CHAPTER 375: CHAPTER 375: MADMAN

Nancy Allen, after waking up again, no longer reacted with the same intense emotions as before.

She opened her eyes and saw Julius Shaw, then turned her head away and closed her eyes again.

She lay motionless, her mind filled with the image of Godfery Shaw saying goodbye.

She was still in the Imperial Garden, and Julius Shaw stayed by her side every day. Had Godfery Shaw left?

Nancy Allen dared not think further; when she did, the anguish was overwhelming. She allowed her thoughts to drift into chaos, her whole being caught in a haze.

One day.

Two days.

Julius Shaw’s rationality was worn away by Nancy Allen’s seemingly lifeless silence.

He became increasingly violent, his words and actions more perilous.

This was not the outcome he desired.

He thought that by possessing Nancy Allen, he could truly have her, that she wouldn’t abandon him, and thus he could escape the suffocating darkness that engulfed him.

But what he got was a nearly lifeless Nancy Allen.

Julius Shaw’s pathological obsession finally erupted completely.

Sitting by the bed, he held a bowl of warm porridge and spoke with a haunting air: "Nancy, how long do you plan to go on like this? Do you really want to die?"

Nancy Allen kept her eyes closed, responding coldly: "Once, I lay for five years and didn’t die. I won’t die."

Nancy Allen had no plans to die.

With an IV drip constantly feeding her, maintaining her bodily functions, how could she die?

Julius Shaw suddenly let out a laugh, uttering softly: "Is Nancy lonely? I can bring Sophie over to accompany you. If that’s not enough, I’ll bring Mr. and Mrs. Allen too."

Nancy Allen opened her eyes, glaring at Julius Shaw with hatred: "You’re threatening me!"

Julius Shaw leaned down, his deliberate gentleness sending chills down one’s spine.

He whispered softly by Nancy Allen’s ear: "Indeed, from today onwards, if Nancy doesn’t eat, then no one at the Ink Manor will eat. I just don’t know how long little Sophie can hold on."

Nancy Allen’s breath quickened, and she lifted a hand to slap Julius Shaw across the face.

"You bastard! Don’t you dare touch them."

Her soft hands lacked strength; Julius Shaw prodded his beaten cheek with his tongue, darkly saying: "Then live happily for me like before!"

Nancy Allen thought Julius Shaw had truly gone mad.

He had destroyed her future, yet still wanted her to live happily as before.

Was he joking with her?

Nancy Allen looked at Julius Shaw as if he were crazy.

Julius Shaw, however, gazed at Nancy Allen as if she were his beloved.

He scooped some porridge, held it to Nancy Allen’s lips, and with the softest tone threatened: "Nancy, eat. If you don’t live well, I will make everyone live poorly."

Nancy Allen finally couldn’t resist uttering harsh words: "Then why are you living so well!"

No matter what happened before, Nancy Allen was always grateful, hoping Julius Shaw would live well, never once cursing him. But now she was finally driven to speak harshly.

Julius Shaw’s sickly attempt to comfort: "If Nancy doesn’t eat, I haven’t eaten either. If Nancy thinks I’m still living too well, I can self-harm for Nancy to see."

As he spoke, using the fruit knife previously given to Nancy, he cut just above his wrist, instantly soaking his clothes with blood.

Dripping with blood, he sincerely looked at Nancy Allen and asked: "Nancy, is this enough? If not, I can also cut an artery, do you want to see?"

Nancy Allen gritted her teeth and spat out two words: "Madman!"

Julius Shaw laughed.

No matter how angry Nancy Allen was, she still had to eat.

For she knew Julius Shaw’s pathology was not mere talk; he would truly do such things.

She didn’t want to make her family worry.

Under Julius Shaw’s threat, Nancy Allen ate half a bowl of porridge.

Len Taylor watched tensely from the corner, finding it terrifying and simply wanting to know when he could leave.

This wasn’t a love-hate relationship, but rather an experience of being loved by someone who was mentally unstable.

The Imperial Garden was quiet nowadays.

Hailey Smith was busy with her affairs, while Basil Smith and Emma Lewis were on their honeymoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Allen, along with Robert Reed, believed Nancy Allen was happy and no longer kept an eye on the Imperial Garden.

And the doctor responsible for Nancy Allen’s condition, Ian Bailey, had also returned to the Capital City due to Nancy Allen’s improvement.

Everyone thought everything was fine.

Thinking that Godfery Shaw and Nancy Allen would go on to live a happy life.

No one knew that the Imperial Garden had become like this.

...

Julius Shaw’s threats were effective.

Over the past two days, under Julius Shaw’s threats, Nancy Allen had no choice but to eat and obediently take her medication.

But Len Taylor watched in increasing dread; the light in the lady’s eyes grew dimmer, as if despair had seeped into her bones, barely hanging on. Though he hadn’t studied psychology, he felt that continuing such threats and coercion would lead to more serious consequences.

Len Taylor, plucking up courage, once attempted to persuade, but Young Master Shaw’s gaze was like that of a butcher eyeing him.

Except for the closely watching doctor Len Taylor, no one in the Imperial Garden knew about the room’s situation.

Nancy Allen wouldn’t let Julius Shaw perform self-harm again.

She was exhausted, indifferent, neither struggling nor resisting.

Yet Julius Shaw couldn’t remain happy for two days.

That night, Nancy Allen ate a few bites, but promptly vomited everything.

Julius Shaw stared at the mess on the floor, bemused: "Nancy? Was today’s food not to your liking?"

Nancy Allen said nothing.

Julius Shaw had it cleaned up and ordered different food to be prepared.

Nancy Allen still obediently opened her mouth to eat, but after a few bites, she vomited again as if intentionally.

Julius Shaw’s expression grew incredibly dark, suddenly grabbing Nancy Allen’s throat, not exerting force, but with a chilling murderous intent: "Does Nancy want to die? Then let’s die together! When you die, you’ll be buried with me, never able to leave me!"

Nancy Allen stared coldly at Julius Shaw, silent, her demeanor icy and provocative.

Julius Shaw’s gaze grew wilder, more obsessed and sickly.

Len Taylor, who had been staying in the corner, finally reacted upon seeing this scene, mustering up his courage to shout: "Young Master Shaw, wait! The madam might not be doing this on purpose; she seems to have anorexia."

Long-term poor eating habits, or deliberately exaggerated dieting, can lead to anorexia.

And Nancy Allen genuinely loathed eating.

Every bite was coerced by Julius Shaw’s threats.

This aversion caused her body to reject food, uncontrollably becoming anorexic.

Julius Shaw acted as if startled, releasing Nancy Allen’s throat, sincerely apologizing: "Nancy, I’m sorry, I didn’t know it wasn’t intentional."

Nancy Allen still coldly remained silent.

Julius Shaw grabbed Len Taylor, pulling him over with a menacing presence: "What to do about anorexia? Cure her quickly!"

Len Taylor almost cried, stammering: "This... this illness can be caused by physical reasons, but many times, it also has psychological problems. Young Master Shaw must use the right methods."

"What methods?"

"I... I’m just a physician, I don’t understand psychology."

Julius Shaw released Len Taylor’s collar, irritably saying: "Get out."

Len Taylor’s face lit up with joy; he had long wished to leave, forced to stay in the corner whether or not something happened, fearing any sudden incidents. Did they now consider him incompetent, allowing him to leave?

Yet, upon leaving the room, Len Taylor was disappointed; he wasn’t allowed to leave, only temporarily excluded from this room as Young Master Shaw planned to leave.

Julius Shaw had the filth on the floor cleaned, and for the first time in days left Nancy Allen’s side.

He went out, heading to the Ink Manor.

He brought Sophie back to the Imperial Garden.

Since Nancy Allen psychologically rejected eating, let her psychologically accept it.

Either she eats with Sophie, or neither of them eats.

Verbal threats weren’t effective, so let her witness it firsthand.

Julius Shaw’s sick obsession led him to one solution: threats.