After being locked up for two days, when the door swung open and blinding light poured in, Theodore instinctively curled up and hid in the corner.
It was Sylvie. She looked into the room with a frown and asked, “What’s going on here?”
The doctor was just about to say something when Carmelo hurried to the scene and explained softly, “Sylvie, I think Theodore has suffered enough. Let’s take him home.”
When he reached toward Theodore to help him up, the latter shrank away from his touch.
Theodore kept his head hung low the entire time. Furthermore, his right arm was still bandaged, and his fingers were shaking.
After observing him for a moment, Sylvie asked in a mildly upset tone, “It’s only been two days. What happened to him?”
When the doctor could not formulate an answer, Carmelo took Sylvie’s arm and changed the subject. “He must be in pain. After all, he hurt his right arm.”
Sylvie frowned, then stepped forward to brush Theodore’s hair and try to comfort him. “Theodore, let’s go home.”
Theodore flinched from her touch as if it was a natural reaction that he had no control over, leaving Sylvie’s fingers hanging mid-air.
On the drive back, he leaned against the car window and stared blankly at the scenery rushing by outside.
Sylvie hesitated for a moment before announcing, “I’m going to marry Carmelo tomorrow. It’s just a formality.”
Theodore did not answer.
So, she snuck him a look and continued to explain, “As I said, I have to do this so as not to upset my dad. I’m sure you understand. I’m going to cancel our divorce so it’ll be as if this whole thing has never happened.”
Still, Theodore remained silent.
Suddenly, in the front passenger seat, Carmelo turned around and asked gently, “Theodore, would you mind coming with me to pick out a suit later?”
Sylvie frowned and reminded him, “He’s still recovering from his injuries.”
Carmelo explained in a seemingly innocuous tone, “That may be so, but I figured he would know a thing or two about picking suits since he’s been married once. I’d like him to give me some tips.”
Sylvie hesitated for a moment before asking Theodore, “Do you want to go?”
“Sure.”
When they arrived at the atelier, Carmelo ran his hand over a suit before turning to Sylvie with a smile. “Sylvie, I really like this one! It looks amazing!”
That drew Theodore’s attention instantly because that was his suit.
His late father was a world-class designer, and the suit was the final piece he made for Theodore before he passed. It was an irreplaceable relic. It was only in the atelier because he had entrusted it to them to preserve its condition.
“No.” He stated in a shaky voice, “That’s mine.”
Carmelo turned to Sylvie, looking hurt. “But I really do like it.”
Sylvie stayed silent for a moment before whispering to Theodore, “Look… it’s just a suit. Why don’t you let him have it?”
Theodore stared at her in disbelief and nearly shouted, “You know how important it is to me!”
It was the very last memento his father had left him.
Sylvie avoided his gaze and remarked dismissively, “You can just order another one.”
While Carmelo could not wait for the clerk to take the suit for him to try on, Theodore stood rooted to the spot, digging his fingertips deep into the palms of his hands, yet he was too numb to feel pain.
After Carmelo put on the suit, the clerks gasped.
“It looks incredible!”
“It looks as if it were tailor-made for you!”
Carmelo spun around triumphantly, then turned to Theodore to gloat, “What do you think, Theodore?”
All Theodore did was stare at Carmelo. It felt as if his throat had closed up, and he could not utter a single word even if he tried.
Sylvie also seemed to be wrestling with her emotions, but in the end, she remarked plainly, “It looks nice on you.”
Carmelo was grinning from ear to ear when, without warning, he tripped on his own feet and fell over. The sound of something ripping rang out as he fell.
Seeing the suit jacket torn, Theodore lost it. He charged forward like a madman, shoved Carmelo aside, and yanked the jacket off.
“You did that on purpose!”
Carmelo’s eyes reddened, and he cried out, “I didn’t mean it, Theodore! You don’t have to attack me!”
Sylvie grabbed Theodore by the wrist. “Theodore! Have you lost your mind?”
Theodore turned to glower at her, his tears falling on the suit. “This… this was the last thing my father left me.”
Sylvie paused, seemingly wavering for a moment, but Carmelo was leaning against her shoulder, sobbing, “It hurts, Sylvie.”
She shut her eyes for a moment, then snarled at Theodore, “Quit embarrassing yourself.”
With that, she walked away.
Meanwhile, the clerks exchanged glances and started to murmur amongst themselves.
“How pathetic.”
“I heard he was the reason Mr. Maurice Carter is crippled for two years.”
Theodore remained on his knees, staring at the additional holes Carmelo had deliberately torn when he took off his suit. Tears burned the back of his hand.
He clutched the torn suit tightly and broke down, weeping uncontrollably, just like his love—once as bright as a diamond, now shattered and worthless.
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