was about to say, but he knew that he couldn’t hesitate anymore.
“Evelyn, I can’t do it. Even if you don’t mind, I can’t force myself to be with you because of your injury. If I really do that, I’ll be irresponsible toward both of us.”
“You’re lying! These are all excuses. You just can’t forget about Vivian William, right? Otherwise, why didn’t you tell me these things before? Why are you only telling me now, after she came back?”
“You’re right.”
Evelyn was dumbfounded, having not expected him to admit it so straightforwardly. When she came back to her senses, she cried even harder.
