Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 996

Agnes knew deep down that she was speaking the truth. Many of the problems between them were her own. Love alone couldn't guarantee a lifetime of happiness. Sometimes, it was quite the opposite. Agnes had thought about it a lot and realized that she had issues to work on herself. However, clarity and solutions still eluded her.

Jared broke the silence, "You don't need to find balance on your own. Leave it to me. I'll give you all the security you need. I'll love you with all my heart and trust you completely. How about that?"

Agnes shook her head, "Jared, your love is too overbearing. Sometimes, it's suffocating. That's one reason why I think we're not right for each other."

Jared fell silent. The car had pulled up to the grand entrance of Maplewood Manor.

Agnes continued, "And there's something else, really important. I want you to be able to live a normal life without me. You can't be so dependent. What if one day I'm gone, or something happens to me? You can't just stop living."

To Agnes, the concept seemed exaggerated. She remembered mocking those melodramatic TV dramas where characters were engulfed in life-and-death romances. Popcorn in hand, she'd scoffed, "Is all that drama really necessary? The world keeps turning with or without anyone."

But she hadn't expected Jared to embody that drama. His emotional reliance on her surpassed everything else. During the four years they spent apart, Agnes managed to live her life and pursue other interests. Memories of him brought pain, but she kept hope alive and moved forward. Jared, however, had spent those years searching for her, fueled by a mix of resentment and a slim hope.

Reuniting only highlighted Jared's unhealthy dependence on her. It was, Agnes feared, a sickness. A bone-deep loneliness. Jared had met many people in his life, but few had truly entered it. Agnes might be the one who could cure his solitude. It wasn't arrogance on her part. It was a realization—without her, Jared relied on sleeping pills. Together, he slept soundly. To Agnes, that was a serious issue.