Homecoming to an Empty Heart

Deep within the tall building of Greendale's police headquarters, Julia Graham was having a private conversation with her superior, Lawrence Davis."Julia, I hope you understand how dangerous this mission is. You'll be going undercover in a criminal organization. If you're exposed, you'll suffer a fate worse than death. "Even if you manage to infiltrate the organization, you'll have to join in on all the criminal activities to gather evidence, maybe even shoot at your own comrades," Lawrence warned, his expression grim."Not only will you suffer from the psychological effects of doing so, but no one knows how long you'll have to go through such torment. Moreover, you have a husband and a son, as well as your parents. Are you sure you can bear to leave them?"Standing at salute, Julia replied, "I'm already preparing to divorce my husband. He'll have a new wife who will take good care of our son. As for my parents, they've reunited with their biological daughter and are very happy w

The moment Julia opened the door, she was greeted by a cheerful atmosphere. Elijah was playing the piano, while Juliette was dancing along.Coby sat on the couch, clapping enthusiastically. "You're so pretty, Aunt Juliette!"They were the picture-perfect family of three.Suddenly, Juliette lost her footing and fell to the floor in a graceful tumble. As soon as she did, the piano let out a jarring, discordant sound. Elijah rushed to his feet and scooped her up, placing her gently on the couch.Coby hurried over as well, asking, "Are you alright, Aunt Juliette?"Grasping Elijah's sleeve, Juliette whimpered, "My leg hurts, Eli!"Elijah was crouching on the floor, and when he heard what she said, he quickly checked on her sprained ankle."It's okay. It's not a serious injury. Coby, go to my bedroom and bring me the ointment from the nightstand.""Okay!"Coby scrambled to the bedroom before running back to the living room moments later.With a concerned expression, Elijah instruct

After freshening up, Julia left the house to meet Diane Morton, Elijah's mother.The server at the cafe approached and asked politely, "What would you like to drink, ma'am?""Just a glass of water with a slice of lemon, please."Diane snorted disdainfully. "I don't know what my son sees in you. He plays the piano, paints, and enjoys opera. What about you? You have no taste or any understanding of refined culture. Do you two even have anything in common?"Julia looked at Diane, fully aware that Diane had never truly accepted her."That doesn't matter anymore."Diane was startled by Julia's indifferent attitude. She recalled how Julia used to always try and curry favor with her, smiling regardless of the insults Diane threw her way. It seemed like Julia finally developed a temper.Meanwhile, Julia didn't care what Diane was thinking.She placed a debit card on the table and said, "I know that you and Frank have never liked me. You two come from a well-educated and distinguished f

When Julia regained consciousness, the stinging smell of disinfectant allowed her to confirm she was in the hospital.The door to the hospital room opened, and Elijah appeared in the doorway carrying a container of food.Their eyes met, and he exclaimed with surprise, "Julia, you're awake! Are you feeling any discomfort?"Elijah's eyes were bloodshot, and his chin was covered in stubble. His hair was messy, and he was still wearing the same clothes he had on during the accident, but they were all crumpled now. Elijah was a bit of a neat freak. Ordinarily, he would never appear like this in public.Julia didn't want to look at him. She turned her head away and closed her eyes—not out of anger, but out of a deep sense of despair and helplessness.Previously, she'd spent ages trying—and failing—to understand why two people who were so in love could end up like this. She couldn't figure out why Juliette, who'd randomly appeared in their lives, was able to easily steal Elijah and Cob

The station was in the same direction as the hiking spot where the hospital was conducting its recreational activity. Julia was riding in a black sedan with a special license plate that ensured the journey was a smooth one for her.The sedan eventually overtook the hospital's shuttle bus. Elijah, who was sitting inside that bus, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, which was pounding erratically. He pressed his hand against his chest. It felt as though something was quietly slipping away from his grasp.He noticed a black sedan speeding past the bus at that moment.Juliette, who sat beside him, noticed what he was doing. She passed him a bottle of water while asking, "Are you feeling unwell?"Elijah withdrew his gaze from the window. Shaking his head, he declined the bottle of water, pushing it away. His expression was cold and detached, as if he were merely completing a task.And indeed, to him, that was what he was doing."We had a deal. This hiking trip is the last time I'