Torn Between Love and Hate

Chapter 233 Embraced from Behind Deborah looked up, gazing at Joseph

Her voice was calm, yet resolute.

"I will not forgive him, it's never going to happen."

The wounds she had suffered, the physical scars, have long left indelible marks on her.

They made it unforgettable, impossible to forget.

Joseph subconsciously let out a sigh of relief, realizing that he had been too nervous.

For some reason, just as he left the hospital corridor, he saw Deborah looking at Ashton's retreating figure.

Just with that one glance, he couldn't control that feeling, that unsettling feeling

He knew he should trust Deborah completely, but he just couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Deborah glanced at Ashton and spoke to him, word by word, sentence by sentence.

Even just an inadvertent mention of this person, or being involved with this person, would subconsciously make him feel tense.

It was impossible not to care, and impossible to truly calm down

He had always told Deborah that he didn't care about anything between her and Ashton, nor did he care about any of

her choices.

But only he knew deep down that it was impossible for him not to care.

It was not that he minded, but rather, it was the fear and unease.

Joseph said apologetically, "I shouldn't be saying all this. It's getting late, and you have work tomorrow. Let's have

dinner and get some rest early."

Deborah acted as if nothing had happened, just like before, speaking in a relaxed tone.

She sighed, "It's been so long since I've been back here, and everything still looks the same."

Actually, not much time has passed, but so many things have happened in between.

She regained her memory and remembered Ashton, who had taken her away.

They argued again and ended up getting a divorce.

Once again, the decision was made Alyssa would donate her bone marrow.

It seemed like she and Joseph had been distant from each other for quite some time now.

It felt like it had been such a long time since she had been to this house.

Joseph led her by the hand, walking all the way into the house and entering the kitchen.

He pulled open the refrigerator door, revealing an abundance of fresh ingredients inside.

Deborali was astonished.

She and Joseph hadn't been to Oceanview City for quite some time. During Christmas, it was likely that no one had stayed here.

Joseph explained with a smile, "The housekeeper came to clean during the day, and 1 asked her to buy these, if you want to eat something, it's just like before you choose the dishes, and I'll cook them." He spoke, his eyes filled with undeniable anticipation.

This had been their usual way of getting along with each other for the past three years.

Deborah always said that she was spoiled by him during those years.

Her appetite had always been poor, but Joseph loved to take her to the kitchen, open the fridge, and reveal a dazzling array of ingredients.

She mentioned the dishes she wanted to eat, and he took out the ingredients one by one, preparing each dish for her.

Three years ago, she lost her memory. Joseph told her that they were engaged to be married.

From that moment on, Joseph began to instill a memory in her.

They had always been a loving couple with a strong bond. She had grown accustomed to being cared for by him.

Due to her physical weakness, she had a poor appetite, yet she needed to eat more to replenish her nutrients.

So all this time, he had been the one cooking for her, making whatever she felt like eating.

His cooking skills were excellent, which he attributed to natural talent. Therefore, it was only natural that he should be the one to cook.

At that time, when it had just begun, Deborah couldn't adapt and always felt embarrassed, thinking that it was too

unfair to him.

How could it be reasonable for him to cook and wash dishes for every meal? Not to mention, besides the chores that a nanny would do, he's taken on all the other tasks as well.

Even the little things, like squeezing toothpaste for Deborah every morning, preparing her bathwater every night, and driving her to and from work every day, were always taken care of by him.

At first, Deborah was not used to it and told him that it wasn't necessary to do so.

But Joseph insisted, saying that for many years, they had always interacted in that way.

If he was not allowed to do it, he would feel even more uncomfortable.

Deborah felt helpless, but she thought having a fiancé who took care of her in every possible way wasn't a bad thing.

Since he was more than willing, why should I insist on refusing?

After a period of adjustment, she quickly became accustomed to it.

Over these three years, Joseph had truly taken care of her to the point where she almost couldn't do anything on her

own.

Aside from the housekeeper, he was the one who takes care of the household chores.

All the important matters outside, social interactions, and drinking engagements were handled by him.

When the two of them went out together, Joseph would take good care of her, actively introducing her to others, and through lighthearted conversations, he would help her blend in with the group.

During the meal, he served her food, and after they finished eating, he poured her water. As the gathering came to an end and they were about to leave, he held her hand tightly while talking to his business partners.

In those three years, Deborah often felt as if she were in a dream.

Three years later, the memories were restored.

Deborah's thoughts returned to the present as she looked at Joseph, who was standing in front of her with a smile, asking her to choose the dishes for him to cook.

Now, things were different from before. She could no longer casually and confidently ask him to cook the dishes she points out.

She hesitated a bit, and Joseph smiled, the anticipation in his eyes slowly fading.

He was hoping that nothing had changed, just like those three years, and that no one had affected them.

But he quickly discovered things couldn't stay the same.

It was impossible for nothing to have changed.

He smiled and looked away,

you forgotten that we have worry, I'll just whip up a few dishes you love, and we can eat dinner together. Have

had dinner yet?"

He was trying to hide it, but Deborah could tell that he was feeling somewhat disappointed.

She looked at the ingredients in the refrigerator and asked, "Can I ask for any dish?"

Joseph reached out to grab something from the refrigerator, but hesitated upon hearing the words.

His face lit up, and he immediately looked at her and nodded, "Of course, what would you like to eat?" Deborah opened the freezer below and rummaged through it, finally finding a bag of donuts.

"Suddenly craving a donut, maybe with some glaze on top."

After some thought, she said, "Let's add a few more chocolates."

Joseph's mood clearly improved, and he immediately nodded in agreement, saying, "Alright."

Deborah thought for a moment, "I'd also like to have fried shrimp and baked eggplant. The fish fillets that the housekeeper made last time was delicious too. However, I probably won't be able to finish all of this."

Joseph rolled up his sleeves and scooped out the live fish that the housekeeper had bought from the water.

He began to prepare the food, saying, "Let's make these, I'm quite hungry, so I'll eat a bit more. I'll have the glazed donut after the meal as dessert."

As Joseph faced away from Deborah while preparing the fish, he was reminded of the time when he carried her, barely alive, on his back from the bottom of the cliff to the hospital.

On their way, he told her that once they reached the hospital, he would buy her a donut to eat.

Later on, something happened, and he couldn't do it.

Perhaps Deborah didn't remember, but as soon as she mentioned wanting to eat this, he immediately thought of the past incident.

In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed since he and Deborah have been together.

Joseph's eyes felt a bit sore, but he was afraid she would notice something, so he turned his back to her and pretended to focus on preparing the ingredients.

Suddenly, someone embraced him from behind. Joseph felt her leaning against his back, and his entire body tensed up

in an instant.

He had completely forgotten to move, his throat was so dry that he couldn't speak.

The person behind him spoke softly, "Joseph, I haven't forgotten, I still remember everything."