Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Tough.

    (Extra chap!)

    [Edward POV]

    The black Audi sliced through the deserted streets, its engine roared loudly, the only audible sound in the enveloping darkness of the night.

    As we made our way home, the car was enveloped in a heavy silence. Taylor, her nose reddened and eyes still watery,she''d been crying since earlier. Fatigue marked my face as I drove her back to her place, knowing I would return on my own afterward.

    The tension between us had escalated after she read the text messages from Abby. It led to a heated argument that reached its peak, prompting me to pull over the car. In an isolated location, far from any familiar surroundings, we found ourselves on a deserted sidewalk, shouting topics that we knew we would regret about the next day.

    "2 AM TEXTS ARE A BOOTY CALL!" Taylor shouted, aggrieved as she got out of the car and stormed away. I quickly followed her as the road was dark, and there was no way that I would leave her alone there.

    I fell in disbelief as I heard her say, "She''s texting me for work! She needs access to my servers to search for some evidence."

    "Don''t try to make me look like I''M THE OBSESSIVE ONE! You are still longing for her, even after it''s been months since you guys broke up!" She shrieked.

    "We''re friends." I tried to cool down and spoke to her calmly. I grabbed her wrist to prevent her from walking further away and forced her to face me.

    "No you''re not. Friends don''t treat each other like that!" She snapped my hands away and shouted to my face.

    "Really? Then what about us? Are we not still ''friends'', even after we did everything together?" I said with slight agitation. I knew I was being difficult, but I needed the answer.

    Taken aback, Taylor said, "No. We''re not friends. We''re more than that. That''s why it''s weird that you''re still responding to her. Why are you even texting with her? Didn''t she block you on everything?"

    "Look. She texted me before I got kidnapped, warning me of the attack." I explained.

    "So? Say thanks and then block her again!" She demanded.

    Feeling a little irked, I replied annoyedly,"Why? You can''t decide who I can and cannot be friends with."

    "If you love me, then you should do that anyway!" She raised her voice.

    "Really? You want to talk to me about love? Even when you''re the one who keeps rejecting the notion of us being together." I said venomously.

    "See. You''re a master of finding ways to make it all about you again. I''m the one who''s hurt here!" She said defensively.

    "Make it about me? When did I ever do that? Huh?" I demanded with agitation.

    She was being evasive but as I confronted her, "Taylor, Tell me what you''re thinking!"

    Her feelings finally bubbled out, "I WAS THE ONE ROBBED ON STAGE BEFORE. But my name is barely coming out in the media! It''s all about you! YOU! YOU! ...And your stupid kidnapping thing!"

    Taylor was shocked when she heard what came out of her mouth.

    My stomach churned and my face fell. I couldn''t believe my ears."Wait. You''re blaming me...because I got... kidnapped?"

    Startled by her own choice of words and my reactions, Taylor burst into tears and she stammered while gripping at my shirt, "No.I didn''t mean it like that. I''m sorry. I really didn''t mean it like that."

    I stood there blankly as her tears fell out. She added, " I just... Just...feel it''s unfair... You can have everything you want in the world. But I...I have to depend on you for everything." She raised her face and touched mine. "Ed. I love you, but I also hate you. You...You''re blessed with talents...while I..." She said while crying.

    Feeling of dejavu hits me. This made me remember the day my mom left. It made me felt disconnected from reality for a while.

    "Ed?" She asked as she calmed down a bit, but her eyes were still teary.

    I asked stoically, repressing my emotions. "How long did you have these feelings? Is that why you were being so overcompensating today?"

    Her chin quivered as she looked down and nodded. I sighed and slowly removed her hand clutching my shirt. Startled and nervous, Taylor reacted panicky, "I''m sorry."

    "No. You don''t need to apologize. In fact, I''m the one who should apologize to you." I said, making her burst into tears again.

    With a stressed out crying face, she said shakily, "Are you breaking up with me?"

    ...

    [General POV]

    As the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, Ted returned from his overnight cruise trip and made his way back to the mansion. Upon entering the house, he noticed the staff members approaching him with restless expressions, immediately sensing that something was amiss.

    Concern etched across his face, Ted asked, "What is it?" The staff members guided him towards the indoor pool area, urging him to enter alone.

    Stepping into the pool area, Ted''s eyes widened with worry as he beheld Edward floating motionless in the water. Edward hadn''t even bothered to remove his clothes before entering the pool. His vacant gaze was fixated on the ceiling, and he remained completely still.

    It had been nearly two hours since Edward assumed his motionless position, causing deep concern among the staff members. Ted observed his son closely, letting out a sigh before taking off his shoes and settling down at the pool''s edge, dipping his feet into the warm water.

    "Ed," he called out to his son.

    Edward responded flatly, "Oh, you''re back."

    "How are you feeling?" Ted inquired, hoping to elicit a response. Edward closed his eyes, relaxing his body without answering his father''s question.

    Concerned and seeking answers, Ted pressed further, "What happened?"

    Edward replied with a nonchalant tone, "Nothing much," still keeping his eyes shut.

    Ted''s intuition led him to ask, "Did something happen with Taylor?" He knew that Taylor was expected to visit the mansion, but her absence made him suspect that she might be somehow involved in the scene unfolding before him.

    Edward remained silent, his facial expressions fluctuating. Ted, recognizing the need for patience, asked again, "Did you guys break up? Remember, you can always talk to me about things."

    The resurfacing pain from being abandoned. The anxiety of wanting to keep people close to him. Edward released it all in the song, "??Offered off my shoulder just for you to cry upon.Gave you constant shelter and a bed to keep you warm??

    ??They gave me the heartache and in return I gave a song??

    ??It goes on and on??

    His voice was heart wrenching to those who heard it. Max and Ted, who wanted to check up on him, suddenly heard the song and stopped themselves from opening the door to listen.

    Edward crooned, "??Life can get you down so I just numb the way it feels!

    I drown it with a drink and out of date prescription pills!"

    "And all the ones that love me they just left me on the shelf??"

    "??No farewell??"

    "??So before I save someone else, I''ve got to save myself??"

    In Taylor''s apartment, the teen pop star stood before the mirror, her nose and cheeks flushed with a reddish hue. Gripping a pair of scissors, she hesitantly began to cut off her long blonde hair. The sound of the scissors slicing through the strands filled the room, accompanied by the weight of her emotions.

    "??I gave you all my energy and I took away your pain

    ''Cause human beings are destined to radiate or dream

    What line do we stand upon ''cause from here looks the same?

    And only scars remain??"

    With her hair uneven, one side longer than the other, Taylor gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The guilt she carried within her surged to the surface once more, overwhelming her fragile state of mind. She covered her face with her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    ??Life can get you down so I just numb the way it feels

    I drown it with a drink and out of date prescription pills

    And all the ones that love me they just left me on the shelf

    My farewell

    So before I save someone else, I''ve got to save myself??

    Vanessa Hudgen, Edward''s new friend, stood frozen in front of the door of her boyfriend''s house.

    "??But if don''t

    Then I''ll go back

    To where I''m rescuing a stranger

    Just because they needed saving just like that??"

    She saw her boyfriend shirtless, and her friend who was standing next to him, wearing only his shirt. "Vanessa–" Zac called her, but Vanessa ran away crying.

    ??Oh, I''m here again??

    Edward''s tone turned slightly monotonic, "??Between the devil and the danger. But I guess it''s just my nature.My dad was wrong. ''Cause I''m not like my mum??"

    He sang with a self-deprecating smile, "''Cause she''d just smile and leave while I''m complaining in a song.??"

    Ted, who was listening intently, sighed as he heard the statement.

    "??But it helps."

    "So before I save someone else...I''ve got to save myself??"

    The melody reverberated throughout the entire room. Edward found himself lost in the song as his mind became cleared up.

    "??Life can get you down so I just numb the way it feels

    I drown it with a drink and out of date prescription pills

    And all the ones that love me they just left me on the shelf

    My farewell??"

    Vader, his black cat jumped on the bed, and snuggled her way into his lap. Edward smiled as he petted the cat and used only one hand to play.

    He sang, "??So before I save someone else, I''ve got to save myself??

    ??And before I blame someone else, I''ve got to save myself??

    ??And before I love someone else.... I''ve got to love.... Myself??

    As the melody faded, Vader meowed and licked Edward''s hand. Edward smiled and petted the cat before putting the synthesizer away. He then stood up, carrying the cat, and went on to change his clothes.

    "I guess. I need a fresh start." Edward muttered as he looked into the mirror. He held a few strands of his long hair, "And maybe a haircut too."

    (Season 3 ends)