تسجيل الدخولAfter that, none of them ever showed up outside my apartment.They had taken different approaches.Every few days, I would find a letter in my mailbox. Some were thick. Some were thin. Each one was written by a different person.I never opened them.I simply set them aside and threw them away at the end of every week.Sometimes, Ronan would send an email dedicated to me to the project's email address.I set up a filter to direct them to the bin.The only time my hardened heart had melted was when I received a package shipped from my hometown.I opened the package and found an album containing my childhood photos.Dad had slipped a note into the first page.'These belong to you. We have taken many things from you. We want you to have them at least.'I lazily checked the first few pages.A photo was taken when the three-year-old me rode on Dad's shoulders.Another was taken when I won an award in primary school. Mom was beaming proudly.Back then, they had not found Bianca
Julian must have waited there for a long time. Several empty coffee cups were scattered along the curb. Stubble had grown on his chin.As soon as he met my eyes, he practically jumped out of the car and called out to me. "Alba!"I withdrew my gaze and kept walking toward the bus stop.He hurriedly caught up with me, then followed one step behind. He did not try to stop me. "I understand if you hate me now, but there's something I need to tell you in person."I kept walking.He trailed behind me, but his voice dropped. "You were the one who saved me from that speeding car. I had mistaken Bianca for you the whole time. If only I had asked for your name, none of these would've ever happened."I stopped in my tracks and glanced at him. Under the morning light stood a haggard man with dark circles beneath his eyes.I arched my brows and asked flatly. "And then?"My response took him aback."Sure, now you know the truth. What are you going to do? Do you want to win me back or expect
I expected them to give up over the following week.However, when I returned home from the lab one evening, I found my mother waiting outside my apartment building.She had visibly lost weight since our last encounter. Her eyes were red and swollen. She was holding a food jar.The moment her gaze landed on my face, she stumbled forward. "Alba—"I remained 10 feet away from her, not bothering to approach her."How did you find this place?"She wiped her tears and gave me a bitter smile before explaining hoarsely, "Your professor didn't tell us anything. Your dad had to ask one of your former classmates for the address. "Here, I made your favorite soup. You must feel lonely living here by yourself, right? I'm sorry I failed you. I shouldn't have lied to you for Bianca's sake."She stepped forward, and I took another step backward.It stunned her.I looked at her and said calmly, "Mom, there was once when you faked a heart attack to trick me into going to the hospital, just so
Autumn arrived earlier in Clayfield than I had expected.Wrapped in my adviser's coat, I organized the data in the corner of the lab.Outside the window, the tree leaves had turned yellow. The weather was just cozy enough to make everything feel unreal.It had been two weeks since I arrived in Clayfield.Dr Anderson, my adviser, never once asked why I had suddenly changed my mind. She simply handed me her spare apartment key. "You can stay there for now. There's no rush to find a new place."She had likely noticed my poor state, so she only had me assisting her over the past few days.My wounds were still throbbing with pain but had healed significantly since the day I first arrived in the city.…That day, the taxi driver practically carried me into the emergency room. Seeing my pale face and my forehead drenched in sweat, he refused to charge me.We did not know each other at all, yet he already showed me more kindness than the family I had known for two decades.I register
Julian picked up the termination letter with trembling hands.He dialed Alba's office number.The receptionist's polite voice crushed the last of his hope. "Ms. Harrington resigned a week ago.""Where did she go?""I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to disclose it."After that, the receptionist ended the call.Julian's next stop was the police station.…The officer on duty pulled up the report and glanced at him. "Are you the victim's family?"Julian replied, "She's my girlfriend."The officer pushed the copy of her statement toward him and explained, "The suspect, Nicholas Suchet, dragged the victim, Alba Harrington, into the underground parking lot and assaulted her. She had suffered from massive blood loss by the time she was sent to the hospital."Julian perused the report. A certain paragraph caught his attention.'The victim was confirmed to be eight weeks pregnant. The miscarriage was caused by external force.'Something rang sharply in Julian's mind.Two months ago, o
The news broadcast displayed the fierce-looking man's face."Suspect Nicholas Suchet, a repeat offender, struck again recently. The victim has already reported the incident to the police…"Samantha's hands began to tremble violently.Zachary blinked, and the confidence drained from his voice. "It can't be right. Didn't you send the man to pick up Alba, Julian?"Julian's gaze snapped toward him. Veins bulged on his forehead. "What man? I didn't send anyone."Blood drained from Zachary's face."It was on the evening of your engagement ceremony. We ran into a man outside your apartment. He was dragging Alba away. Before that, Bianca asked us to keep an eye on Alba, claiming it was your idea. We assumed you sent the man, so we didn't intervene."Julian grabbed the other man's collar. He glared at him, his voice trembling with emotion. "Say that again."She collapsed into the chair. Her lips had turned white from fear. "A passerby tried to stop him, but we convinced the passerby to







