Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

34. Kindness or Intentions?

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"Why must you resort to abuse before showing me any kindness?" she inquired, her thoughts drifting back to the events of the previous night.

Caught off guard, Minghao's gaze lingered on her for a fleeting moment before he responded, his voice tinged with regret, "I'm sorry. My words from yesterday held no significance. I don't view you in that manner."

"But you uttered those words. You subjected me to the most hurtful degradation. I anticipated your anger when I escaped, but I never expected you to..treat me like this," she said, her voice trembling as she wiped away the remnants of her previous tears. "Honestly, I found Jeonghan's abuse more bearable," she declared, her anger toward Minghao resurfacing once more.

Minghao let out a deep sigh. He recognized the mess he had created, but he had no intention of coercing her into forgiveness. Instead, he felt a glimmer of relief that she was still willing to trust him about her father.

Following a brief lapse of quiet, Minghao's curiosity overcame him, prompting him to break the silence. "How do you happen to know that drug dealer? The owner of the club where you were dancing?"

Nabi's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of Minghao's inquiry. What connection could Keeho possibly have to her father's situation? Her confusion evident, she asked, "Why do you want to know?"

Minghao was taken aback by the unexpected question and struggled to come up with a convincing answer.

"Huh? Oh, well, you know how these things can sometimes be connected in unexpected ways," he replied, nervously scratching the back of his head.

Nabi's gaze sharpened into a glare as she retorted, "There's no way Keeho could be connected to my father in any way."

Sensing her increasing frustration, Minghao's tone shifted to seriousness as he remarked, "Oh, I see. You place quite a bit of trust in your boyfriend, don't you?" His gaze remained fixed on hers, attempting to observing her reaction and decipher her emotions.

Responding to her exasperation, Nabi clarified, "He's not my boyfriend. I've already told you this."

Minghao, seemingly satisfied with her response, simply let out a thoughtful hum.

"Is he... alright?" Nabi asked with a hint of uncertainty. The thought had lingered in her mind throughout the day, weighing heavily on her conscience. She was overwhelmed by guilt, knowing that Keeho had suffered a beating because of her actions.

Minghao gazed at her and gave a subtle nod in response.

"Who is he?" Minghao inquired once more, his tone carrying a significantly greater seriousness.

The only thing preventing him from shooting his brains out was Nabi, who was pleading on her knees for the man's life to be spared.

Detecting the gravity in Minghao's tone, Nabi swallowed nervously. She couldn't deny the fear that his demeanor evoked in her.

"He's an old friend," she began, her voice almost a whisper. "We used to work together until he chose to get involved in drug dealing."

"Is he the one who supplies you with those medications?" Minghao inquired, his gaze shifting towards the pills strewn on the floor. Nabi simply nodded in response.

"Why are you taking those medications?" he inquired, his tone matching his seriousness.

Ever since stumbling upon those substances in her apartment, Minghao couldn't shake off his contemplation about the underlying reasons. He was convinced it traced back to a trauma, perhaps even connected to the revelation he had uncovered today about Nabi.