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“Froood dancer, and if it weren’t for illness, ht, but—” my father started to say, but I couldn’t listen to any more

“But what? Because she’s sick she’s no longer worthy of my time or your respect?” I’d had it up to rabbed s

“Theodore, she’s not your reasonability She isyou look like an idiot I know it is not her fault, but she’s just a wo, and it’s better you distance yourself now before—”

“Before what?” I hissed “What? What are people going to say to me that is so horrible? They’ll speak behind my back? Throw short jabs at me? What, am I five? Why the fuck should I care?”

“Because you are the head of a multibillion dollar company! People look to you for leadership! You have no time to take care of a mentally ill person”

I laughed bitterly “Is that the same rationale you used on yourself when I was child?”

“What?” My hter

“My ton's disease It’s hereditary, and I re past your bedroom as you worried over what to do with me if I were like her You wondered if you should start looking for a care provider or et too attached You ht not remember, but you all were pretty cold then… that was until the test cahtdone You said sood his Darcy blood was do with me because if there were, you’d blaood son Tried to blend in and not gag every ti in your house Yes, part of me loves both of you dearly, but I alondered ould have happened had that test couys even care if I spent the weekend alone—”

“Theodore, sweetheart, I love you! Back then ere scared and shocked, but we have loved you like you were our own You are my own” Lorelai stood up and tried to touch me, but I wouldn’t let her

“I know you do now But it doesn’t change the fact you wouldn’t have been able to loveme to walk away from her now proves that”

“She isn’t family, Theo! It’s different,” my uncle yelled at me

“No, but I want her to be I’m in love with her To you it’s crazy Toin the world, and I knoe’re going to get over this When we do, I’ll contact you both again” I got off the plane

I would take the next plane Right now I just needed to be away from them Everyone’s solution was to just throw money at the situation and hope it fixed itself It’s what Felicity’s father had done to her, and it’s whatnone of the love with money only ever ends one way, in heartbreak

It felt like the whole world was telling me to stay away from Felicity Harper, yet next to her was the one place I really wanted to be

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE