Heartstrings on Fire

Chapter 740
Alyssa said, “Dad, you don’t have to sugar–coat it for me. I actually like the kid too. He looks a lot like Jared did when he was a
child. Seeing him takes me back to twenty years ago, when Jared was still a baby, clinging to me. Back then, he depended on
me, trusted me. I was the closest person to him in this world, but now...
Tim said, “No matter what, you’re still the closest person to Jared. If it wasn’t for that woman’s trick years ago, the Whitfields
wouldn’t be in this mess
now.”
Alyssa bowed her head, “Dad, it was my fault what happened back then. After all, her mother died because of me.”
“You’ve felt guilty about this for so long. It wasn’t your fault at all. You say her mother died because of you, but did you force her
to embezzle that money? Did you push her into corruption? She brought it upon herself. Why should you carry all the blame? It
wasn’t your fault. All you did was leaving two million dollars there, it’s not your fault.”
Alyssa shook her head. “But I knew she was in financial trouble, and I knew how much that two million meant to her. I left the
steak in front of a starving wolf, how could she not take a bite? I led her to commit the crime. I knew what would happen, and yet
I still did it. I killed her. It was my fault
Thinking of the past, Alyssa still couldn’t let it go, because the one who died was Julia, who was once her best friend.
She knew Julia was on the edge of a precipice at the time, but instead of pulling her back, she pushed her off
In the end, she did harbour such malicious thoughts. She wished for Julia’s death. She thought that once Julia was dead, she
would be free. But when Julia really died, she didn’t feel free. She fell into a never–ending hell.
Tim didn’t know what to say to his daughter. She had always been kind–hearted.
He had shielded her very well, keeping her gaze from the harsher realities of life. She had always been privy to life’s brighter
aspects, untouched by world’s cruelties So, at her brightest, she was attracted to a boy who lived in the shadows, exuding an
aura of darkness.
Then Julia died, and she took all the blame onto herself, torturing herself with it for years.

So all he could do was to keep her as far away from the past as possible. But as long as Agnes was back, Alyssa would always
be trapped in her past emotions, unable to break free.
He was truly afraid. Back then, when the scandal broke, Alyssa attempted suicide and nearly died. Thinking about it still made
his heart ache
He only had this one daughter, and he had loved her to the core since she was a child.
He always wanted to give her the best things in the world.
Even though he was old now, his only wish was to protect her.
“Anyway, I won’t agree to it. You don’t need to state your position on this. You can even stand with Jared. I’ll play the villain,” Tim
said decisively.
“Dad, I know Jared’s character. He’s as stubborn as you and won’t easily give up.”
“He’ll have to
“Let it go, Dad. As long as Jared’s happy, that’s all that matters. Let him bring Agnes home today, don’t oppose it
Tim said, “What about Ryder, don’t you know what he is like?”
At the mention of Ryder, Alyssa’s face changed instantly.
Alyssa fell silent