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“It’s been, what, over seven years?”
“Lila. Liam. It’s been so long, but you two haven’t changed a bit.”
We sat side by side on the couch, while the officer smiled at us, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way that felt both friendly and probing.
“I still remember when I was assigned to your parents‘ case,” he said.
“Your sister was just a high school student back then.” He gestured to a spot near his waist, indicating how small I must’ve been.
“I was just a rookie cop back then, too. But even now, I still haven’t been able to solve that
case.”
“It’s one of the biggest regrets of my career!”
This is why I hated dealing with older cops.
They knew exactly how to get under your skin, how to dig into the parts of you that you wanted to keep buried.
But Liam, as always, was better at handling these situations than I was.
“Sir, is that banner for me?” he asked with a polite smile, nodding toward the rolled–up flag in the officer’s hand.
“All I did was help out a little. You didn’t have to make such a big deal out of it.”
Liam’s voice was light, but the officer’s eyes remained locked on him, unblinking.
After a long pause, the officer smiled back.
“Thank you for helping us take down Josh and his crew.”
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23:38 Mon, Apr
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–
He extended the flag toward Liam, who reached out to take it.
But just as Liam’s fingers brushed the fabric, the officer pulled it back slightly.
“By the way…”
“After all these years, have you two found anything new about your parents‘ disappearance?”
My body tensed, and I shot to my feet.
The coffee table wobbled slightly from the sudden movement.
The officer raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my reaction, while Liam reached out to
steady me, his hand firm on my waist.
“Excuse me,” I said quickly. “I think the kettle’s boiling. I’ll get you some tea.”
I escaped to the kitchen, closing the door behind me.
Leaning against the sink, I tried to catch my breath.
My heart was racing, pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.
The sunlight outside was fading, leaving the kitchen in shadows.
No. This wasn’t right.
This hadn’t happened in my last life. Why was the case being brought up again?
Was it because I’d given Liam that lead? Because he’d run into the officer by chance?
Everything was spiraling out of control.
We were finally starting to live a normal life. Why couldn’t they just leave us alone?
I dug my nails into my palms, the sharp pain grounding me, pulling me back from the edge of panic.
23:38 Mon, Apr 7
E
From the living room, I could hear their muffled conversation.
“My sister’s always been easily spooked,” Liam was saying, his tone calm and even.
“Losing our parents when we were kids… it left a mark on her.”
“Is that so?” The officer’s voice was laced with curiosity.
“But I always found it strange. When your parents disappeared, neither of
particularly worried. Do you think they’re still alive somewhere?”
you
seemed
“Or are they dead?”
There was a long silence before Liam replied.
“I think they’re dead.”
“Oh?”
“If
my
dad were alive, he’d probably sell the house I bought for my sister just to pay off his gambling debts.”
“And if my mom were alive, she’d never let my sister go to college. She’d force her to
work instead.”
“So whether they’re alive or not… I’d rather they were dead.”
The officer didn’t respond right away.
When he finally did speak, his voice was low.
“Interesting perspective.”
“Think what you want, Liam said casually. “But my sister’s been in the kitchen for a while. I should check on her,”
23:38 Mon, Apr 7
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A moment later, I heard the kitchen door slide open.
Liam stepped inside, wrapping his arms around me without a word.
I hadn’t even realized I was shaking until he held me.
I tilted my head back, catching a glimpse of the line between light and shadow.
The living room was bright, illuminated by the overhead light.
But here in the kitchen, the fading sunlight was swallowed by the creeping darkness, pulling us into its cold embrace.
From the other room, the officer’s voice rang out.
“Justice doesn’t care about emotions.”
“A disappearance is not the same as a death.”
“I’ll find whoever’s responsible. That’s my duty as a police officer.”
I flinched at his words.
Liam let out a low, bitter laugh.
He tilted my chin up and kissed me.
It was utterly shameless.
In the brightly lit living room, the officer was passionately declaring his ideals.
But here, in the shadows of the kitchen, Liam’s hands slid under my shirt, his lips trailing down my neck.
His voice was soft, almost a whisper.
23:38 Mon, Apr 7
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It was utterly shameless.
In the brightly lit living room, the officer was passionately declaring his ideals.
But here, in the shadows of the kitchen, Liam’s hands slid under my shirt, his lips trailing
down my neck.
– His voice was soft, almost a whisper.
“You’re mine,” he murmured.
My vision blurred, the edges of the room dissolving into darkness.
Maybe I’d been in hell all along.
That’s why I didn’t fear the dark.
And that’s why I hated the light.
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