Forbidden Passion
Chapter 575 I Just Want Him Alive

Phoebe sometimes thought Ruby was sharp as a tack, and other times, she thought she was a total airhead. If Vanessa wanted Donovan dead, why would she let Ruby handle it? "If Vanessa wanted to off Donovan, who'd she get to do it?" Phoebe asked.

"I dunno," Ruby said, then suddenly added like she just remembered, "But she's been getting real cozy with Bishop lately, like they're up to something. Donovan's dead, you gotta be careful." Phoebe wasn't sure if she should trust Ruby. After leaving the apartment, she hopped into her car and replayed all the info she'd gathered over the past few days in her head. Milton, Bishop, and Ruby-none of their stories had any holes. So who messed with Donovan's brake pads, and who planted the time bomb in his car?

The murderer's motive remained a mystery.

Milton had no reason to kill Donovan, and Bishop didn't seem like the type to murder over a project. That left Ruby and Vanessa.

But Ruby's grief seemed real. She and Vanessa had already fallen out over Donovan. She wouldn't kill him. Could it be Vanessa?

Her phone buzzed. Phoebe picked it up; it was an email from Bryan.

Phoebe opened the email, finding just one sentence, nothing unusual.

She closed her eyes, her head hitting the back of the seat. She'd asked Bryan to dig into Donovan's activities before he died, and now the reply was that there was nothing unusual.

But Donovan had died so mysteriously. How could she accept that?

She must've missed something.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her hand. Phoebe opened her eyes and glanced at the caller ID. It was Taylor.

"Phoebe, you busy? Come back to the Reynolds Mansion with Theodore tonight. It's been ages since our family had dinner together, and Grace is getting out of the hospital today. I'm worried she won't adjust to the new home. It'd be better if you were there with her," Taylor said on the other end.

Phoebe pinched the bridge of her nose, gazing at the sun hanging in the sky outside the car window. If she went to the Reynolds Mansion now, she'd have to stay overnight.

She felt really resistant, but thinking of Grace, she couldn't say no.

She replied, "Okay, I'll come after work."

After hanging up, Phoebe sat in the car for a long time until she was chilled to the bone. Then she started the car and drove to the International Finance Center.

Grace's return to the Reynolds family was a big deal, so Phoebe needed to get her a gift. After much thought, she picked out a new necklace, understated yet elegant.

In the evening, Phoebe returned to the Reynolds Mansion. The estate was lit up like a Christmas tree, and several cars were parked in the lot. She parked her car in a spot. Just as she was about to get out, two bright lights shone from behind. Phoebe squinted and waited for the car to turn and stop behind her. Phoebe got out of her car and locked eyes with Theodore as he stepped out of his. She shut her car door and walked towards the mansion without a word. Theodore watched Phoebe's cold back and sighed silently. He quickly caught up with her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards the nearby garden. "What are you doing? Let go of me!" Phoebe instinctively struggled, but he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to a secluded spot by the wall. Theodore gently pushed her, and Phoebe's back hit the wall. Seeing Theodore's body pressing against her, she quickly bent down to escape, but he pushed her back. Phoebe glared at him, fuming, "What do you want?"

Theodore took off his scarf and wrapped it around her neck. Phoebe's heart pounded. What was Theodore doing? Did he drag her to the garden just to put a scarf on her? Could he try to strangle her? Theodore gently fastened her scarf and looked down at her.

The orange light from a distance shone on Phoebe's face. He reached out and stroked her cheek, "Haven't you been eating well these past two days? You seem to have lost weight again."

Phoebe slapped his hand away, took off the scarf, and threw it at him, "I don't need your care."

Theodore caught the scarf as it slid off him. His lips pressed tightly together. When he was angry, he had an oppressive presence, and the surrounding air pressure seemed to drop several degrees, "If you don't want me to care, then who do you want to care?"

Phoebe looked up at him, her eyes fearless, "Anyone but you."

"How long are you going to keep this up, ignoring me forever?" Theodore tightly gripped the scarf, angrily questioning.

Phoebe lowered her head and looked at her toes. Her voice suddenly carried a hint of exhaustion, "In the past few days, I've met with Mr. Douglas, Bishop, and Ruby. I even hired a private investigator to look into Donovan's activities before his death. But they all told me that Donovan's death had nothing to do with them. The private investigator said there was nothing unusual about Donovan before he died."

Phoebe's voice grew hoarse, filled with anger, unwillingness, and pain.

She continued, "Nothing unusual, but Donovan just died like that. I've been investigating, but in the end, I still don't know who killed him."

Theodore looked down at Phoebe's trembling shoulders and realized she was crying.

He was at a loss. He raised his hand to hug her, but as soon as he touched her clothes, she pushed him away forcefully, "Don't touch me!" Phoebe leaned against the wall, her voice filled with all her strength. She slid down the wall, hugging her head with both hands.

She added, "Someone tampered with the brake pads, someone installed a time bomb, but the murderer is hiding too well. I don't even know who wants him dead. I'm so useless." Hearing Phoebe's self-blame and guilt, Theodore felt equally miserable. He slowly squatted down and, despite her resistance, pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

He comforted, "If you can't find someone to hate, then hate me, Phoebe. Don't be so hard on yourself. Seeing you like this breaks my heart."

From the moment Phoebe learned of Donovan's death, she had been holding back her emotions, suppressing them, thinking she would find the murderer and bring peace to Donovan's soul. But there was no evidence.

"I want Donovan back. Can you bring him back to me? I don't care if he's successful or not; I just want him alive."

A sob broke Phoebe's rationality, revealing all her inner fears, uncontrollably.

Hearing her cry, Theodore's heart ached. He gently stroked her back, allowing Phoebe to cry like a child in his arms.

Phoebe had been suppressing her emotions for so long that once she found an outlet, she couldn't stop. She cried until she was exhausted and collapsed into Theodore's arms. "Don't cry." he whispered soothingly.

Theodore's lips trailed down Phoebe's hair, brows, and eyes,, kissing her tenderly and lovingly.

Phoebe sobbed, feeling frustrated with herself. Rationally, she couldn't forgive him, but emotionally, she wanted to rely on him.

Her heart was torn by conflicting emotions, shattered into pieces that could never be put back together.