Madeline eyed the letter Jeremy took out from the bottom of the box.When she opened it, it was evident that it was from Shirley.There was but a simple line of words on the letter. “Jeremy, these are the test reagents that can get rid of the remaining poison in your body. When that happens, the color of your hair and pupils will return to normal. I’ve written down the directions to use them on the box. I hope you get well soon. I’m sorry.”The signature was Shirley’s.Her handwriting was very beautiful, just like how she had looked.In reality, however, Shirley’s heart was not that vile and foul.After Madeline and Jeremy finished reading the letter, they shot another look at the box of test reagents, feeling slightly touched.However, right now, Madeline felt more relieved.He could finally go back to the way he had been.…In the hospital.Shirley woke up from her deep slumber groggily. To her surprise, she saw Carter at the side of her bed with his eyes closed.She was
She remembered him calling her this way back then, but it had been before she left without notice.Before that, Carter had truly been good to her.“Shirley, don’t worry. No matter what happens to you, I’ll take care of you forever.”Carter promised softly.Shirley could not believe what she heard. She felt her heart skipping a beat, and tears escaped her eyes disobediently once again.Carter, noticing the tears in the corners of Shirley’s eyes, paused, looking pleasantly surprised.“Shirley, you’re awake? Are you awake?”Shirley did not want to keep up the act any further. She slowly opened her wet, red eyes, and calmly met an elated Carter. “I don’t need you to take care of me, and I won’t go back to St. Piaf with you. I want to die in Glendale, to die in my hometown. I want to be buried with my parents and brother.”Shirley, determined, pulled her hand away from Carter’s palm.“I don’t want to see you again. Seeing you merely reminds me that I killed my brother and that in
When Madeline and Jeremy were about to leave the house, Jeremy received a call from an unknown number. The young woman from the other end of the line said she was a nurse from a hospital.After listening to what the nurse from the other end said, Jeremy discussed it with Madeline and decided to drop by the hospital.Shirly was in bed, staring at the clock in front of her as the time passed second by second. Amid her uneasiness, the door finally opened.She had thought Madeline and Jeremy had arrived, but the one who had pushed open the door and entered was Carter.Carter caught sight of the expectant look in Shirley’s eyes turning into disappointment in a flash.“Who are you expecting?” Carter, finding this suspicious, asked and glanced toward the door.Shirley did not speak. Ignoring Carter, she closed her eyes and laid back down.Upon seeing Shirley’s cold attitude, Carter walked to the side of the bed.“I’ll take you back to St. Piaf soon.”Shirley did not even lift her eye
She had said that she was Jeremy and Madeline’s family. She hoped that they would come to pick her up soon, but it was just wishful thinking that her feelings were reciprocated. She had hurt them so badly. Why would they come and help her?As Shirley despaired, Jeremy and Madeline appeared before her.Shirley looked at the approaching husband and wife, and she felt an indescribable feeling in her heart.“I didn’t think that you'd come.” Shirley’s eyes were filled with gratitude, as well as regret.“Enough with this prattle. Why have you called for us?” Madeline asked bluntly.“Carter’s going to take me back to St. Piaf in an hour. I don’t want to have any further contact with him, so I was hoping that you could take me away from here.”Shirley looked pleadingly at Madeline.“I don’t have anyone else in this world anymore, and I don’t have friends. I also know you don’t see me as your friend, but this is my wishful thinking. Please help me this one time, for the sake of Cathy a
Madeline and Jeremy were about to take Shirley away when suddenly, Camille came through the door to stop them.Madeline knew Camille was not an unreasonable person, so she walked over and politely smiled at Camille.“Madam Gray, you’re a reasonable person. I hope you can respect Shirley’s decision. She doesn’t want to go back to St. Piaf with you.”When Camille heard what Madeline said, she gave an understanding nod.“Don’t worry, Mrs. Whitman. I’m not here to stop you. I’m just here to ask Miss Brown a question.”Miss Brown.Shirley, lying on the stretcher, had mixed feelings when she heard how Camille addressed her.Camille had never addressed her like that.This way of addressing her distanced the two of them, making them strangers.Shirley was still lost in thought when she heard Camille asking, “Miss Brown, are you absolutely sure you don’t want to go back to St. Paif with us? Are you sure that you don’t want to see Carter ever again, and that you don’t want to have anyth
“If they're yours, they’ll return to you eventually. If they’re not yours, it’ll be useless to force it.”Camille’s statement instantly dimmed the domineering light in Carter’s eyes.“Let her go. We should head back too.”When Carter heard what Camille said, he looked toward the direction Shirley had left, his eyes gradually losing focus.…As per Shirley’s wish, Madeline and Jeremy sent Shirley back to where Adam used to live.It was the house their parents had left for them.After entering the house, they placed Shirley in the room she had used previously.Back then, only three people lived in this house, so it had not been a lively place.However, compared to before, this house felt abnormally cold and cheerless to Shirley.Madeline thought that Shirley, in her current state, should have someone taking care of her, but Shirley refused Madeline’s kindness.She did not want anyone taking care of her. She wanted to let her life run its natural course for the rest of her wret
After moving the pillow away, Carter realized that it was a notebook.It was undoubtedly Shirley’s notebook; he could recognize her handwriting at a glance.Carter opened it for a look, realizing that this could be considered Shirley’s diary.However, the content inside depicted how she started developing the anti-toxoid test reagent for AXP69. She had recorded her experimental data every day. From this, he could tell that Shirley had been meticulous in developing the anti-toxoid test reagent.She would record every small detail carefully so that she could work toward obtaining the perfect data.Carter patiently read through every page. When he arrived at the last page, it was the day the anti-toxoid test reagent for AXP69 was completed…Carter saw that Shirley had written at the bottom of the data. After reading those words, his eyes turned red immediately, his grip on the notebook tightened, and a dark, fiery hatred blazed in his eyes.He slammed shut the notebook and walked o
With great effort, Shirley lifted her hand and grabbed the nail clipper on the nightstand.‘Addy, mom, dad, Cathy, and my unborn child, I’m coming to repent my sins. Please wait for me…’Shirley thought in her heart and placed the nail clipper on her wrist. She closed her eyes and made up her mind to die.However, when she was about to move the nail clipper across her wrist, the door of the room was pushed open.Shirley opened her eyes, and through her dazed and tearful eyes, she saw Carter’s gloomy and icy face.When she looked at the approaching Carter, Shirley tightened her grip around the nail; her eyes shone with annoyance and repulsion.“Carter, why do you keep haunting me?” A look of disgust appeared on Shirley’s face.The more she had loved Carter back then, the more she hated him now.Carter, with a cold expression, walked toward the side of the bed.Carter towered over her and like a monarch overlooking his land, he peered at Shirley from above.“Shirley, I have a w