Chapter 4

Nicholas’s words made my head pound.

My chest tightened, and I felt a sudden chill come over me.

Was it raining?

“Beatrix.”

Through the misty rain, a man approached, holding an umbrella.

His well-tailored black coat accentuated his tall, upright figure, and sharp features.

“Get in the car. I’ll take you to see your mom.”

Sitting on the warm leather seat, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Trevor broke the silence abruptly.

“The cemetery is pretty high up the mountain and the temperature will drop by at least ten degrees. There’s a women’s down jacket in the back seat. Put it on.”

I glanced at the label. It was a best-selling winter item, and its official price tag far exceeded what I had in my savings.

“Thanks. I’ll clean it before returning it,” I muttered.

“No need. It’s yours,” Trevor replied indifferently.

As I placed the flowers on my mother’s grave, I caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance—someone who bore a striking resemblance to Pearl.

Could she have come here to gather material?

I shook my head, amused at my thoughts.

By the time Trevor drove me home, it was already past one in the morning.

The neighborhood entrance was dimly lit by a few flickering street lights that had been broken for weeks without repair. The security guard sat inside his booth, wearing headphones and engrossed in a drama.

Trevor didn’t sign in at the gate but followed me upstairs.

“New Year’s Eve is coming,” he said after clearing his throat. “Are you planning to spend it alone in your rental?”

I paused, surprised for a moment. “Are you asking me out?”

“Only if you’d like to come,” he replied.

As I lowered my head, trying to make sense of his words, something near the door caught my attention.

“Who is that?”

A figure emerged from the shadows.

It was Nicholas, his face dark and brooding as he rose to his feet.

His sharp gaze was fixed on me.

I had just moved into this place—how did he find it?

My first thought was that my address had been leaked.

Before I could react, Nicholas grabbed my wrist tightly. "Come back with me!"

"Let go of me!" I snapped, my gaze flicking to the scars on his wrist.

For a moment, I froze, but then I struggled with all my might.

"Let her go."

Trevor stepped forward and punched Nicholas squarely in the face.

Nicholas crumpled to the ground instantly.

He had not recovered and couldn’t withstand such a blow.

I instinctively wanted to help him up, but I forced myself not to react.

Nicholas noticed my hesitation and a bitter smile crept onto his face.

"Beatrix…," he murmured, his voice heavy with sorrow.

"What have I done to upset you so much? Why did you leave me?"

Why?

I drew a deep breath to steady myself.

"Nicholas, answer me honestly," I said, my voice trembling with emotion.

"Have I not done everything for you and your mother? Have I not been more than fair?

"I took care of you for three years—so much that I worked myself into perimenopause—only to have your mother scream at me, calling me a barren hen!"

I felt my chest tighten, but I didn’t stop.

"And how did you repay me? Think about that!"

Nicholas’s face turned ashen, drained of all color.

I refused to linger any longer so I grabbed Trevor’s arm and pulled him into the apartment.

The moment I locked the door behind us, tears rolled down my face, uncontrollably, in heavy, silent streams.

A packet of tissues landed in front of me, interrupting my downward spiral.

Only then did I remember I wasn’t alone in the room.

Hastily, I wiped away my tears, my face burning with embarrassment.

"Have you figured out what you’re going to do next?" Trevor’s voice broke the silence.

His tone was calm, but an undercurrent of emotion—perhaps anger—made me uneasy.

"I used to work as a palliative care nurse," I murmured, hesitant. "But now..."

I paused, uncertainty creeping into my words.

I had chosen that job because of those three years spent caring for Nicholas.

The endless hours in hospitals had made me a reluctant expert in the process.

But now? Now, I had no idea where to begin.

"Come work at my company," Trevor said suddenly as he stood by the door.

"You can start as an office clerk," he added, his tone calm and matter-of-fact.

I stared at him in surprise, unable to respond.

"The company has employee dormitories with excellent security," he continued, opening the door.

"You can move in and avoid dealing with any... strays."

His gaze flicked toward the spot where Nicholas had been moments earlier.

All that remained now was a small, dark stain of blood.

Still frozen in place, I was startled by a familiar notification tone from my phone.

The sound brought back a memory.

To ensure Nicholas’s safety, I had installed discreet cameras around the apartment when we lived together, fearing he might hurt himself during his darker moments.

I had assumed he would have removed them after I left, but apparently, he hadn’t.

The cloud storage had saved a considerable number of videos and was set to delete automatically if I didn’t intervene.

I hadn’t intended to invade his privacy further but…

My thumb hovered over the delete button when a figure in the live feed caught my eye.

It was a woman.