“When we dated, you always dragged him along. When we were in bed, you left me to calm him down and put him to sleep. Even our wedding, it was ruined again and again because of him. Tell me, if being with you means nothing but exhaustion, why should I keep staying with you?”
“We’re breaking off the engagement right now. From this moment on, we’re done.”
“Take him and go.”
Lavinia’s face went pale at my shouting. Having been caught in such shamelessness with Cedric, she had no strength left to argue.
Cedric, however, grew agitated. He clenched his fist and swung at me.
“Don’t bully Lavinia. I’m mentally ill, if you make me angry and I kill you, I still won’t go to jail.”
That same excuse again. Rage boiled in me, and I kicked him hard, sending him sprawling.
Lavinia, who had stayed quiet in guilt until then, suddenly rushed forward the moment she saw Cedric struck.
“Phineas, stop it right now.”
I didn’t stop. Instead, I pressed harder, stomping down on the back of his hand.
“You might be mentally ill, but this is self-defense. I studied law, I know how to deal with you.”
As I pushed harder, Cedric screamed again and again in pain.
Lavinia rushed forward and shoved me aside. “Enough! I know you’re angry at me and taking it out on him. If you have something to vent, take it out on me. Don’t make things harder for him.”
When I still refused to move my foot, Lavinia grabbed a baseball bat and struck me on the head. Pain shot through me, and only then did I let go.
The moment she saw blood trickle down my forehead, she froze, realizing she had gone too far. She stepped forward, wanting to check my wound.
But Cedric clutched his arm and whimpered, “Is my hand broken?”
Then, with tears in his eyes, he added pitifully, “I knew it. Poor orphan, no one cares about me, not even a lonely man with an illness.”
With just those words, Lavinia’s attention shifted completely back to him.
Her shame quickly turned into anger as she shoved me back. “Serves you right. Who told you to start it?”
“Alright, it’s just a little blood. It’s not like you’re going to die. But Cedric is different. The doctor told me I have to watch him every second, we can’t let him get provoked, or what if he takes a knife and hurts himself, or kills someone?”
“And tell Mom not to stay mad. After I calm Cedric, I’ll buy the cassava cake she likes and go see her. We’re not breaking the engagement. I’m not saying it again.”