Chapter 16
I never dared to dwell on it. But I couldn’t shake this overwhelming feeling that Pandora was going to leave me for good.
All I wanted was to keep her by my side, but I was at a complete loss.
When Pandora asked me to make soup for her, I just said, “Next time.”
I pretended to forget her birthday.
When she couldn’t help but bring it up, I just told her, “We’ll celebrate next time. I’ll get you putting it off, hoping there would always be another chance.
birthday
present next time.” Deep down, I was only
The truth was, I had her birthday gift with me that night.
I didn’t know why, but all of a sudden, I found myself wanting to leave behind as many
Promises left unfulfilled, things left undone.
times” as
possible.
Maybe this way, she’d keep waiting for me, always by my side…
I couldn’t help but wonder why I suddenly thought this? Why this sudden dread that she might… not be here anymore?
A sudden, unbearable ache gripped my heart.
I couldn’t face it. I was terrified of facing the truth.
That night, I couldn’t help but say to her softly, “How about we go to the hospital tomorrow for your
We were all each other had left. I realized with a pang.
If her illness takes a turn for the worse, who else will stand by her side if I don’t?
Elaine came to me again.
She said the Payne Group was in trouble and begged for my help.
With tears streaming down her face, Elaine pleaded, “Elbert, Dad said you’d definitely help. Please?”
follow–up
check
I looked at her with wry amusement and said, “If you’re so desperate for a brother, why don’t you ask your dad if he’s got any other children away somewhere?”
Her expression froze instantly.
I added coolly, “Or ask your mom.”
The Payne family collapsed.
A merchant who would sell his daughter for profit surely had no decent business ethics to speak of.
Rumor had it that Elaine’s father ended up behind bars, and her mom went mad with
worry.
Unable to endure hardship, Elaine took up with a violent rich heir, and just two weeks later, she wound up with a broken leg.
I washed my hands of all that.
I donated all my worldly possessions.
It was used for underage education, as well as leukemia treatment and pharmaceutical research.
After Christmas, it wouldn’t be long before the anniversary of my parents‘
I went to the cemetery to visit Pandora and my parents.
In previous years, during the anniversary of my parents‘ passing, Pandora and
This year, I came to visit them alone.
When she was still alive, Pandora would gaze at the stars.
“When I’m gone, I want to be the star next to Mom and Dad,” she said.
I couldn’t buy her a star in the sky, so all I could do was to buy her a burial plot right next to
1/2
y parents‘
graves together.
stashed
8:16 PM D
Chapter 16
This way, when she was on the other side, reunited with Mom and Dad, she probably wouldn’t feel so lonely or cry anymore.
I wiped the dust off their tombstones and sighed with a hint of resentment.
“You’ve all gone over to the other side to live the good life, so you can’t blame me for abandoning the company anymore.
“Wouldn’t be right to have the whole family together without me, would it?” I said.
An eerie silence enveloped the cemetery, broken only by the whispering spring breeze.
When I bought Pandora’s burial plot, I got two–side by side.
One was hers, and one was mine.
Funny how things turned out.
The four burial plots, side by side, almost resembled our family home when we were still alive.
I struggled to my feet and left the cemetery.
As I got into the car, the passenger door suddenly swung open, and Pandora slipped into the seat beside me as naturally as ever.
Munching on potato chips, she tilted her head at me and asked playfully, “Brother, where to?”
Noticing the potato chip crumbs at the corner of her mouth, I grabbed a tissue and handed it to her so she could wipe them off.
Completely absorbed in munching her chips, she missed the tissue I handed her, and it fluttered down to the floor.
I started the car and let out a resigned sigh. “Where else would we go?” I said. “Let’s head home for dinner. Mom and Dad are cooking right now.”
Pandora nodded, her mouth full, and mumbled, “Mm–hmm.”
The car kept moving forward. The noise of the world faded as it plunged into a sea of blinding white light.
As the thick mist lifted, we were home.
Dad was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, while Mom placed the last dish on the table and looked up as Pandora and I walked in.
Mom waved us over and said warmly, “What took you so long? Go wash your hands and come eat.”
Pandora casually stuffed the half–eaten bag of potato chips into my hand.
As she dashed toward the kitchen, she stuck out her tongue at me and called out, “So yummy! You finish it, bro!”
I was getting annoyed, grumbling. “You always dump your leftovers on me. How is that fair?”
Then, she zipped into the kitchen and was gone in a flash.
After washing up, I joined my family at the dinner table–Mom, Dad, and Pandora all gathered around like old times.
I thought I heard a cacophony of voices in my ears, as if from another world.
A distant voice reported, “Car accident–plunged off a cliff. The CEO of Bourn Group… already dead…”
