Chapter 179: The Past That Made Him Hesitate
Lin Heye sat down on a cushion across from Clyde, a serious look on his face. He leaned forward, arms resting on the table, and stared hard at him.
"Tell me exactly what happened," Lin Heye said firmly. "Why does Micah think he is a stranger to you now? Why is he calling you Mister again? And who the hell is this woman he’s talking about?"
Clyde didn’t answer right away. His shoulders slumped as he sat back, rubbing his tired eyes with both hands. When he finally spoke, his voice came out low and strained. "I messed up."
"No shit?" Lin Heye shot back, eyebrows raised. "I know that already. And?"
Clyde exhaled slowly, like even breathing took effort. "I saw Micah...he was staring at that woman with this shy smile on his face. He looked a little embarrassed... like a boy talking to his crush..."
"That’s it? Just he was staring?" Lin Heye asked in disbelief.
"I don’t know... I kept thinking about when he asked about Georgina, how excited he was talking about her. The woman he was with...she reminded me of Georgina... they looked close. I just... I snapped."
"Oh, man... You are in deeper than I thought."
Clyde pressed his lips in a tight line. He didn’t argue. He just lowered his hands from his face and looked at Lin Heye. His eyes were red, tired, hollow, and full of emotion he couldn’t seem to hide anymore.
The look in them was so raw, so intense that Lin Heye froze for a second. His breath caught.
He wasn’t used to seeing Clyde like this. This wasn’t the cold, distant man who kept people at arm’s length. This was someone broken open, someone who finally let himself feel.