<b>Chapter </b><b>178 </b>


    ‘Is she nning to marry Alvin?


    ‘Otherwise, she would not have asked such a question.


    ‘But just two hours ago, Alvin was still trying to win me back,’ I pondered.


    Suddenly, I recalled what Alvin had said–if he ended up miserable or if something happened to him, would I


    regret it?


    I contemted, ‘Is he really trying to make me regret it this way?


    ‘If so, then Alvin is truly insane–foolish and childish to the extreme.‘


    I pretended not to understand, looked at Thea, and murmured, “Hmm?”


    “I want to be with Alvin, the kind where we get married,” Thea looked at me and said.


    I gave a faint smile and replied, “Is that so? Congrattions.”


    “But I am worried that Alvin’s parents will not ept this child,” Thea said, looking deeply troubled.


    I tapped my fingers lightly on the table without responding. This had nothing to do with me, so I had nothing to


    say.


    “Zoe,” Thea suddenly called my name with a firm tone. “I know your status in the Dolton family. I also know that Alvin’s parents treat you like their own daughter, so…”


    She hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, “Can you help me?”


    She did not specify what she needed help with, but I knew.


    I did not wait for her to finish and rejected her outright. “No.”


    Thea’s face darkened further as she questioned, “Why? Because you resent me for ruining your rtionship with


    Alvin?”


    So, she was self–aware. I did not deny it and said, “A little.”


    I was human, not a saint. Thea had indeed been the trigger that caused my rtionship with Alvin to break down,


    even if she was not the root cause.


    Expecting me to hold no resentment at all was impossible.


    But in a way, I should thank her. She made me see my rtionship with Alvin clearly and allowed me to cut my


    losses in time.


    “Do you really think it was because of me?” Thea sneered at me.


    ? .31%;


    “Zoe, even without me, you and Alvin would have ended up separated,” Thea stated as if she understood my rtionship with him better than I did.


    I let out a dry chuckle and feigned ignorance, “Oh?”


    Thea looked at me and continued exining, “You and Alvin were together for ten years. There was affection, but not the kind between a man and a woman–just familial warmth from being together for so long. The only reason. you two became a couple was because the elders instilled that idea in you, and you went along with it.”


    She was not wrong. I had thought about this before.


    I had thought about why Alvin, despite being with me, had secretly kissed Thea–a married woman.


    I had wondered about why leaving him did not cause his heart to tear apart.


    Because, in the end, we simply did not love each other enough. We were too familiar, so familiar that whatever love we had was devoid of passion.


    “Zoe, if he truly loved you, if your love had been instant and passionate rather than something that developed over time, he would not have secretly kissed me just to seek excitement,” Thea added, her words sharp.


    I looked at her, the corners of my lips curling slightly. “Are you saying all this to justify your role as a mistress?”


    “No,” Thea denied. She then added, “I was never the other woman. I never seduced Alvin–he was the one who


    pursued me first.”


    Who had pursued whom? I really did not know.


    But I knew very well what she was trying to do, so I asked, “So you think that just because you were not the one


    who broke up my rtionship with Alvin, I should speak up for you?”


    “I am begging for your help,” Thea lowered her posture instantly and responded.


    I pursed my lips and studied Thea. She was delicate and beautiful, but not the type Michelle would like.


    Michelle had a straightforward personality and a striking, imposing appearance.


    AD