Chapter 24%
it was then that I finally noticed–the man in front of me had grown much thinner, his whole body carrying a sickly pallor that spoke of impending death. He looked like a vampire hiding among the living
Noticing my gare. Thayer turned around and pulled off his clothes, revealing skin covered in red scratch marks.
“Althea, I’ve washed myself over and over again. I’m not dirty anymore.“}
“Do you want to touch me?”
He leaned in affectionately, but I abruptly turned my head away, refusing to give him even a glance.
“Why?” he asked. “Althea, you said it yourself–if someone knows they were wrong and changes, you’d give them a chance.”
Thayer slipped back into that mad, deranged state. I couldn’t help but sigh. “Thayer, I told you that when I was ten years old. You were already an adult by then.”
“Ah… how annoying. How did I become the kind of grown–up that you can never forgive?“}
With a knife in hand, Thayer traced it slowly along Lucien’s neck. My heart pounded violently and I suddenly shouted, “Thayer! What are you trying to do? Whatever grudge you have with me–leave others out of it!”
It seemed that the word “others” pleased him. He put the knife away, glanced at the time and then released both me and Lucien.” But then, without warning, he stabbed himself hard.
Suddenly, the entire building began to shake violently. It was an earthquake.
jimmediately rushed to Lucien’s side and he stumbled toward me as well. Meanwhile, Thayer lay in a pool of blood, quietly watching us. The sight before him–so glaring and unbearable–only fueled the malice churning within him.)
Just as he was about to give in to despair and press the detonator-
He suddenly felt someone supporting him. Lucien on his left and me on his right.“]
“Why?” Thayer’s throat was dry, the words barely squeezed out from deep within him–◊
But none of us answered.
Lucien and I carefully dodged falling debris, dragging along this burden of a man. Our escape was clumsy and desperate. When we finally emerged from danger and saw the medical personnel, we were so overwhelmed that we nearly burst into tears.§
Only then did I finally have the chance to answer his question.
“Thayer, because we’re human. Your crimes should be judged by the law–not by us.”
“And besides, it’s only you who forgot our twenty years of friendship. I still remember.““}
The ambulance arrived quickly. Thayer was carried onto a stretcher, but his eyes remained locked onto me, unblinking. It wasn’t until the ambulance drove away that the clinging, oppressive gaze slowly faded.
Life with Lucien gradually returned to normal, while Thayer was sent to prison
But iron bars wouldn’t hold him forever. Sooner or later, he’d be out!!
Still, I knew that the life–saving grace of that day would be enough to secure peace for me and Lucien in the years to come.
The Alcott Family might be cold and ruthless, but they never forget a debt of gratitude.
I rubbed my eyes, sore from staring at the screen too long. Just then, a pair of large, well–defined hands reached from behind me, gently pressing into the pressure points on my shoulders and back, giving me a soothing massage.
“Esteemed Chief Engineer, may I have the honor of inviting you to dinner tonight?”
My gaze paused briefly on the man dressed in all black at the corner of the street, but I was quickly amused by Lucien’s words.
“How could ! possibly decline an invitation from the great lawyer?”
I stood up, lightly lifting the hem of my dress, smiling as I placed my hand into his palm. Hand in hand, we walked toward the restaurant. Today was Valentine’s Day. Fireworks burst across the sky in brilliant colors.
I listened to the soft strains of violin music, watched the dazzling fireworks outside and with the man’s gentle voice in my ear, I felt a rare, perfect contentment.
As we stepped outside, Lucien did something unexpected–he hugged me tightly right in the middle of the street, his voice low and
Muy aggrieved. “I had prepared fireworks too, but someone else’s stole the show. How frustrating.”
He was always refined and reserved and it was the first time he’d embraced me so openly in public. Laughing, I hugged him back.!!
At once, his expression softened and right there in the middle of the street, he tried to get all clingy.”
Startled, I escaped in a hurry. Even after I got upstairs, my heart was still pounding wildly.
But when I looked down and saw him waving at me from below, I couldn’t help but smile and wave back.
I pushed aside thoughts of that vaguely familiar figure, choosing not to dwell on it any longer!
