Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)

Jared could tell that Agnes was a bit ticked off.

Was it because she was worried about him, or because he had made a fool of her?

Brushing off the autumn leaves from his clothes, Jared picked himself up from the ground and headed inside.

Agnes was busy making the beds for Nocturne and Esther.

Yet her heart was still racing uncontrollably.

When she thought Jared was in trouble, it felt as if the sky was crashing down on her.

She was terrified at the thought of losing him.

In that moment, everything else seemed trivial.

So, when it turned out Jared was pretending to be hurt, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

But what right did she have to be upset or angry? After all, he had put himself in harm's way for her. And considering their current relationship, throwing a fit would be out of line. They were neither husband and wife nor lovers.

Those little fits of pique were reserved for those in intimate relationships.

As Agnes straightened out the sheets, she tried to calm her swirling emotions.

When Jared entered the room, he found Agnes, her back to him, immersed in her task.

Approaching her, Jared said, "I'm sorry, Agnes. I didn't mean to scare you like that. Please, don't be mad."

His voice was deep and sincere. But to Agnes, it felt unexpectedly heartrending.

Once so haughty and prideful, Jared rarely apologized.

Now here he was, after having saved her, humbling himself with an apology.

Agnes couldn't quite place the feeling welling up inside her.

When she turned around, her expression was composed, her demeanor cool.

"I should be thanking you," Agnes said distantly. "You saved me, Mr. Whitfield."

The formality of "Mr. Whitfield" cast a shadow over Jared's eyes.

Agnes was deliberately putting distance between them.

He had been foolish. Perhaps it was the enchanting night sky that had led him astray. It made him feel as though everything else had vanished.

Leaving just the two of them and the children beside them, as if they were once again close lovers.

Sitting comfortably on the rooftop, gazing at the stars, it felt like they were on their own terrace at home.

But Jared had forgotten that their relationship was no longer the same.

Agnes had chosen Ryder, and he had agreed to let her go.

Her visit was merely to check on the kids.

Pain began to throb in a corner of Jared's heart.

Not from the physical pain of Agnes' fall crushing him, but something deeper.

That day, after leaving the hospital, he didn't go home or back to the office. He came straight here, unprepared for everything.

For the first time, Jared desperately wanted to escape the world.

He never thought he'd see the day when he would want to run away.

Even four years ago, when Agnes suddenly vanished, despite his despair...

He never gave up. He searched relentlessly, vowing to turn over every stone, even if it took a lifetime to find her.

Back then, his despair was fueled by an intense sense of injustice, rage, and a bone-deep longing and concern.

Those violent emotions were the backbone that kept him standing.

But now, it was different.

Jared felt as if that backbone had snapped, it was completely broken.