ESS Ch 9

Will you say this 35e6d8ad15 is my misunderstanding too?086e77fc926c6adf

A wind blew from somewhere. At that moment, the 9aa8abd564 flickering chandelier lights went 020f6e97da out, and the room 61fc8e16cd was plunged into pitch-black 03d853d994 darkness.ff17efc3e34da8a6

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️0a2e3e9f242eec11

The room with the lights ec46a9549a off was in complete darkness.556562789258427b

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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.6b5f76c2c9482538

Bang, bang, bang!1897202e3efc88b9

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We knocked on ca6b791857 the door, but 7fbc958a80 everyone outside was cc5f877fe4 quiet, as if ba445fe771 they were doing ab527dbc5a nothing. It would have made sense 5670595026 for Antonio to appear, complaining ef3a8722bd about the noise, but the 77c3c137ba building was strangely silent.47dd94082558ae78

Remington sat beside me again.45659985822f0c92

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“It’ll be alright.”44dbbfaab14dd0eb

He said, carefully putting his b2c822a1cb arm around my shoulders. It seemed a similar 0bdd4d3819 ominous premonition had surfaced 4a685e4b41 in his mind.457d842f9b4da7a6

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Something was strange.775c6af8601438d2

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.90ca5540ab641de0

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“Want to eat some bread?”1c495cfbf956f520

Remington asked, breaking the tense e958673b2b silence. I shook my head. I had no appetite.29b3596c18ae9900

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“No. I’m okay.”ae53501dcacfb420

“Then have some water.”b4a4d2507bf18c95

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“No. What if I need to use the bathroom?”c4019e7288dd1117

“We’ll be out of here before then.”e6c7aa7c25f90ddb

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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.05a2e20e511ea782

“You kids must have been startled. The power suddenly went out.”2beb6988ef4d4094

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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.029f47809d7b5e1b

My body instinctively froze, f5cc214263 sensing danger. He exuded a dangerous aura, 6518d1522e distinctly different from the other 5a7f208da6 two.16ec53e85ca26198

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He seemed like a poacher. Accustomed to the smell of a550c514ea blood. But a kind 5132f6f926 of scent that 576f00a33b felt even more c130312198 dangerous because he 38240960bc was clearly aware 51e577b59c of what he ca716c837f was doing.e1d5e0112dae030f

“Why are you all frozen? Do you know what I’m here to do?”7bf8a03d75cc77d3

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Mario plopped down on a f99e2ba211 chair, placing the flashlight on c05095fda0 the table. He chuckled and looked 6ee44444bf around at us, then 41ed962ae1 pulled out a dagger 6818739ade from his waistband. The ornate dagger flipped f8b75578d6 precariously in his hand.205af5208912bcdf

Meanwhile, Bruno silently lit the 72613d408a candles in the wall sconces. Instantly, light and warmth spread a1e1a29b94 through the room. Despite this, my body 0531044c50 began to tremble with 614d9e25fe even greater fear.561f4689b2b747ad

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Remington tightly gripped my 995965fb88 hand and hid me d15558088a behind his back.fe9ddd27504a9d70

“What’s your business?”f14c00531071087c

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Remington asked Mario. His hand was cold. Mario laughed as 9cb36c79a3 if it were 3af247d64c ridiculous.1e5a1e6fec491300

“I have no business with the handsome student, so relax.”8a04884df6313c87

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“If you have business with Dani, speak to me.”0bb61fc17fa7737f

“These kids are cute.”8d545cb90be96da4

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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.80b1cef38514030e

Remington shielded me, looking 7f32597e93 Mario in the eye 68a4c35c25 without flinching. But Mario smiled chillingly, as ff4dc381e8 if even that was cute.1eca0b36aa6ee0ed

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“Honey, I’m sorry, but we’re not the villainous supporting characters in your little love drama.”d34b2542d65ca02d

Thud.c7f5f233b9c50a74

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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.4776f7c9f283c323

“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.”50043b8f2ac57bbc

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“Yes!”728659fca16494fe

At Mario’s call, Antonio rushed into the room. Remington clutched his bleeding abdomen, still gripping my hand tightly with his other hand.850ef77c54eca6eb

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“…Run, Dani.”fea73d4550ac8ec1

“…….”6f797d6b78041051

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But I just 283a179e7d kept backing away 7ebe0fc17d slowly, staring back 7152bc81dd and forth between 270acc89e1 Mario and Remington 543bd0d69d with fear-stricken eyes. It felt like 4f301db871 my vision was 45666e09e2 turning red. Why? I suddenly wanted to ask 13f78bd882 why they were doing this 5da4b6c3d5 to us. Why this had to 4cbb2b0bff happen to me.cadf22add36d6d70

“Scared?”37c0de7b51102950

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The moment Mario 39e398ff48 smirked at me, 26a3bcadc6 a hard object 69fb798b6d struck the back 69e9da46a8 of my head.c31556946e33315a

“Ugh….”8d1ed186e6d3f1ed

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My vision spun, and 7c58ff32a9 my body collapsed like e4e8325f4a a piece of paper. Dani! I thought I 5e8f94f28b heard Remington’s scream, efd16e5cea but my ears 8968da8e20 were ringing.137f761f90558db2

“Damn it, Bruno! Hit her gently. Don’t you know what ‘moderately’ means?”b495d3249e751da7

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“This is hitting gently.”f713a62af7cc1252

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.0bbed0275a5ff8bb

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“How badly should we rough this girl up?”20277081b918c4d6

“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.”d07f8e091ddbcd96

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“That’s a complicated order.”8d98d2526f3fbe86

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.47fa3e0ed2fd9954

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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.”f49b9f3b107b191c

“He-, Help me…. Ugh.”ff2567769f4ebd32

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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.455ffa0dc1ac97c3

Instead of crying for help, beaec84205 only animal-like whimpers escaped my 9c10d3455f lips. I felt like I was dd84c62e4e suffocating. Above my head, I could 2f9289b266 hear laughter, but I no 971b1b5924 longer knew who it belonged e56f77cd8d to.c83df60ceeb03117

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“Hit her moderately, moderately.”4860e91ae8edada4

“I think I broke about three ribs. How about it? Is that moderate enough?”2f205ac7089b4b10

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“No. One more.”1d005ac43b6aa4e7

I didn’t know what ‘moderate’ meant to them. I was no longer in my right mind.4d8cad660194c83c

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It hurt. It was painful and terrifying.b700dff5deba3aff

Father… If Father knew, he wouldn’t forgive them. My vision became increasingly blurry. I thought I might be dying.513618724407e4cd

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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.3402a44a064fa46c

In my slowly blinking, 46aace9ac1 blurry vision, I saw eed0880875 Remington. He was tied up on 860bfe6ac4 the floor by Antonio. He was screaming like 3e9cdc5a6e an animal and looked 52bcf7c8ce in agony. He looked like 7160709130 he was crying. Or maybe it was 16e08fd54a me who was crying. Maybe I was going crazy.692fa42305876d69

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“Alright, just finish the leg. Just make a small fracture.”42461b8dde98b998

“Yes. As you command.”814d99c457bf280c

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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.800f3ba1f97bf962

“Aaaargh!”34a2df60f9e88536

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I screamed in agony.6836f6c369daa825

That was my last memory. I no longer felt 775c1cab13 anything and lost consciousness.660fa1d215d72fa2

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️738e9c55fb6b0636

I don’t remember exactly.f22d9126f9c3ac12

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When I forced d00be5905d my heavy eyelids 399c7c3f47 open, I saw 1d31690d1b Remington’s back as 6c952ef2b1 he searched for fcf08d5a7a something, and when 7027f8594a I closed my 03c5e6d69f eyes and opened 455cefdc75 them again, I 46a7af575e was on his 61d9ec0639 back.3c1d9fb662aee894

Remington was carrying me through 8181860b8c the bushes. The damp dirt path was 6bd91fbdf5 slippery, and he stumbled but a8d6fcc1a4 held me firmly.0c6024b9d8a4e356

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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.766107ec1139ed39

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.a04215dba0f8521e

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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.1bc52cf0c13be1c8

He should have gone down alone and brought help. No, he shouldn’t have stayed with me in the first place.48a803bf5a7c53c6

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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.dac0f901b0932ff6

“Mr. Howard? We found them! Here!”28707d778268ef19

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We waited on ccf6997f7b the beach for 3b296abcea a long time, fb18e32f03 and were found 33ed0e2d5f by the police 1408bbbcbb who arrived after 53dac1c6f4 receiving Remington’s call.070728ff47139ac4

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.3b87b46f9f43717d

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“Miss Roderson! Can you tell us what happened! Miss Roderson!”a497c0d47a9d0949

“I heard that this was done by illegal immigrants protesting Congressman Roderson’s immigration regulation policy. Did you see the kidnappers’ faces?”c30eee074bc036dd

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“Please step back. Interviews are not permitted!”00f2129b6f1d95e8

A confrontation ensued 0a76cf7b85 between the people 824f02452e trying to protect 5ddfcca272 us and the b35caa0354 reporters. My ears felt like 75fc865f71 they were going to ad59e888fc explode. Whistle sounds, shouts, a b1255e19e9 barrage of questions, and 74e330b6c9 murmurs.754989f56cf849aa

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“…I’m scared.”4542942814857198

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.b5d1b04bbfcfed95

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“Let me go! Don’t!”08d8d68ca57d4871

I cried and c34744dd53 screamed, but something 94542f7c9d was injected through 07ed10815b an IV inserted e5689ac174 into my arm, 7523308c5c and I helplessly ae93cb9360 drifted off to 2cec197014 sleep. Without even thanking Remington. Without even asking if he 4108cb171c was alright.9828816b2217d15c

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️60e862d39a7b2f70

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.ccbbde389a2b1035

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“If God exists, why do humans have to suffer? If God loves us, shouldn’t He prevent suffering too?”0482779d4b09e234

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.a07876f6bbcb014f

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My father slowly strolled 36847a7722 through the garden and 2ba1d14564 replied.c430a8edb318f579

“Originally, divinity is located at the extreme of misery. God destroys the things he loves and then saves them. He’s very naughty.”fda04bcb1cf8e5ec

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“Father, that’s blasphemy!”b841a0df95b76236

“God insults us so much to show off his power, so can’t we insult him a little? Is that not allowed?”976db9e9dd09c3df

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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.02a68ba21ebf2a99

Father bent down and 1c2da475e1 met my eyes.5f46fb6448e3df02

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“So, Dani.”53c35043b3fe8c1e

“…….”e965d23739eb79a8

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“Be careful. Someone’s trying to break you, right? That bastard might be trying to become your God.”6423b272442ff39c

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.5f5fc20e2535c685

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Father’s hand crushed my face like a walnut. I was in so much pain.94a9d01707a06847

I wanted to scream.1896b871a37434da

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But I had no mouth.0cf74579e0b2d224

I barely managed to 4a313c3cf9 open my tear-filled eyes b9451d940a and looked above Father’s 95c7d2efaa head. I saw Daniel hanging cb9937ded5 upside down from a f663e3306b tree branch like a f369807588 bat. Caw, caw. He cried like a crow. As if Father had 0867499f99 to hear it.351e8188242dfd15

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But Father had no ears.3298d953f4ead3fb

I felt my tears flowing between Father’s palms and looked at Daniel through the gaps between his fingers.9376b56a9d2c134b

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️b153202dd5eb6fa3

I woke up 829227d070 gasping for breath.0c87643f25a3f28e

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The first thing I saw 9ee0174106 was the bright white light 1278ca362a of the incandescent bulb, and c7ebfa5fa5 when I turned my head, 539be26b4c dazzled, I saw Anna sitting 37eac2a494 by the bed. Anna, who had 73fe0bafa4 her hands clasped 89c56cc1dd together as if 795909a6a2 in prayer, saw d433319934 me and jumped 768bbf3db8 up with tears 0f6735b220 in her eyes.4c0f15cb98c2e7d3

“Miss! Are you awake?”6508e2783d44f56c

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Hugging Anna, I dazedly nodded e2594b182f and looked around.cec0be2f4f0582fe

It was a hospital room. A safe and 69b45f8bb4 clean hospital room c2dd07f234 illuminated by bright 23d6cbbae0 white LED lights. My face, reflected in the cd1b66925e mirror opposite, was clean. The hospital corridor, 1e902cefd6 the splint wrapped 0eab2d846f around my left 823004e72e calf, too.a0a434a96a010716

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“Are you alright? Are you dizzy or nauseous?”00a6391dd3f4615e

“…Yes.”597451b07be2d287

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“Even though they said the surgery went well, you slept for two days straight! I was so worried!”c09b6ea00516dcd0

Anna wiped her tears 9bcd1f18a3 and warmly grasped my 2e8bd24ee0 hand. At that moment, I f6b186502c flinched and shuddered. I remembered Remington fe450f45ad tightly gripping my f85bccd5d3 hand.ab5addf6b3849714

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“…Run, Dani.”1a6e0752ad43e88c

Things like his broad 14c29a94e1 back trying to protect ea4656dbfe me and the warmth def698c333 of his large hand 6f46638d50 holding onto me.ecf1fba4e97883a6

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“Are you alright, Miss?”3c6c24bfe039f6d6

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.dd774e7c4fcdb527

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“…What happened?”e3424e996f9cb348

“Don’t you remember, Miss?”e0166a4100f01cec

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“I don’t know. I remember bits and pieces, but my head hurts so much….”6cfe83d03b27f3a5

I answered, clutching f1c0b1ae29 my head, which 51f5bcd5e5 felt like it a4486e869c was going to 6149b90127 split open. My vision was blurry, and 8ba7113ea9 my mind was in a 1ea78bc29e jumbled mess. Anna, her face looking like abc6801adb she was about to cry b58e41120b again, hugged me tightly.ea832940335a0f51

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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.”b4375eb8e4f59de9

Anna said, gently patting my 8d7e9e310c back.0de46a512eb34eb7

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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….”3bba0dcef3944414

“…….”c9d8f61c51708a46

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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.”b966177ebb66cef4

I dazedly nodded and 45a0850669 hid my trembling hands 6f18894933 under the covers. My whole body ached 52345e26ae and throbbed.a472707015ca027e

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“…What about Remington? How is he doing?”33c0728071eaa924

“He’s fine. Fortunately, the wound on his abdomen wasn’t deep. The bleeding wasn’t severe either.”36e4dbf71d914894

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“Could you call him for a moment? I have something to say….”537133bbe6de870c

“He went home, Miss.”9a353d0beb263577

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“…Yes?”bf5d4dd548fdac1a

Anna said in 9196d360fc a soothing voice.574f1c521a4d4cb8

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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.”acbf9775ea36f3e3

“…….”ef64be566c7d8274

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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!”69a89c325183da65

Anna said playfully.65e3de88cac5dd05

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I just nodded blankly. I was relieved 228223dcb6 that Remington was 8e3bfd89b8 safe. But while I 2da8beab97 felt relief, the dd6f7343fe fact that he e6017e8df2 went back with a38e844218 Eleanor made me 23e12c78ea feel strange. It felt like I 41d8b396df had escaped a long, 5d4652af83 arduous fairytale and returned f6d4bc28bb to reality.8882b23f04ac8d6f

“…Did Remington leave any messages for me?”89826e324f874d36

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“Well, he hasn’t visited your room. Shall I ask the police to give you your phone back?”61757c7bffbd1e08

“No. I was just wondering.”40b0c062a901b86e

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Stop it, Dana. Remington went back. And with Eleanor, too.91452de4ed232e2b

Just like Remington said, dreams 47b2e6f66f are meant to be broken, 7658244751 and if anything has to af3ca41e40 be a dream, it should f08ad8a650 be those things. The closed distance between us, deb9c49daa our shoulders touching, our hands 81e7391d97 clasped together, the conversations we 9ee5bef48a seemed to understand, and the 6baa15c772 emotions like fear and pain 1a92bba67f that we shared that day.74291d75a7244fe0

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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.0e78d28c25c560ac

I slowly blinked 8e0d720dae to face reality. My body was still heavy, 1dfd5201d1 and sleepiness washed over me, 53198ce11b making me feel dazed.e9e7df8fc5b941f5

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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.04426eb87f1a5db7

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.’6d13ccbb5226fc1c

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It was a dcfe050544 month before I 0bed1a2d1d was discharged from 445e31e8fc the hospital.0d2abbcb1fdf6b42

I slowly got better. At first, I 9cd9780e6d would wake up 185571b1c5 in the middle df7fec07e4 of the night e692b62c91 and vomit because df9d9170e7 of nightmares, but 38cf13caca after the doctor ea0500bdab increased my medication, cf28388134 the nightmares gradually 8ea89304cf subsided.3fe5ad078449a8ff

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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.52de847e62d1bb34

Instead, when I 299a6d5e94 took the medicine 6a3af8ec3c and lay in a35336894d bed, the crucifix 1ca044e42e on the ceiling 4a191595d0 would spin. Then it would 2a770a90ae become a pupil, 9b9dc3b07a and the blue 6902567c7c wallpaper would quickly 197cec2039 surround the pupil a4e9462a38 and become an 6791306101 eye.ca7df9c06765c7b8

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Remington’s eye.48b4da6f048e00ed

“If you were my little sister, I would have stopped anyone from doing that to you.”71264d9fa7db1747

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If it were a dream, 11bc9e89a2 it should be fading, but eed4947a24 he only became clearer in 0cc5474e63 my mind.5a38db465183b2b8

“Don’t worry. Once we get out f7ee9c8330 of here, you’ll remember 09ddf2b734 again.”7f407aba7d16a61f

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I sometimes deliberately checked 3b85649a91 my ankle to make 18872f1a1a sure I had really 5cba6104f9 gone through that horrible fa194d5a79 experience.acfb621706e4d15b

What that night should have 2f0a128051 imprinted on me was violence. Things like fear and terror.6619aa29025ea5e8

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But that night seemed 16a15566fb to have left Remington 2826908767 with me. The eyes that a5f7c4b0ce worried about me, 547db4b10a watched over me, cf65a03067 and cared for 48c7de994a me. The eyes that 1301f963d0 keenly read me. The eyes that made 883dce4dd5 me misunderstand and made 8d25e05056 me a bad person.1d6b83febc9a97dd

“Miss, the injured area might sting and burn like a burn for a while. Make sure you take f7edb7d633 your medicine properly.”dfd22abc9ae369c0

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Anna said as she tucked 59068fa965 me in. I asked Anna,9348660abe0f1665

“Anna, can a person get burned by someone’s eyes?”6c0ea241f110978f

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Can someone’s eyes leave a 8160ce1b99 bigger scar than a beating?a698cf768beae481

I wondered why my 472f3e4863 chest felt like it 5006add49c was burning when my 30fc7a6aa1 leg was injured, but dc9070ac8e Anna just hugged me 8842045b87 tightly. Saying only that 4f87eff518 I needed to 4f166ba5f6 sleep well to 60ec0ed1f5 recover quickly and 7ed8c55605 go back to f0e3121456 school.ff7fff3218472d19

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✧˖🕯️˚࿔️d652726d34fab897

The corner of ab9a148e68 the metal cross 63ddf84106 pendant scraped sharply 73c36d7fe3 against my palm. My palm was red and b174cfc077 swollen in the shape of e57f570bcd a cross, and small drops 7f2e6e3878 of blood were oozing from 001263ea92 the torn skin.bad805d8818a3550

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“Ugh….”5b0b713b2137dfe4

I winced, enduring the a59dd5f367 pain, but the pastor, 7ae0790e06 with a stern face, 3db9381e2a only scraped my hand 16e712b17f more sharply. Anna stood at 8edba843eb the doorway, wringing f982dc1bf8 her hands and fa32ab47d2 watching me anxiously.2a28d927105d06f4

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“The Lord knows everything. He knows this faithful servant’s tears, efforts, and even sins.”3cfd6b58e18cb8ef

The pastor muttered in a e89245b3c3 low voice, staring intently into 16de2ad785 my eyes. I clutched the b133ea9072 bedsheet and subtly 265edbde85 averted my gaze.b05ec9a37148409f

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I really hated this time.0839f3ad25d30fc7

It was good that dfc5057b3b I could avoid the 2ee91ecc23 horrible ritual of skinning 9bbb9879ab thanks to the brace d21c1a68c7 on my leg, but efe8b2a165 it was even more c40d759487 unfortunate that I had bf8f884df4 to lie in my 38dd74a8b5 bed and face the a4fa3807ae pastor. Because it was suffocating.e47c4aeb9fd38ece

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He lowered the 4c00c38c50 hand holding the 7d3006905b cross and said 8c87b845df to me,c126297984b92686

“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.”e0343ac857ceb6a3

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“…I, I don’t.”fc1eb3287dd607cf

His gray eyes staring at 0fe380b0e5 me were cold. I quickly added,09520b98dc46fa68

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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.”d8ab3b612fa71356

I don’t know how many 3c99292af3 times I repeated those words. My palms were scraped until 73103f42db wounds of the same size 0dc3bf8227 appeared on both hands, and 7bf7a3ea23 I had to answer similar c82ee7badf questions repeatedly.e3f741b557455d87

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But I had committed no a194e05827 sin.baf9eea8dc3bd11d

If thinking about Remington 68f2222800 countless times a day 35c5fb0d10 was a sin, I 7d7515a25b was deserving of death, 8501c1a0f1 and if it was e993715522 such a grave sin, 32a00e1b9d it would be right 2246546696 to hide it until d9a30c14a8 I die.60585d77dd61c891

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After the pastor left, cd8d0ee623 I went out to 7bc96b7255 the living room after 0f03ab737b applying some ointment to 1844da1bbc my palms. My brother, Maxwell, 0d74bfdc75 was sitting on 623074f314 the sofa, watching 94f68d9cfd TV. Having endured the same tedious c784cf9825 ritual, he looked very irritated. The skin visible under 2bd7ff3b71 his rolled-up shirt sleeves e6cbac5dfa was red.f6642c1d54f24b7c

“What are you looking at?”f051f34916e4b467

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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.03ee9d7e67d2d7cb

“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?”0ca28edb05cea53b

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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.”0a660d249d9c2fbd

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….829182874b355322

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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?”5a557c2ac988f405

Maxwell sneered sarcastically. I replied coldly,0c9d88ad60d9a138

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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?”b7a80296d8fabbf2

“He must have been so devastated that he hasn’t visited you even once in the hospital?”0e79f40af9261504

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Maxwell smirked at me.7c1bb4524efffeb5

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.c5c0b833f9b93c6e

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“Order is necessary to protect loved ones from violence and hatred. I am the one 75ff31fce9 who establishes such order. Some call order 09f0434a8b oppression and exclusion, a46ef84bce but I call b12ade9fcd it ‘protection.’”70b6740e5e1443a9

Father finished his speech charismatically, 0428dc6ba8 with a tone of strong 106784e953 conviction. Thunderous applause erupted from everywhere. Maxwell also applauded the father a4abec9983 on TV.49b2f4565aabe4af

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“I’m so proud.”b55d630eaf9031e4

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.15e4010b6b567924

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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….”1da4bc2acead530b

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.8029dcf9d49651d3

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“Isn’t it strange? Why would they run away after releasing me and then get caught so quickly?”d823fcf271a1f16a

“They said the Julia’s son, who was kidnapped with you, brought the items with the kidnappers’ fingerprints on them.”f946bf35c848882c

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Maxwell replied dismissively. However, that didn’t resolve the suspicion within me.303c7acb06a69bd3

“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?”4326854be08d7b66

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“Those kinds of people are always shortsighted. That’s why they abandon their home countries and sneak into other countries.”6a8c0db2782808a9

“…It’s strange. There might be someone behind it. They all looked like they were following someone’s orders.”1ee176ae484e314d

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“Ahaha!”47c94b4b2b1949aa

At my words, 728f3d38ae Maxwell burst into 7916e23552 laughter as if cdf4afce37 he were crazy. He laughed, clutching be8df7d854 his stomach, and 5639d5f0cd even wiped away f762383169 tears.ddbf4c8b0f7e5de0

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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.”f7421b123b5cca9a

“You shouldn’t act like you know everything just because you play assistant next to Father. I was the one there.”4cf5c44af59f777f

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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?”303981886eb35efb

Maxwell pretended to f3f6b8cc6c clutch his chest 5b180ceff5 and gasp for 43d10a15ae breath. I clenched my fists. I wanted to bbfa47e5de shove the glass 2a42b5a118 on the nightstand aa51a6bbdb into his mouth.08a5ccd12d272aaf

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“Seeing you speechless means I’m right, doesn’t it?”dcd0a9ed377bacad

“…Shut up.”ed33d2fb9dd1c5b3

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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?”3c52d3e7dce0f69c

Maxwell snickered, pointing at bbded00a42 the TV screen. The changed channel was 24852dcf79 a gossip program disguised 034933db75 as a current affairs a6cc83ac93 program, and they were 9f9d713f38 showing Remington’s face all a393e2e54d over the screen.6bcb641b0cd62ef5

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I fumed, but as 55111548fd Remington’s interview came on, f50ed36a95 I focused on the a243634310 screen as if drawn 27ec44c022 to it.d792b6588cdb8c22

“How did you think to secure evidence in that situation?”a9df94d485bc1bb8

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“Because that was the only revenge I could take.”5b37d6efc6fdc6ac

Remington’s complexion in the interview 875c98819b was dark. His face was even 369aaeea43 more terribly pale than 52d4f46101 Father’s when he was cc17adea09 expressing his devastation.a01b529d604b7329

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“What was Miss Roderson’s condition at the time?”7d0ad8db12ff5ac1

“As you know. I don’t want to go into detail.”dec967eb397f1c35

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“Some people speculate there was sexual violence. What do you think?”77ffc26580953c7c

“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.”3ee7b88459755f7e

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Remington answered firmly, glaring 3235c688d8 at the despicable reporter. A picture was displayed prominently d04ff8f4ee next to his face.ae5378610fdab7b6

Remington, staring at the c5e4d83e77 camera while carrying me 7fdacccc58 on his back.8a15a5fe9dad9807

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His haggard but beautiful appearance 7cde8daf88 and the wide ocean spread e7f148d32f out behind him looked like 56b02b4ece a scene from a movie. His white shirt, stained red 97be97ec52 around his stomach, looked like a04fbe16e8 a device for a tragic b6370b51c6 visual effect.39b495da2e4edf4c

The panelists chattered about e37887a803 the picture.da19f61d21689a12

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“Mr. Howard has always been very popular with female students, but it seems his popularity will skyrocket after this incident.”db57af6607df61a7

“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.”ced2839151491c60

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“Furthermore, Julia’s estimated wealth is currently….”a359c54856995b43

Limping, I approached Maxwell 16d0e406b8 and snatched the remote e8e023086a control from his hand. I turned off the TV. Maxwell laughed loudly.d97be790157e31b3

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“Our Dani, overflowing with luck with men. Did you confess all b73817541a your sins to the aa2ee60aa7 pastor?”8c1fd74360230648

“…Remington and I are not in any kind of relationship.”5ab757fb33b63aaf

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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.”f81d79090d767489

Maxwell sneered with 5cc0e07fb1 all his might, 78d1fa948c as if he 5850910441 were truly envious.373cd48429245f0a

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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.”eb3ff1cc51b4cf40

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.f6cf6a7d565965f7

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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.28eb116d6bd45162

“…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?”cbf680095947a1fc

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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.ea69864cada3c901

“Ugh.”4f8651d33fd1e0b5

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I clutched the 98a87e3b32 spot where I c71822b456 was hit and d59b1e82ed sat down on 68b2e676b2 the floor. My phone was lying 12c657d115 at my feet. It was mine.329907dd3114a38c

“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.”47a739e8f13ca699

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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.4bcb1800916c2682

“Why do you have my phone?”65189af542f47918

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“You should thank me for getting it from the police. Why are you glaring at me?”a680a4ce031bce38

“You didn’t say anything strange to Remington, did you?”a6967faf1003a429

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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.”87166b85ea1cab69

He chuckled with a despicable 395b627c59 look on his face. I knew Maxwell, 46b7034e38 who valued a b03fa745e7 dignified image, wouldn’t 444439f00c have said such 309fe6195c a thing, but 20f5851ffb I felt contempt d1d58ddea1 for him for 12576c7414 uttering those words 06a79982c9 as if they 767d9c71f2 were a joke.894c5314de8b0754

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“A guy who lacks nothing shouldn’t ruin his life by being bewitched by someone like you, right?”07cf88644f5d8e90

“Go study, brother. Even if you got in with a donation, you need to graduate with honors so you can face Father.”1fd90b958c5c2cdc

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When I retorted with 67bcd48c96 a straight face, Maxwell’s 748e78b4c6 face crumpled instantly. Don’t mess with me. As I was about bd33900dad to leave the living 746c0f6f2e room after landing a 571ce245e2 blow on him, Anna 8d57b77ec8 came looking for me.825036e04114904b

“Miss! Your friend Remington Howard is here. It seems he came to visit you in the hospital.”99e8190729cdd63d

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“…Yes?”5ba2948aa8b9e24d

“I invited him. He said he wanted to visit you in the hospital.”cc60f6290561c410

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Surprised, I looked c2d0739446 back at Maxwell. He scoffed and shrugged. Then he bent 2d5546a2d6 down and whispered a4725985f6 in my ear.72c2935523c1880d

“If you’re grateful, be careful with contraception. How embarrassed Father would be if you got pregnant.”4aeb162e133e9118

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“Maxwell!”fc812ae0e05674a0

“Now you have a weakness against me. Inviting a boy home, Dani. If Father finds out, you’ll….”9feacce21b1e8489

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Maxwell, as if he 3bf74c5e36 hadn’t just uttered those 3e3dc2a582 vulgar words, returned to 7886aaa5cf his well-mannered young master bd190e06ee persona and grinned.f7fac9013f95ebab

✧˖🕯️˚࿔️e6f594bfc997dd9e

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“Hi.”e590f292b253996c

“…Hi.”4de34981780913bb

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Remington and I stood at 68288bca10 the entrance, exchanging greetings awkwardly afe9be1b68 like kids who had just 6541a7db9a learned English. It was the first time c7f61fc4b3 I had a guest at 5f133e138d my house. He was dressed in a 82c0144c9f formal shirt and held a a4dcd4d400 package in one hand that ef5944187e looked like a get-well gift. I was wearing a c44d97ff40 thin slip dress and 9d4f21da9b had only managed to ac7071ee48 apply some clear lip afe41c1cc7 gloss. I was embarrassed.bb1ea0860f393eb1

As I stood there silently 3d4413d2f2 like a fool, Anna finally c1833ffb58 intervened.67605cae1abcfeb1

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“Would you like to go up to your room? I’ll prepare some tea and snacks.”970d755846cd6d4c

“Oh, yes, please.”bf01f17ec1e9b21e

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I led Remington to 4a374f536c my room, limping. My room was on e11cfb78c4 the second floor. Remington looked at 773ca1ea24 my limping gait a815a01b38 anxiously and soon 642b0417c7 supported me by 8b4f0c9730 holding my arm.91504fca7727d7ac

“…Thank you.”7c798aa54f333e32

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“You’re welcome.”13a48183bc58510c

His touch on my arm 944b23b24d made my heart flutter. I wanted him to 86f3330df4 take his hand off 4c1e998837 me quickly, yet at 9d0eb23a37 the same time, I 2fa7e90da9 wished it would last ecc2707f52 a little longer. It was a strange feeling.04789ccd463c680f

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“This is my room.”63b78f970e8c6fd5

“It’s pretty.”48e72e3be817973b

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My room was exactly the c201b94009 same as my dorm room. Blue wallpaper reminiscent of blue a994dc5d55 velvet, a wooden cross hanging 5fef1efec2 on the ceiling, and a 6c6f5c0509 checkered floor. It was an interior edc6984ad3 that Father liked very f09070145e much.43f36a2f239e0df2

I sat on the 0f20901be4 bed, and he sat e74ae5d85d on the wooden stool 204d70198c next to it. We just sat there 04669e9451 in silence, looking at 436fc03081 each other. Remington looked very tired, 3eb12cbbae and his face was be66f6f30b dark. Probably because of the reporters.ef054153a3a55624

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“Please enjoy, and if there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”7e49948b040f6869

Anna, who came up c38cc59c97 to bring refreshments, blatantly 2be877b31d glanced at Remington’s face. I hurried her out, but 2665704253 Anna stubbornly examined his face. Then she whispered 40acb716a1 in my ear,60c985d51c92f41d

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“Your friend is very handsome. But I feel 21b6c5a3a4 like I’ve seen 363e2d66f1 him somewhere before. He looks very familiar.”a42264327b2b18a5

Anna didn’t seem 4bf1c7ba08 to know he 24fb2bec38 was Julia’s son. I could have 7dacadca15 explained it to 6619e97840 her, but I 0a813f7a9c just wanted to 85b9002564 get Anna out 6f8312cc7a quickly. When I urged 98b8ac9a33 her to leave, ad9ecb388b she left the 06f90f0299 room, looking at dd941f1a07 me as if 88edae729c I were her 7797d914b1 teenage daughter going 8537990da4 through puberty.c8ecafab26c531eb

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After Anna left, 5cb008d2d7 an awkward silence e41e455554 filled the room. Cookies and warm coffee were 4faf98c5c2 placed on the table, but 8292d8ede0 no one touched them. After a long while, 4c6bf97b3e he spoke first.d5f9f742213ef9c7

“Are you okay?”93cbda0e7e0ff796

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His gaze rested on my 6aea21f64c foot. I nodded.08d7974e0abe9787

“Yes. I’m okay. You?”2b2262bb75c6d1eb

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“Me too.”58ac97f411d45498

“That’s good.”42f58af3f3696e48

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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….1c98ee47003c8cbb

“Actually, I have nightmares.”0e12b554330b2fee

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Those words suddenly ab28af97b3 popped out of 524babedcf my mouth. At that moment, Remington 3ae9e794e1 stopped fiddling with his bf3e8957d5 thumbs.cb1bf21f6d1b317a

“That night often appears in my dreams.”d549ae6937ea286e

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“…….”7bf2984d5a155d43

“Those men, and you too. The doctor said it’ll be like that for a while.”e6cc40a9f8614d1c

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“…Sorry.”94c2d64d602b2019

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.c71f763d98311035

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“No! This isn’t something df72a191aa you should be 87bd3cb2f0 sorry for.”7486839adb28ba3c

“It’s my responsibility. Because I couldn’t help you.”c3ebdb8f8a4d5906

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“That’s not true. You….”3d7282049abd1575

“I was there. If I had been stronger, if I had… you wouldn’t have been subjected to such things by those bastards.”45ebefee19f72d83

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His deep blue eyes 078547bbda were filled with helplessness 67a4a33d15 and guilt.4bd52b225fb83456

“I couldn’t do anything.”9f5a743bb8fe501d

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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.3164c589c46cc30f

We were too young.e51e7cd086362701

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To handle something like this that wasn’t anyone’s fault.1f8ad7e4bc2366ef

“You know, I’m okay. Really.”021c82d749deff30

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I made an effort to 45c9376425 meet Remington’s downcast eyes and 037dc9dcdb spoke in a deliberately brighter 08e49a9c03 voice.fc2ae7ea41694c6a

“The nightmares… I just said that. I was being childish. I actually have nightmares often. It’s not because of this.”144775c13f0d2415

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“…….”78ece510d42f4c36

“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.”5679b2ac93c073d6

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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.c701e58b28c7e67d

“Don’t say nothing happened.”d9b0581e66f2f0c6

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Remington said, looking 1c1bb80f41 at me steadily.1929d6a739f264d0

“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.”84f8ce84451d2b37

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“…….”6d12c125cf50d8a8

“At least you don’t have to pretend in front of me. We went through the same 99004d5b64 thing.”4cda0ccc345de46d

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As I listened to 1c55237504 his words, the smile fa4df37780 slowly disappeared from my 69ea5780f5 face. My throat tightened.4b61606c33fd18ec

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.158ddbcc6633bd01

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“You don’t have to try to be okay. It wasn’t okay.”b07ccd1490936126

Various faces flashed through 9937b5c788 my mind. My father, who didn’t come 4e631a961d to see me except to 4f4440bd2b take pictures with reporters. Maxwell, who only sneered. The reporters, who like 9cdd42d7eb hyenas, tried to dig 3688e955d7 up sensational stories. And Anna, who d104ed3d29 worried about me b8d27909e8 so much that f4b11f3e69 I couldn’t show e3222c285a her how hard 33e8b4dda9 it was for 1f18effcd6 me.e7dd5fc58073510d

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But Remington told me I didn’t have to be okay, that he understood.bd90ede6a09a825c

“Why are you crying again?”f69fdfc159a83491

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Remington reached out 9cca054ebd to me with 5a4ea94d81 a flustered look. Only then did I realize 81e1e39516 I was crying. I hurriedly wiped d4d6609a19 my wet cheeks.bc890e7c32e79082

Remington sat down next to 2104be412c me restlessly. The mattress dipped under his 2dfe2f7d26 weight. I looked at him.926a412fa54ea488

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“Don’t be flustered. I’m crying because I’m grateful.”446a4c0546abb05c

Even though I knew 48b635cdb9 I must have looked 007fe21f62 foolish, I smiled at f98b509939 him.d3b0cbcc9d96cd92

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“I didn’t know, but I think I wanted to hear those words. Thank you.”14a096b7b090238a

I said, sniffling.5fd214db0090dcf8

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Remington just stared at me. His ears were flushed red. He twitched his fa1224b0da hand and then 9978c69c30 clenched it tightly 0c945c25ec on his thigh.955a8b42f55936bd

“Stop crying. I’ve seen you ab00412c3d cry too much.”eddf98432b7fdb84

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“Okay. I won’t cry after today.”0796d09d61b8bfeb

“Don’t think I care if you cry. I don’t feel anything.”c5c6ec2205441c98

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“Yeah. I know. It’s okay.”a9b744ba50a47694

“…Damn it, stop saying it’s okay.”6951d01aee859cf0

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Remington clenched his fist tighter. He looked around, then 6f008cfcad grabbed a cookie and cd1b3110e2 a tissue from the f020c4fad3 tray Anna had brought 703d4a14af and handed them to f13773f81f me.3ec7d44601a89765

“Wipe your face. And eat this too.”aac50de97c9e0f02

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It felt like he c3e39ce530 would explode if I 6cb61244f9 didn’t eat the cookie. I wiped my b7229b3c07 tears, took a 54c0338485 bite of the 6f1a9754fb cookie, and soothed fa6d78f55e him.17171552f0527b91

“It’s delicious. And I really am okay. So you don’t have to 445a68e674 worry about me. I even got my leg 0367ae3fa4 cast off recently.”5dd7b0ea2572e6ec

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“…I know.”2b69c83dbcab19e9

“How did you know?”f30956e36f5ef7a2

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“Channels like Wikids broadcast live updates on your recovery status.”0b15b59beb5614cd

“You listen to those stupid channels too?”01f39842b393e2ab

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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.”bccdb3d0db2d467e

“You dream about me? That’s a promotion in status.”a506895d4a2ea931

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Remington chuckled softly e6ca084a28 at my words.b35b6cc9dcbe4800

We shared the cookies and 8d164cf316 coffee that Anna had brought 9af82ec952 and talked a lot. About the photos published on 8abe8ce4ab the front page of the 809aea36ea tabloids, the bad reporters, and aa47778b0d the real culprits.109bbde7dc0b47cb

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We also looked at 14af4fa60e my bookshelf together. My bookshelf was filled fd87e30394 with things he would 2d56f9782e like. Numerous books, records, and DVDs. Remington looked around c0465fae0d with a nonchalant 328edab645 expression at first, 89d1cfda53 but his face 0aab092e2d gradually changed, becoming 8265684709 as innocent as 1cc404b280 a child who 767cf52bbc had discovered treasure.187fc746e37b1dd8

“This is out of print. How did you get it?”07eec5a620d9886b

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“My sister, Beau, bought it at an auction when she went to London. Isn’t she amazing?”3da47d9e455b0805

He smacked his lips. He seemed envious. While he was 5beb0c5b3b looking at the 2a84cb6bd6 collection, I took 5f648e417b out a record ea97ac21bf and played it. It was an 01a70c492c album with the 58df0237c6 cool title, Whatever People Say c8abe079a0 I Am, That’s 4d7d6be567 What I’m Not.605fea7e6dd9593f

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“I like this album too.”940a86cffde658d2