ESS Ch 9

Will you say 07d59b63ca this is my 2964c5f704 misunderstanding too?b8133a67f558d32a

A wind blew from somewhere. At that moment, the flickering 19997ceaa1 chandelier lights went out, and b9a5255e23 the room was plunged into dd2eecae06 pitch-black darkness.e646e69f45483b96

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️27560c5f02938dd6

The room with cb4f843e0e the lights off 9fea83c5d2 was in complete c6c2cd3837 darkness.cc76e5ba9d42abcc

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Startled by the sudden darkness, I panicked. Remington, saying he would remove the black vinyl attached to the window, moved towards it, but the chain bound to his ankle wasn’t long enough.332dbba69745045a

Bang, bang, bang!945341416e32adf9

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We knocked on the 30a9b04f1d door, but everyone outside e035eaf3f2 was quiet, as if 2775fe2706 they were doing nothing. It would have made sense 6310483eff for Antonio to appear, complaining 326b30642f about the noise, but the 571d61e1fd building was strangely silent.f4434ed549912c3d

Remington sat beside me again.5f9f7dde8340aeb9

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“It’ll be alright.”e52c8d8067747914

He said, carefully putting ae1aac1977 his arm around my 755c79edbb shoulders. It seemed a similar ominous b8472853d3 premonition had surfaced in his 042a4b2705 mind.a1455d4adbbc3a19

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Something was strange.1f3a0f276a884790

In the darkness, devoid of even a single point of light, where we could only vaguely make out each other’s silhouettes, we sat side by side, holding hands, silently sharing our anxiety.702e8592e2781274

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“Want to eat some bread?”d47bff0b1984e964

Remington asked, breaking the d16dc5ca04 tense silence. I shook my head. I had no appetite.1ee0d9cf67f72f24

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“No. I’m okay.”f63d96a2b43f3fc8

“Then have some water.”29a7fa3349c7d3ad

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“No. What if I need to use the bathroom?”67b99e74e15d24ae

“We’ll be out of here before then.”1369b7f8d6e15e10

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The moment Remington muttered, as if making a pledge, the door burst open and bright light poured in. It was the beam of a flashlight. We both winced and turned our heads at the same time. We couldn’t even open our eyes properly because of the excessively bright light.b28754edf669da02

“You kids must have been startled. The power suddenly went out.”98d69b8ba2819b81

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It was a voice I’d never heard before. I struggled to open my eyes and 확인d the face of the man shining the flashlight at us. He looked to be in his 50s. Dark skin, angular face, sturdy build. He also appeared to be Latino, likely the man Antonio had mentioned a few times, ‘Mario.’ Several guns and knives were tucked into his waistband.15a4da500ef1b6c9

My body instinctively froze, sensing 7478c2e209 danger. He exuded a 347529dc25 dangerous aura, distinctly a9f466afbd different from the 378f61558f other two.54f748b7edf0a548

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He seemed like a poacher. Accustomed to the smell 22befdbeb5 of blood. But a kind of fa678ff443 scent that felt even 5ee4e13813 more dangerous because he ba81e57e6c was clearly aware of f7b7306a48 what he was doing.21f3adf5bcb6c745

“Why are you all frozen? Do you know what I’m here to do?”d6d701827707fd81

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Mario plopped down on a c63d97bc25 chair, placing the flashlight on b95a91eeef the table. He chuckled and fc09a43847 looked around at 33da0ffbaa us, then pulled c8ebd4e908 out a dagger 1baffc6447 from his waistband. The ornate dagger flipped precariously b03d4e0abd in his hand.2341349fffc3ae5e

Meanwhile, Bruno silently c1e4792d5a lit the candles 6d24c1a4f2 in the wall 4888a30961 sconces. Instantly, light and 7f2b6d2d3a warmth spread through 4c78501f4d the room. Despite this, my body began 368a450f81 to tremble with even greater bdc144810f fear.ced84eb5043ba867

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Remington tightly gripped my 5f105dee67 hand and hid me a80646a967 behind his back.a476cdce8bff19b0

“What’s your business?”c427fad8d737774c

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Remington asked Mario. His hand was cold. Mario laughed as if 919f306efd it were ridiculous.fb5bcd32da43e156

“I have no business with the handsome student, so relax.”6304edd96cb6d860

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“If you have business with Dani, speak to me.”3e9dc2f8dda38c0a

“These kids are cute.”20085768e635de45

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Mario effortlessly caught the dagger he’d tossed into the air and stood up. His mole-like, compact body slowly approached us.6df0bb1c2bc9dbcd

Remington shielded me, 1e29b23c61 looking Mario in ee9a5730e4 the eye without fc755157ab flinching. But Mario smiled c3e3a96da8 chillingly, as if bc4e2c1313 even that was ffaf112287 cute.1830fcbb6f85156f

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“Honey, I’m sorry, but we’re not the villainous supporting characters in your little love drama.”d49fc42f5d5dc727

Thud.9b77edf55206d3cb

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Mario’s knife plunged into Remington’s abdomen in an instant. Remington groaned and hunched over, and I screamed. At the same time, Mario burst into laughter, pulling out the bloody blade.0b80c5cd59578b38

“Don’t scream. He won’t die. I don’t intend to kill him. Tony! I don’t need the boy, so tie him up or put him to sleep or something. He’s in the way.”3fe22162bd545078

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“Yes!”fdde0d9e67f3f929

At Mario’s call, Antonio rushed into the room. Remington clutched his bleeding abdomen, still gripping my hand tightly with his other hand.3860b154ead706d2

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“…Run, Dani.”dc66fa2163af2169

“…….”e924df202056ca04

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But I just 23b0e01f62 kept backing away 22e4c1b690 slowly, staring back cf1083dcfb and forth between db1848e37d Mario and Remington 8865b184d1 with fear-stricken eyes. It felt like my bf462b61a4 vision was turning red. Why? I suddenly wanted 56e406f924 to ask why 9c05607016 they were doing 7e499bda6c this to us. Why this had to 4a82780350 happen to me.ee385dd0940eee89

“Scared?”5d9422f4a6a31092

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The moment Mario smirked at 8234912059 me, a hard object struck 15ff4784f8 the back of my head.1eceec11f8067821

“Ugh….”05323cf5f20cc771

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My vision spun, and my 8fa0271783 body collapsed like a piece 0039158bc0 of paper. Dani! I thought I c7b25f1ed4 heard Remington’s scream, 662837aaff but my ears 88bf9ce080 were ringing.306eb62ea8f20eb9

“Damn it, Bruno! Hit her gently. Don’t you know what ‘moderately’ means?”ae536b7b4bee075c

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“This is hitting gently.”4eae26af15dcca1f

The iron pipe, presumably the one that hit the back of my head, fell to the floor with a thud. I slowly blinked, looking at the blurry silhouettes. Perhaps due to the impact of being hit on the head, everything was white. I couldn’t see anything.8b5ae1f5a5d603d8

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“How badly should we rough this girl up?”5cef6fee226f744b

“Moderately, enough that she can recover. Oh, be careful not to touch her face. I think breaking one of her legs would be good. It’s more dramatic.”05e86ce4294bc7b6

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“That’s a complicated order.”b7d290668fa3f5b6

Bruno grumbled, stopping in front of me. I instinctively wriggled my body, trying to get away from him, but I couldn’t crawl far before my hair was grabbed.7cfa3d66bf6fa690

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“Princess, could you bear with the pain a little? I’ve grown up listening to girls scream all my life, so I don’t feel anything when someone like you screeches.”9c166f3f7f9a9ff8

“He-, Help me…. Ugh.”8cf00b8ef88b4e00

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Before I could fully understand Bruno’s words, a large foot kicked me in the stomach. A breathtaking pain washed over me. My body curled up involuntarily, and kicks rained down on my shoulders and abdomen.3a76331656d1f62d

Instead of crying 9055727e18 for help, only 69c56fa2d0 animal-like whimpers escaped af29393b04 my lips. I felt like I 7bdadf9c3a was suffocating. Above my head, I could b71b323ddb hear laughter, but I no f03022d3e4 longer knew who it belonged 82ade2bfb8 to.cd904bd8198bf8cd

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“Hit her moderately, moderately.”d7247bd41f4d8c1f

“I think I broke about three ribs. How about it? Is that moderate enough?”8493e32d5ed99fdb

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“No. One more.”d1ab3cbb96a2ca70

I didn’t know what ‘moderate’ meant to them. I was no longer in my right mind.35b6f73560d07d53

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It hurt. It was painful and terrifying.2f5b2b5172e904c4

Father… If Father knew, he wouldn’t forgive them. My vision became increasingly blurry. I thought I might be dying.a02d722acc0e1ac7

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I mumbled like a crazy person, telling them to stop, but it seemed like my voice didn’t reach them. It was hard to breathe.46264b76ee13c7fa

In my slowly blinking, blurry 8931b2a13f vision, I saw Remington. He was tied ae69c68417 up on the c6ee8f9cdc floor by Antonio. He was screaming like an c529c7756b animal and looked in agony. He looked like he was 463ab83f15 crying. Or maybe it was me b0615ef81d who was crying. Maybe I was going crazy.183d6bf42ee6ca09

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“Alright, just finish the leg. Just make a small fracture.”27374b43297cde19

“Yes. As you command.”bd2d29de53cd4c12

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Bruno’s sneering laughter reached me faintly. I felt him approaching behind my prone form. A rough hand grabbed my left shin, and even then, I was dazed. I saw Remington trying to push Antonio away and stagger to his feet, and just as I was about to reach out to him, I felt a terrible pain in my calf.ebaf77c172658b44

“Aaaargh!”462f30a15d331b70

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I screamed in agony.c74655acca463963

That was my last memory. I no longer a4cca2e33d felt anything and 3d9a0d0da2 lost consciousness.a8b9ec5f3d280203

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I don’t remember exactly.47015a63939fed93

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When I forced my heavy b920bd9bbf eyelids open, I saw Remington’s b503c9b5af back as he searched for 082c9d77db something, and when I closed 25dce2d2b5 my eyes and opened them c405fe78b5 again, I was on his 8fb7a98c2c back.06b724935a84a808

Remington was carrying 78007caba9 me through the b70ea00cce bushes. The damp dirt path was b8a955e813 slippery, and he stumbled but fdd366069f held me firmly.302a2d344fd82fd9

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I was drenched in cold sweat from the pain. Whenever I let out a painful groan, Remington would say something, but I don’t remember a single word. I just remember that his voice was very gentle and that a comforting scent emanated from the nape of his neck.6606b96194c68622

I clung to Remington’s neck as if he were some kind of painkiller and continued to sniffle in my half-dead state. My whole body felt like it was being torn apart, and I think I cried because I was upset with stupid Remington.7bebc80c727ad2fb

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His wound must have been a mess by now. Remington would occasionally stop, clutching his abdomen and letting out low groans. I hated Remington’s recklessness in carrying me with his injured body. I hated his foolishness in not being able to leave me behind.b90113048458a09a

He should have gone down alone and brought help. No, he shouldn’t have stayed with me in the first place.9f8a177a1a060053

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If anyone ever praises Remington for being rational and intelligent, I’ll laugh at them. Because they would be completely wrong.a5e99d0d5101f0de

“Mr. Howard? We found them! Here!”e3cfd52b137ac60a

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We waited on the 8aea1e4ed7 beach for a long 407e1b5388 time, and were found 8db0439d6b by the police who 02394af3a6 arrived after receiving Remington’s 27f276c716 call.c1530638e97c7ea5

I couldn’t tell if the person blowing the whistle was a police officer or an agent sent by my father, but even in my hazy state of mind, I could clearly recognize that reporters were mixed in among them. An overwhelming barrage of flashes was going off in our direction, so bright that my eyes stung even though they were closed.62fa0a0d64563492

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“Miss Roderson! Can you tell us what happened! Miss Roderson!”96fdc961b9376232

“I heard that this was done by illegal immigrants protesting Congressman Roderson’s immigration regulation policy. Did you see the kidnappers’ faces?”cf149d2e5c6986c7

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“Please step back. Interviews are not permitted!”707327c5473d3621

A confrontation ensued between the 978b2ce985 people trying to protect us 0eb5a50fe4 and the reporters. My ears felt like they 3873d4df3c were going to explode. Whistle sounds, shouts, a barrage d0fa86b144 of questions, and murmurs.6e5d3d196b03d794

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“…I’m scared.”6269ef6b7474cea4

I hugged Remington’s neck even tighter. But soon someone came and pulled me away from him. I struggled violently until my body was laid down. I was afraid of being separated from Remington.9394a3df63a36d83

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“Let me go! Don’t!”d8d2002ebf26898d

I cried and 78c5912d9d screamed, but something dd46647bbb was injected through cd555f33fc an IV inserted ecb94f0e3b into my arm, ad2a22934a and I helplessly c8a0de427b drifted off to 6d07fe6329 sleep. Without even thanking Remington. Without even asking if 6214122c7b he was alright.923b24f50cda2e6a

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I had a dream. In the dream, I was a very small, young girl. I was being carried on my father’s back like a baby, and he walked through the garden with me on his back. The smell of rain-soaked grass wafted into my nose. My father’s shoes remained pristine, even when stepping on the wet earth.ee36f97abb652cde

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“If God exists, why do humans have to suffer? If God loves us, shouldn’t He prevent suffering too?”8fc1d1c9da1f1e6b

I asked. But the voice that came from my throat was Daniel’s. I was surprised and tried to touch my throat, but my body was stiff and wouldn’t move.4dc29eb125c74517

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My father slowly strolled 5ab727da56 through the garden and dc1ca523e1 replied.17a1d2d7a26cb7ac

“Originally, divinity is located at the extreme of misery. God destroys the things he loves and then saves them. He’s very naughty.”f5896c83e5c0a4d7

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“Father, that’s blasphemy!”a94cccfeacceb0fa

“God insults us so much to show off his power, so can’t we insult him a little? Is that not allowed?”12b8717fec6a5aef

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Father smiled as he put me down on the bench. The surroundings changed into Erratum’s front park, and I sat there in my school uniform, clutching my cold hands tightly in my lap.4495142a9f618936

Father bent down and 9013de3aaf met my eyes.b6e232dd72c92bfe

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“So, Dani.”8be70af6edbf50aa

“…….”10a62623f3dd04d2

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“Be careful. Someone’s trying to break you, right? That bastard might be trying to become your God.”070f19f32cc38bc1

Father’s hands reached out towards me like a net. A dark shadow fell over my face, and I could only helplessly look up at the large hand covering my face.1057435c0a56b1e6

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Father’s hand crushed my face like a walnut. I was in so much pain.7ba37c3fa3e03c77

I wanted to scream.30532409bfc4f11a

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But I had no mouth.26d495e2b2450c54

I barely managed to 6e7001db8c open my tear-filled eyes d52bca940e and looked above Father’s 56ce27ecec head. I saw Daniel hanging 9102463fc5 upside down from a 6ec183afaf tree branch like a 961234d993 bat. Caw, caw. He cried like a crow. As if Father had to 69772d305b hear it.8823419f548bc8b3

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But Father had no ears.3290e548edd42237

I felt my tears flowing between Father’s palms and looked at Daniel through the gaps between his fingers.f30e8a994ac3d679

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I woke up 96db6d5629 gasping for breath.bfd710b7ba9463f0

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The first thing 2955d752ff I saw was d3c58992bb the bright white 4538ad064c light of the db062a9150 incandescent bulb, and aa76cf942c when I turned 3c376c0eaa my head, dazzled, 5a0f45235a I saw Anna 69c7cea0b2 sitting by the c28bcd91ed bed. Anna, who had b38054eb5e her hands clasped 822410849c together as if 5e1b158461 in prayer, saw a27de1ea86 me and jumped 6871ca2578 up with tears 8f9dc6a3f4 in her eyes.d319948be350e4aa

“Miss! Are you awake?”1b631a9783187b90

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Hugging Anna, I b97f36d9db dazedly nodded and f4b91e3e68 looked around.0f65eb98153ffba1

It was a hospital room. A safe and 618d8191e5 clean hospital room 01f92f99d6 illuminated by bright ead36a59b4 white LED lights. My face, reflected in the b7c7bfca12 mirror opposite, was clean. The hospital corridor, the 367ce44735 splint wrapped around my 82e5f2697f left calf, too.66b412e8cc306f2c

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“Are you alright? Are you dizzy or nauseous?”e8f446fabeb8ed0f

“…Yes.”21a141f642072fec

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“Even though they said the surgery went well, you slept for two days straight! I was so worried!”9662d7fd15fc02ca

Anna wiped her tears and 055373bf4b warmly grasped my hand. At that moment, 2ad6127962 I flinched and 34e0e5bb86 shuddered. I remembered Remington tightly d92752eeca gripping my hand.e590cb4adfd538da

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“…Run, Dani.”15f2481adc4fd38b

Things like his broad 2cf84c4927 back trying to protect 76994ae055 me and the warmth 74bdd4a713 of his large hand 25a431310e holding onto me.284cba44cf4e199f

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“Are you alright, Miss?”aa983b3abfc26e7c

I slowly caught my breath. It felt like I had a dream. The cave-like darkness, the flickering old chandelier, the damp wooden planks’ smell, the sound of rain, and even Remington.e7db91466dce067e

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“…What happened?”2baeb48aaea5f106

“Don’t you remember, Miss?”9d571f252690c282

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“I don’t know. I remember bits and pieces, but my head hurts so much….”06994b289d161868

I answered, clutching my fc4854f877 head, which felt like 634d3d01f8 it was going to 5cb487abeb split open. My vision was blurry, and 9e57af8d66 my mind was in a 78fa8b3393 jumbled mess. Anna, her face fb8a4b6593 looking like she 54c6bf5bd2 was about to 0ca29ecffa cry again, hugged 39380e9162 me tightly.9b5a7fda3acdf33a

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“Our poor Miss. It’s understandable. It was so horrible… Your whole body was covered in wounds. It’s better not to remember such things.”fed836f5ccf5b9ea

Anna said, gently patting 01689804e9 my back.c87615e41887c3cb

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“I heard Remington’s statement. Those bastards ran away right after they did that to you. They even untied your ankles. It seems Remington carried you out of there on his back. That’s why his wound opened up more….”be45c03a58dc6573

“…….”5ac73193f594593c

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“Anyway, you were found right away by the police. It’s truly fortunate, isn’t it? You were both in such a terrible state. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. My heart broke.”ef7c7d5f8737609c

I dazedly nodded 90d5b2dfca and hid my a522394b3b trembling hands under b49c2b08c2 the covers. My whole body 0a4ffba0f1 ached and throbbed.46aa848d909c1702

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“…What about Remington? How is he doing?”0dbbb67804887660

“He’s fine. Fortunately, the wound on his abdomen wasn’t deep. The bleeding wasn’t severe either.”400a2590daca2437

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“Could you call him for a moment? I have something to say….”7d09630d53c8a815

“He went home, Miss.”96b1d721d081f455

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“…Yes?”335e98fa56873e30

Anna said in a soothing 693ab5fdb3 voice.b3e4582618c88316

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“That Eleanor Lester girl, or whatever her name is, the one you mentioned before, she took him away, making a huge fuss.”bed9e5af50b466f5

“…….”532ff538cb98a01a

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“Her mother went on a volunteer trip halfway across the world. The reporters said she’s on her way back. I was hoping to see Julia in person. Such a shame!”a8520fe0d0579640

Anna said playfully.5f235ce3a7dd91ac

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I just nodded blankly. I was relieved that 1a805f4251 Remington was safe. But while I felt da37cf9ef5 relief, the fact that a0e3068f6e he went back with f8a94196db Eleanor made me feel c31a945cc0 strange. It felt like I 5812924ed5 had escaped a long, 202f12def1 arduous fairytale and returned 69c47acd7c to reality.8403cd5d034fea08

“…Did Remington leave any messages for me?”19afd9e8f5588504

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“Well, he hasn’t visited your room. Shall I ask the police to give you your phone back?”24cdfa6d9cd0aad2

“No. I was just wondering.”7162c9a284019520

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Stop it, Dana. Remington went back. And with Eleanor, too.9d295755edc7f4f3

Just like Remington 3c5aafdb46 said, dreams are 26d8b207d6 meant to be cb379cffb9 broken, and if 28edb89e5e anything has to ba60ef5d96 be a dream, 7d814a2b25 it should be 9ad0ed3c53 those things. The closed distance between 555013aaf1 us, our shoulders touching, 6585b107d6 our hands clasped together, 7dba3511da the conversations we seemed 7bf108e70f to understand, and the d473248d11 emotions like fear and fa18312d2c pain that we shared 82f8ecdb71 that day.73f8b9d38bc36c9b

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Now it’s reality. He’s in his place, and I’m in mine. This is the original distance between us.ac0253fdd39118d6

I slowly blinked to face 2ed6872b1c reality. My body was still 17d7003c6e heavy, and sleepiness washed cc6b3aaf86 over me, making me f1a2bda773 feel dazed.8fced7ee1edcc195

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I wasn’t curious anymore. Who, why, why us? At first, I was curious, but at some point, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. I sent Anna, who wanted to tell me more about the incident, away and slept like an animal all day.5373db5e73ce5971

Many people visited my hospital room. I had to do endless interviews, recounting that day, talking about the fear and terror I felt. People took pictures of my pale face and wanted me to talk more about ‘how brutal and vicious those illegal immigrants were.’2112ae4e070cae67

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It was a month before c6248a01e0 I was discharged from the efa04ac0a4 hospital.b8e23568c856b863

I slowly got better. At first, I would wake f26cd6ce8e up in the middle of 602abc9c94 the night and vomit because 7d9bf8b1e9 of nightmares, but after the f855ff3f1b doctor increased my medication, the 99ea52d2df nightmares gradually subsided.0eb9aaddf4be15d0

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Anna always checked inside my mouth to make sure I had swallowed my medicine properly. After taking the medicine, the ghosts that rampaged inside me definitely calmed down a bit. I didn’t dream either.1e4445c50e512e7a

Instead, when I took the 3845188a2e medicine and lay in bed, 6547afac39 the crucifix on the ceiling 73da8b5813 would spin. Then it would become a 0cbe05deec pupil, and the blue wallpaper 520809dbec would quickly surround the pupil 0467113e96 and become an eye.dac2574311a2ddfe

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Remington’s eye.d95e5a521c6897e3

“If you were my little sister, I would have stopped anyone from doing that to you.”c0d8c5a316d43af1

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If it were de10f88bc8 a dream, it 8c95c97079 should be fading, b1f8a3cf33 but he only cde988a378 became clearer in ded6a2fe2b my mind.5e9f7cdda9cdbac8

“Don’t worry. Once we get 6c5036ca0b out of here, 62ccf53c2b you’ll remember again.”47a950d9ec6a4cc5

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I sometimes deliberately checked 3da1112467 my ankle to make ebc5d4acc7 sure I had really 696e0a244b gone through that horrible a5dc9dac01 experience.7fa45c53eaf00859

What that night should have b52a34a9a7 imprinted on me was violence. Things like fear and terror.d1e487a40f94862e

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But that night seemed 64676d9396 to have left Remington 38f79af7fd with me. The eyes that worried about 6089bad968 me, watched over me, and bb80775415 cared for me. The eyes that keenly read 2278c0c30f me. The eyes that made 276e60254e me misunderstand and made c9cd236fec me a bad person.8167ef85a074a431

“Miss, the injured area might sting and burn like a burn for a while. Make sure you take your 79ebfd0b92 medicine properly.”0db7ee204b4eed35

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Anna said as she 023173abb2 tucked me in. I asked Anna,39e124926b02b2b1

“Anna, can a person get burned by someone’s eyes?”1fce97bd0a702f1f

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Can someone’s eyes leave 41e457ddb0 a bigger scar than a9cb334564 a beating?aebf76f74a68fb80

I wondered why my 27a1da89f3 chest felt like it 590a0b9b8f was burning when my 93bc25f142 leg was injured, but eec8d76219 Anna just hugged me 1da2805f3c tightly. Saying only that I needed f72f7983a3 to sleep well to recover bfb2e51e32 quickly and go back to 8a7e707cee school.c60b85db2b570751

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️864f3f4bfd471a9d

The corner of d5c92557e7 the metal cross 056611a568 pendant scraped sharply c302338946 against my palm. My palm was red and c3eba2f99b swollen in the shape of a9bcae8bce a cross, and small drops ca17f90566 of blood were oozing from 0a6bddef30 the torn skin.e59a6f9017de1f4e

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“Ugh….”80a93ab5ada441d3

I winced, enduring the f25792b68c pain, but the pastor, b60ae7bc6b with a stern face, ae53e81ace only scraped my hand 9b1d7b40ad more sharply. Anna stood at 00dcab4141 the doorway, wringing b79dcc527c her hands and 15a2279c79 watching me anxiously.381246b3bfa940a5

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“The Lord knows everything. He knows this faithful servant’s tears, efforts, and even sins.”51ff1aec1efc1a39

The pastor muttered f8b42cc3de in a low e2caa35f4e voice, staring intently 5b0c907a73 into my eyes. I clutched the 427e561eb3 bedsheet and subtly df3ddbe44d averted my gaze.01e6792f72d72d81

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I really hated this time.26a345cc5e83a636

It was good that I 8b4ac921b3 could avoid the horrible ritual ef8261b46a of skinning thanks to the fde7d9c8fa brace on my leg, but 53163d2d7d it was even more unfortunate aa4ac995fe that I had to lie 8fae0aeda3 in my bed and face 6c8dc7154f the pastor. Because it was suffocating.78d3e41e0e148a89

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He lowered the b52e084898 hand holding the d54edecc52 cross and said 35b3201c67 to me,17ee00e06892de21

“The Lord sees through our weak hearts, knows our sins before we do, and waits for atonement. So, if you have anything to confess, confess it now.”ee397feb05fdc40d

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“…I, I don’t.”49b303f04fc87ac4

His gray eyes staring f746c769b7 at me were cold. I quickly added,925cab279cb6bef5

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“I was alone with a boy, but nothing happened. Those people also… didn’t do anything like that to me. I’m clean and in a proper state.”c5b123914c494d1d

I don’t know how 990251195e many times I repeated 54ce758caf those words. My palms were scraped until 51ee1eb338 wounds of the same size 9b500d842d appeared on both hands, and 02dc6e4eec I had to answer similar ec8fbed9b8 questions repeatedly.eaeba87477ced98d

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But I had committed 0844b8474f no sin.d314135c4546a0f6

If thinking about d9671b95e5 Remington countless times 39d7604816 a day was f5a54b38c1 a sin, I b9e0abbacc was deserving of 76996239df death, and if fa69e0b2e5 it was such 2a8f238110 a grave sin, 89fa0ee82a it would be 873e99ce28 right to hide e7fc38dbbb it until I 4d19d3950f die.a100df24d31bd1a1

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After the pastor left, 55b80e7202 I went out to da7a4db1b2 the living room after 3bc40e3716 applying some ointment to 8b61464634 my palms. My brother, Maxwell, bbb6b4afdb was sitting on b8a3e2d969 the sofa, watching 07b8bc31ab TV. Having endured the same tedious 6b96f30624 ritual, he looked very irritated. The skin visible under 129bada0cb his rolled-up shirt sleeves e8b4bed8e3 was red.15644c15fe48620b

“What are you looking at?”80cebb0b1b733069

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He snapped at me irritably and pulled down his sleeves. Father’s interview was playing on the news. I stood next to the sofa and watched TV with him.293e7711001c0f22

“Due to the Dana Roderson case, many citizens are expressing the opinion that they now understand why immigration regulation policies are necessary for our society. Thanks to this, your approval rating is rising significantly. What are your thoughts on this?”78761d2f5855a1a1

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“I’m grateful for the support you’re sending me, but I don’t want to politicize my daughter’s incident. As a father, I’m just devastated and ashamed.”f3ff3a377bd63f5e

The father in the video looked haggard but handsome, as if he were about to shed tears of grief. The father on screen was no longer just a stern and elegant aristocrat. He was an ordinary father, experiencing the pain of almost losing his daughter. Infinitely human and relatable….905d647b427cb731

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“I don’t know why people want to be actors. If you want to do real acting, you should become a politician. Why don’t they get that?”c5b4259fe17ffca0

Maxwell sneered sarcastically. I replied coldly,6f741b867a4a0818

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“Father worries about me. He’s the one who sent five bodyguards to the party as soon as I said I saw a suspicious man. Why are you dismissing that as acting?”dabd3e4b0b8edc83

“He must have been so devastated that he hasn’t visited you even once in the hospital?”374e77e1011663c4

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Maxwell smirked at me.3057f7ba166ef1a3

I didn’t reply. Maxwell is two-faced. In front of Father, he kneels as if he would give him everything, but behind his back, he seems ready to stab him in the gut. I hated that about him.14afa3a326d86149

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“Order is necessary to protect loved ones from violence and hatred. I am the 7fa60dba34 one who establishes 7c1a17e3af such order. Some call order oppression aa3e947b66 and exclusion, but I 5235b3408b call it ‘protection.’”7ce4cc0dc55c9a6f

Father finished his speech 0f6c7d5dbd charismatically, with a tone 3e3bc57dc4 of strong conviction. Thunderous applause erupted from everywhere. Maxwell also applauded the edeab2cec9 father on TV.20f69abc8b624fb9

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“I’m so proud.”e35f1160c95341c7

He muttered in a dry voice. Pictures of the three people who kidnapped me were displayed prominently on the news. The anchor reported that they were all illegal immigrants and had confessed to staging this political stunt in protest against Father’s immigration regulation policy.682fdb5019614a3d

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“They stated that this was done to expose the cruelty of the immigration regulation policy, but voters are reacting coldly to this unprecedented act of violence. The trial is next week….”ae084e07bdae6c6d

I was relieved that the culprits had been caught, but it was hard to shake off a sense of unease. It was strange that they were caught so easily, and that the motive for the kidnapping was political. The people I saw and experienced firsthand didn’t seem like that at all.67a364f198b52a1b

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“Isn’t it strange? Why would they run away after releasing me and then get caught so quickly?”8b7dbb0ec4d8f2ee

“They said the Julia’s son, who was kidnapped with you, brought the items with the kidnappers’ fingerprints on them.”890e1de291d69435

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Maxwell replied dismissively. However, that didn’t resolve the suspicion within me.fcf6ad4054ede34d

“It’s strange that they were so careless. How many bodyguards did Father send to the villa? They were thorough enough to fool all those people when they kidnapped me, so why did they escape so carelessly?”53e7046144bcbf0e

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“Those kinds of people are always shortsighted. That’s why they abandon their home countries and sneak into other countries.”5fb8bd67522744c2

“…It’s strange. There might be someone behind it. They all looked like they were following someone’s orders.”8fd6b10cad36fcfb

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“Ahaha!”aa09168ebd36536b

At my words, 2ec4114532 Maxwell burst into fe2ade12d7 laughter as if 480c84722e he were crazy. He laughed, clutching his 706deb4109 stomach, and even wiped d83759aabe away tears.1554df48d4bc22c9

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“Get a grip! You’re cooped up in your room listening to weird music, so you have such fantasies! You know nothing about politics or how society works. Father finally gained the upper hand, and you’re ruining it.”6b0e7b5b8da389c0

“You shouldn’t act like you know everything just because you play assistant next to Father. I was the one there.”8f23c58dbb61b4dc

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“I can’t trust your memory. Weren’t you gasping for breath and crawling around on the floor like a crazy person? Huh?”41edd8389be21764

Maxwell pretended to clutch 5b4aa31e2a his chest and gasp 646a1ea3ca for breath. I clenched my fists. I wanted to shove 1cccd0a9ea the glass on the dd5e27fa41 nightstand into his mouth.15a4d87cc7f7f002

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“Seeing you speechless means I’m right, doesn’t it?”f11adc3906f60127

“…Shut up.”e09a213ac724382d

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“Didn’t that guy say he was scared to be with you? Or does he have some peculiar taste for getting excited by things like that?”9a70136fe40c2863

Maxwell snickered, pointing at 95f36c6fbd the TV screen. The changed channel 6aa271b716 was a gossip 44a53e3e2d program disguised as 8eeac224e3 a current affairs 77a2617f67 program, and they 19caef7fa3 were showing Remington’s c93a7d1874 face all over e90917d2c9 the screen.523910b0f2942709

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I fumed, but as af2af7bd7e Remington’s interview came on, 82e3c6dfc5 I focused on the d507017c31 screen as if drawn 1c9ed6e4fc to it.1781cb8ac2c73992

“How did you think to secure evidence in that situation?”9fd93de6d3e551bb

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“Because that was the only revenge I could take.”2740c14707521555

Remington’s complexion in the interview 0e3b4893f5 was dark. His face was even more a34d3cbce9 terribly pale than Father’s when 3f7cfd9a62 he was expressing his devastation.d079009aa6e47345

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“What was Miss Roderson’s condition at the time?”64dbdb51e6c3a1b6

“As you know. I don’t want to go into detail.”421dfc16bd8fdf5e

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“Some people speculate there was sexual violence. What do you think?”af12525885b491b5

“Dani was with me the whole time, and there was no such thing. Furthermore, I don’t think such unnecessary speculation about the victim is right.”03f51c2e24d493e5

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Remington answered firmly, glaring at db5e6f78db the despicable reporter. A picture was 4c1f01d6f2 displayed prominently next 805d7f2a3e to his face.1dba86d653c4df6f

Remington, staring at the camera 4d9db17575 while carrying me on his cc32a53cd5 back.72215b2048eb8a07

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His haggard but beautiful 803b37ec7d appearance and the wide b479846358 ocean spread out behind 7b1090c8e1 him looked like a 68b02fbbc2 scene from a movie. His white shirt, stained 54dee19019 red around his stomach, 8959d57c4d looked like a device f2afda994d for a tragic visual 89ecb60842 effect.377f335af7d3d3ae

The panelists chattered about fcf92b6941 the picture.4eef335329a74a73

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“Mr. Howard has always been very popular with female students, but it seems his popularity will skyrocket after this incident.”386af758980c8234

“Who wouldn’t like him? Any woman would want to be Dana Roderson. Not only does she have Congressman Roderson as a father, but a boyfriend like this. She’s overflowing with luck with men.”57893b6b70c076e9

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“Furthermore, Julia’s estimated wealth is currently….”6ae002435693ad80

Limping, I approached Maxwell and 0b033e70c7 snatched the remote control from 7988328e36 his hand. I turned off the TV. Maxwell laughed loudly.a2556de83d9a89d0

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“Our Dani, overflowing with luck with men. Did you confess all your 6a77a1bbde sins to the pastor?”51601a28ad30df8a

“…Remington and I are not in any kind of relationship.”75071b73b978b371

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“Haha! If you’re suspicious of someone behind it, dig into your handsome boyfriend’s background. Isn’t it a great deal? Spending a night with a crazy girl and getting stabbed in the stomach in exchange for becoming a national hero.”9801bc9da4621818

Maxwell sneered with all 6b5bee341a his might, as if e5ea259c23 he were truly envious.da294df87c55dfdd

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“Like mother, like son. Celebrities are so good at attracting attention, aren’t they? Disgusting. How much they must be screaming with joy inside.”3cb323721f2c0fa4

My body felt dry and parched. People were excitedly talking about Remington’s stab wound, but they didn’t see how desolate his eyes looked in the picture. How much fatigue was contained in his eyes as he was interviewed about this incident.b3163041f1eec48f

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I could still hear our screams, and it was strange that others couldn’t hear them. People who decide not to hear truly hear nothing. They will never know whether I am singing or screaming.b68d7610f797075b

“…Don’t talk about Remington carelessly when you don’t know anything. He’s much more handsome and thoughtful than you. Not to mention his grades. He’s at the top of his class. He’s also the student representative. He’ll probably get into Cheln at the top of his class too, right?”e6d68b3db76adbde

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A defense of Remington popped out, and I was surprised at myself after saying it. Grades were Maxwell’s weak point. He glared at me, trembling. It served him right. I scoffed and turned my back. Just then, a hard object flew and hit the back of my head.7237cffe9f91e2bc

“Ugh.”243a811eaea94486

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I clutched the spot where cf019a8fa7 I was hit and sat ba6f3e8810 down on the floor. My phone was 4c421e7fb8 lying at my 23b19a5f3a feet. It was mine.d36877a789ffbe53

“Be careful. That Howard guy seems to have a peculiar taste. To call you every day even after seeing you like that, he must be a pervert.”d4108e7c15fd0d61

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As soon as I heard the word ‘call,’ I hurriedly checked my phone. There was indeed a record of daily calls from Remington. It seemed Maxwell had answered the last of the numerous missed calls.0ec554b9408080b6

“Why do you have my phone?”30820f6f94a832b3

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“You should thank me for getting it from the police. Why are you glaring at me?”faefdf4d6eac3834

“You didn’t say anything strange to Remington, did you?”6ebe3b00c6c770a3

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“I did advise him that if I were him, no matter how pretty she was, I wouldn’t mess with a crazy girl like Dani.”659f3698f052b118

He chuckled with 0a9e07ec10 a despicable look c40e039b34 on his face. I knew Maxwell, who 7e9f76a61b valued a dignified image, d888fce854 wouldn’t have said such 7143ab20b8 a thing, but I a8b2dae711 felt contempt for him b5a0ce3c0c for uttering those words b1729b909a as if they were c3cb601d30 a joke.ce7b65c6cf67c49f

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“A guy who lacks nothing shouldn’t ruin his life by being bewitched by someone like you, right?”41dd3a4ac6397920

“Go study, brother. Even if you got in with a donation, you need to graduate with honors so you can face Father.”4691fc4874f60b9e

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When I retorted with c3406f0af6 a straight face, Maxwell’s c80eb42755 face crumpled instantly. Don’t mess with me. As I was about 509d84fefc to leave the living ec82a94c29 room after landing a 182da2b687 blow on him, Anna 1d268bf1af came looking for me.1896058e4ccec61c

“Miss! Your friend Remington Howard is here. It seems he came to visit you in the hospital.”0a48d9f48e12e84f

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“…Yes?”9a8c702a02cb5e0c

“I invited him. He said he wanted to visit you in the hospital.”0a689c09cb511b70

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Surprised, I looked ace0fc7124 back at Maxwell. He scoffed and shrugged. Then he bent 722f2d2392 down and whispered 45640308e3 in my ear.5f0575d55f635d4b

“If you’re grateful, be careful with contraception. How embarrassed Father would be if you got pregnant.”25cd48a66b7f1b04

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“Maxwell!”90e5c228d54607a0

“Now you have a weakness against me. Inviting a boy home, Dani. If Father finds out, you’ll….”d3c1bd6837111d86

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Maxwell, as if e16bd5665d he hadn’t just ddd1b604a2 uttered those vulgar 8f55d987c7 words, returned to 0b9bd54dfe his well-mannered young 2c63037077 master persona and 227df8985a grinned.3ad6ec2f1a49c2b6

✧˖🕯️˚࿔️626d7a7dda2b0673

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“Hi.”4c0d09978bd35177

“…Hi.”dfd58cd8502ca0fd

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Remington and I 82bf322dc8 stood at the 733db80ea8 entrance, exchanging greetings 685b27df44 awkwardly like kids d380daffc9 who had just 9fb76c50f0 learned English. It was the 5cf5952120 first time I f976d97a4d had a guest 37becd2711 at my house. He was dressed in a 2b28ff92c4 formal shirt and held a 7497036859 package in one hand that 17179491ae looked like a get-well gift. I was wearing a cb05fc5c51 thin slip dress and ba7310b82d had only managed to f0e6357f25 apply some clear lip 0ba1a8d2de gloss. I was embarrassed.e10524aba82edb3d

As I stood dbe2bf2bcb there silently like 93e1d2b1ad a fool, Anna 6fa233fcde finally intervened.b9c5eb70f3c660f7

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“Would you like to go up to your room? I’ll prepare some tea and snacks.”6e2e1d28cb35d0ef

“Oh, yes, please.”f972d6e58a611b47

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I led Remington to my c15abb37b6 room, limping. My room was on the 5421546e2f second floor. Remington looked at my 63ada9b0c9 limping gait anxiously and 350142a504 soon supported me by 6ee53a06ec holding my arm.b7cb65f37033b13a

“…Thank you.”3f4d497efe710eca

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“You’re welcome.”d3103e95c14e43d0

His touch on my 8834589c4b arm made my heart 9905531f43 flutter. I wanted him to 8cddf7aff0 take his hand off be39a3a07c me quickly, yet at 18af350dda the same time, I 981d000c11 wished it would last 55dff2b678 a little longer. It was a strange feeling.95c12ce8d9f53b7f

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“This is my room.”42d764e60886467f

“It’s pretty.”4b3c95ab900a4095

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My room was exactly the 9db0b9a4b3 same as my dorm room. Blue wallpaper reminiscent of 303efdcaed blue velvet, a wooden 2e3de4a430 cross hanging on the 661f447835 ceiling, and a checkered 85c2499c09 floor. It was an interior 3c48dc2a9f that Father liked very 337826c06b much.3e6c9e1196576436

I sat on 31dfa1d32f the bed, and 547c896dcb he sat on 8ad631a458 the wooden stool 360c0511a4 next to it. We just sat 5e65036acf there in silence, 56358c88b5 looking at each 2f7a96e956 other. Remington looked very tired, 791777d987 and his face was f5de44fe85 dark. Probably because of the reporters.d598d4432c67a9b2

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“Please enjoy, and if there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”6e04a9c113b1342e

Anna, who came 079bb18694 up to bring 9565f1b086 refreshments, blatantly glanced b960d2f69c at Remington’s face. I hurried her 5b1d2fd5ce out, but Anna a5c87e0dcb stubbornly examined his a687f83ec3 face. Then she whispered in my ac57c2078f ear,1da4bdcbb2fe71ff

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“Your friend is very handsome. But I feel like 32be486344 I’ve seen him somewhere c0a673939e before. He looks very familiar.”81f20c9cbba32dca

Anna didn’t seem to f2d26c2e13 know he was Julia’s 000beca0c0 son. I could have explained 92886e6ca9 it to her, but 88b7cbd82d I just wanted to 67617206e8 get Anna out quickly. When I urged her to 0fbd96882d leave, she left the room, a430e7a5ec looking at me as if 6131350b26 I were her teenage daughter 728f520655 going through puberty.1c8a42a67d2603b3

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After Anna left, an awkward aac7dd80ee silence filled the room. Cookies and warm coffee were 44063af3dc placed on the table, but c5b11765c4 no one touched them. After a long a23326ca50 while, he spoke 7dbf54bfe9 first.f2c3aaf62df48d7b

“Are you okay?”e8aa271f5e1d1eda

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His gaze rested 1503d7c278 on my foot. I nodded.ce65b2a43f5c9f9d

“Yes. I’m okay. You?”20e71da4076f3a38

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“Me too.”c6370afd255fc55d

“That’s good.”8c139390c7582ced

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And then silence again. The ticking of the clock echoed overhead. Remington, lips tightly pressed together, kept his hands clasped, only his thumbs tapping against each other. I glanced at his hands. I couldn’t believe I had been holding those hands for a while. Now they felt so distant….0487a3c29ee57690

“Actually, I have nightmares.”37abcca7a8b4d936

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Those words suddenly popped out 79db2f3fc6 of my mouth. At that moment, Remington 5f36e17e6d stopped fiddling with his b0147b064f thumbs.6d3c33b48217613a

“That night often appears in my dreams.”b96d350c42f09bd8

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“…….”9f5b9b42fc0154ae

“Those men, and you too. The doctor said it’ll be like that for a while.”98aa70959d8bfb1d

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“…Sorry.”960a220ae7b622ad

After a long silence, Remington’s lips parted heavily to utter an apology. I was so surprised because I hadn’t expected him to apologize. His face hardened, and his clasped hands on his lap tightened with force. I shook my head and strongly denied it.095559b1da91ece1

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“No! This isn’t something a81d18869d you should be 5996ca6e36 sorry for.”0ec3fc0e733346fd

“It’s my responsibility. Because I couldn’t help you.”37c1a09af6fe5dfa

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“That’s not true. You….”602f5490fc534e49

“I was there. If I had been stronger, if I had… you wouldn’t have been subjected to such things by those bastards.”3bad851fd2668038

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His deep blue eyes were d0d2120f52 filled with helplessness and guilt.f22c9d04ee81e729

“I couldn’t do anything.”056bd0b57d61005b

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He bit his inner lip hard and remained silent. He seemed to be suppressing his emotions. His Adam’s apple bobbed a few times as if swallowing his rising emotions. Watching him, a corner of my heart ached coldly.256caea32b67d4ef

We were too young.84b4921cabce5e5e

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To handle something like this that wasn’t anyone’s fault.9b826512ab140a57

“You know, I’m okay. Really.”2e7199ef6c8d7685

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I made an 831d3ed8f5 effort to meet be0b7c5f5e Remington’s downcast eyes 26f77a47cc and spoke in 3f399bdf4a a deliberately brighter 98239f36c0 voice.c93275633308fb21

“The nightmares… I just said that. I was being childish. I actually have nightmares often. It’s not because of this.”e9db20ffe91dda93

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“…….”31a01b493fc67855

“If anything, I’m the one who should be sorry, right? Because of me, you went through something you didn’t have to. Come to think of it, nothing happened to me except that I can’t use one leg for a while. Besides, it ended up helping Father’s election, so it worked out well. I’m okay with that. I’m fine.”6b03626827ce9bf8

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I forced a bigger smile, hoping he wouldn’t blame himself. Remington looked at me with complex eyes. His eyes seemed to hold many stories, but I couldn’t read all the emotions within them. I felt like I understood him less and less as time went on.7df45945dca90a27

“Don’t say nothing happened.”44dac54d55bb8b22

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Remington said, looking 5b110fa744 at me steadily.63ea42556df6937b

“I know how much you suffered. I saw it. Just because what people are speculating didn’t happen doesn’t mean nothing happened to you.”968ab1bd32cfa8f7

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“…….”01489a135d757797

“At least you don’t have to pretend in front of me. We went through the ccfd03d678 same thing.”801877383eb2f738

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As I listened 90bf03b7ba to his words, 11eb1e0946 the smile slowly 3c4db46aaf disappeared from my 11d2d04188 face. My throat tightened.808e7764075f3546

We were witnesses to each other’s pain. I saw his pain, and he saw mine. We remembered each other’s vulnerable moments. We were each other’s witnesses.6f02c1c5f694e04b

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“You don’t have to try to be okay. It wasn’t okay.”26c22f3ed39bc3be

Various faces flashed bb4ca2b189 through my mind. My father, who didn’t come 4e9599fdc6 to see me except to 92e26b4755 take pictures with reporters. Maxwell, who only sneered. The reporters, who like ac943e9e8a hyenas, tried to dig c55103a169 up sensational stories. And Anna, who worried 8d4a81623c about me so much f0a110615e that I couldn’t show 1390a58fc1 her how hard it 93b6afa9d2 was for me.abb889e89359a6cf

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But Remington told me I didn’t have to be okay, that he understood.eb97ced81bb86544

“Why are you crying again?”fad3aeaba76308e0

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Remington reached out to me e53be35fc3 with a flustered look. Only then did I ed3c96fb9d realize I was crying. I hurriedly wiped my wet 560669449d cheeks.40384de51df59411

Remington sat down 507bb0edc8 next to me ab2f9cd5bc restlessly. The mattress dipped under his 8414812b06 weight. I looked at him.6310f4e0b56d1de9

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“Don’t be flustered. I’m crying because I’m grateful.”4dd621ca7cf6504a

Even though I knew e45fe959af I must have looked 6ad96e8caa foolish, I smiled at 711c97d390 him.f67ed0f0d33589cf

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“I didn’t know, but I think I wanted to hear those words. Thank you.”8b75416ddf340b2c

I said, sniffling.ff283346e429ce5e

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Remington just stared at me. His ears were flushed red. He twitched his 19697fed81 hand and then 077b401614 clenched it tightly 44f5599661 on his thigh.1709ffea728d7aca

“Stop crying. I’ve seen you cry too d261ee4ce3 much.”144ff78a3fe3a18f

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“Okay. I won’t cry after today.”089348be2f428e22

“Don’t think I care if you cry. I don’t feel anything.”c114ed4af5ec8337

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“Yeah. I know. It’s okay.”cb4e6ad077c271c5

“…Damn it, stop saying it’s okay.”ef0a764efc83f32b

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Remington clenched his fist tighter. He looked around, then 0d992e065d grabbed a cookie and 7b10b83f8f a tissue from the 46388f21e4 tray Anna had brought 31518f6e0a and handed them to 88ffcef025 me.4ab36f7889550ed4

“Wipe your face. And eat this too.”757cf2b9da6c24e5

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It felt like 15ec4c1f01 he would explode 1bf1df2904 if I didn’t 3c6285ec68 eat the cookie. I wiped my tears, c8dfaf3fe4 took a bite of 9eb0acb412 the cookie, and soothed febda2a7dc him.13b6cb5faa07316e

“It’s delicious. And I really am okay. So you don’t have b41c167c46 to worry about me. I even got my ecb7ac4cba leg cast off recently.”f47ed294e495265c

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“…I know.”7fcd2c4827ecc10c

“How did you know?”e2a479dded42f4b9

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“Channels like Wikids broadcast live updates on your recovery status.”f844ff3724400f92

“You listen to those stupid channels too?”ab769be19d3b6425

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“I only looked it up a few times because you kept showing up in my dreams, crying pathetically. It got on my nerves.”2c94843f71b9a466

“You dream about me? That’s a promotion in status.”445087f16a96591e

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Remington chuckled softly at my b0a2969a8c words.7492d2d6d9c28326

We shared the b65faae27c cookies and coffee a53201d431 that Anna had 1b28375f89 brought and talked cd36ba9ff6 a lot. About the photos published 28c9d1103a on the front page d8c2bc436f of the tabloids, the d6ebaa2fb1 bad reporters, and the 7dfe4ac99d real culprits.5ff0c645a632c51c

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We also looked a3a65133f5 at my bookshelf a429821b5c together. My bookshelf was 3f706de603 filled with things 7ea4fc31eb he would like. Numerous books, records, and DVDs. Remington looked around 0c356b4f84 with a nonchalant 4679177d78 expression at first, 652ae867e4 but his face c2525c55b1 gradually changed, becoming e5d6879738 as innocent as caddc01aaa a child who a56b36a8e9 had discovered treasure.4ba57128c871e41d

“This is out of print. How did you get it?”267f6e7af406c331

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“My sister, Beau, bought it at an auction when she went to London. Isn’t she amazing?”7338688824af810e

He smacked his lips. He seemed envious. While he was looking at d79200a7ef the collection, I took out 858f957436 a record and played it. It was an album with ee7d8fb64b the cool title, Whatever People Say I Am, a42a05e938 That’s What I’m Not.ddd92db518266fb1

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“I like this album too.”8237e46408cf7e17