One Hundred and Fifty two

CHAPTER 152

"Did you like the omelet I made?"

Nicholas chewed the remaining food in his mouth, then nodded. All of Alicia's dishes were delicious and Nicholas agreed to express this to Alicia. "It's delicious. Your food is always good. Did you fry the onions?"

"Yes, I did a little experiment. I hope you like it."

"It's delicious, believe me," Nicholas said, nodding his head.

They finished their breakfast in just a few minutes. Nicholas had been staying with Alicia for the past few days, for her safety. Alicia was still waiting for the inheritance from her parents, so she felt the need to earn money until it was given to her.

Alicia knew that Michelle and Edward cared about her because they were related to her previous foster parents. Alicia had heard that they were old friends in the past, there was an unpaid debt and they returned the favor by adopting Alicia. So all events involving Alicia's parents would always be related to Alicia.

"Last night... weren't you worried?"

Alicia blinked, she swallowed the food in her mouth and then took the drink in front of her. She then cleared her throat, "Worried? About what?"

"About your house being unlocked, Alicia," Nicholas replied hesitantly. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

The girl mumbled, then crossed her arms over her chest. "Mrs. Thompson came to check yesterday. She just got back from the hospital, I thought it would be safe to have a neighbor around and I felt a little relieved. You should too, there's no need to worry too much."

Nicholas sighed softly, then picked up the orange juice in the right corner. He drank it, then continued the conversation. "There's something I really want to ask you, Alicia."

"Okay, what is it about?"

"About the serial murder case at your high school. You still remember what happened, don't you?" Alicia frowned, trying to recall the series of murders that took place at Golden High School a few years ago. Alicia tried to bring her mind back to the past, to the place where she was a new student at the school and experienced the horrific events. "It all started on the first day you moved into the school."

Memories of Golden High School surged back, the anxiety and shroud of mystery that surrounded that tragic event.

"Yes, it was... overwhelming," Alicia hesitated, a faint tremor in her voice. "The disappearances, the fear... It was like every shadow held a secret. I learned that Amanda was Rosie Greenie, my foster sister who disappeared after the fire. I lost my memories in that period, and it happened again in the next period. Shouldn't I go to a psychiatrist?"

Nicholas chuckled. "You don't need to go to a psychiatrist if you can become one. That's what you got into and enrolled in the psychology faculty for, isn't it?" Alicia looked blushing because of Nicholas' words. "I kind of regret your decision to drop out of college, Alicia."

"You know, I think I really need to be treated. My mentality gets carried away easily, and some of the memories from my past are still missing like a puzzle missing a piece." Alicia crossed her arms over her chest. "There are only big points that I can remember and it's really annoying."

Nicholas leaned forward, his expression serious. "Alicia, those missing pieces might hold the key to what happened at Golden High. Maybe it's time to dig deeper, to look back at those pieces of memory."

Alicia's gaze drifted to the window, the sunlight casting long shadows across the room. "But what if I find something I can't handle? What if it's better to let the old memories fade away?"

Nicholas took her hand, offering reassurance. "You are stronger than you think. Facing those memories may be the only way to find peace, not only for Amanda but also for yourself."

Alicia sighed, her shoulders tense under the weight of the past. "It's like walking through a maze with my eyes closed. I don't even know where to start."

"Start by talking to the people who were there," Nicholas suggested. "Connect the dots. Maybe someone saw something, or they might remember details you've forgotten."

"Should I talk to Brittany?"

Nicholas raised one eyebrow. "Brittany?"

"She was my first friend there, she was also the first person to ask me out in the hall. And do you know what question she asked me... Brittany asked me if I had marijuana and guns in my bag, Nick."

They later laughed as they recalled the ridiculous incident. Brittany was unpredictable. She was a fun friend, and that's why their friendship lasted until this moment.

"But I think we'll be opening old wounds if we discuss James in front of Brittany. That was her boyfriend back in the day," Alicia said hesitantly. "She hasn't found a better love after James' death. Should we do that? After all, we know about Kevin's case."

Nicholas rubbed his chin, he seemed to be thinking. He wanted to say that what he thought was right, but Alicia's opinion couldn't be rejected either. His closeness to Brittany couldn't be ignored either. They were like brother and sister, and Nicholas cared deeply for Brittany. So Nicholas needed to take a middle ground.

The tall man then moved his body forward, he looked at Alicia enthusiastically. "Do you remember, before James' murder happened, did you... did you see something or anything that reminded you of someone other than Ace."

"Someone other than Ace? What do you mean, Nick?"

"Look, Ace is a murderer. That statement is true. But the time he escaped from prison, it's not like it was him." Alicia squinted, listening seriously. "And as we saw, he had the help of a prison insider. Do you think it makes sense that he would do that on his own? It must be because of someone."

"You mean... Wilson Blake?"

"At first I thought so too, but he was in a coma when Ace escaped from prison. it doesn't make sense."

Nicholas was right, it didn't make sense. But, if not Wilson, then who? Alicia couldn't stop herself from thinking now.