Yet, Marley persisted, her words dripping with cruelty.

"That's a lie. Sooner or later, she will abandon you. No one can endure your presence. You are a devil! No one loves you. Can't you see the pain you inflict upon her? One day, she will leave you!"

This time, Theodore chose silence. Slowly, he rose from the wheelchair and made his way, one deliberate step at a time, towards the head of the bed. Marley trailed behind him, speaking resentfully.

"You should have died in that car accident. Why are you still alive? Everyone who crosses your path deserves death. You fall in love with her, but she too shall meet a wretched demise!"

Theodore paid no heed to her venomous words, refusing to turn back. With trembling hands, he retrieved a bottle of medicine from the bedside table, withdrew two pills, and swallowed them without hesitation.

The world around Theodore suddenly hushed, and the illusory figure dissipated. He sat on the edge of the bed, his forehead cradled in his hand, his eyes closed. His hands continued to tremble, a result of the overwhelming desire to destroy that emanated from the depths of his heart, mingled with uncontrollable excitement.

As the drug took effect, the fierce intensity in his eyes gradually waned, and he regained his composure.

Theodore glanced at the time; it was already two o'clock in the morning. He presumed Ariana must have retired to bed by this hour.

Without hesitation, Theodore rose from the bed and made his way to the adjacent room. He pressed the password into the keypad, and the door unlocked.

The room remained silent, as if she was sound asleep.

With expert ease, Theodore entered the bedroom. Ariana lay asleep in a disheveled posture. Her face was flushed, and the quilt was discarded on the floor.

He lifted the quilt and carefully tucked her in. Seated on the edge of the bed, he gazed at her in tranquil silence for an extended period, and then tenderly kissed her lips.

‘As dawn approached, Theodore prepared to depart. Before leaving, he noticed a medicine bottle on the nightstand. Curiosity compelled him to examine it further.

Upon inspection, he discovered it contained vitamins.

He recalled seeing this bottle when she returned from the hospital after her physical examination. Had she been taking them for so long?

Apparently, it was a different bottle this time.

Theodore meticulously perused the medicine information imprinted on the bottle, but found nothing amiss. Indeed, it was simply a vitamin supplement. Satisfied, he retuned the bottle to its place, stood up, and departed.

However, when he reached the door, he hesitated and retraced his steps. Extracting two pills from the bottle, he secreted them in his pocket.

A resounding clap of thunder reverberated through the spring sky. The wind billowed the curtains, creating a rustling noise. Ariana stirred from her slumber, her eyes fluttering open.

She rubbed her nose and detected a familiar smoky scent, still in a daze. Shaking her head, she concluded that she hadn't fully awakened from her sleep and promptly dozed off once again.