Caroline hastily stood up. "Is he here? Where is he? Let him in, quickly.""Mom! Why are you more excited to see him than me?! Chester left a long time ago. I meant he came in the afternoon," muttered Isaac in displeasure. Caroline smiled. "It's your sister's future boyfriend. I have to be more courteous to him, right?""You've already made a decision even before Lia has decided," Isaac said while sitting next to Caroline. Caroline took Isaac's hand, smiling. "They will be together sooner or later, Isaac. I've known Chester for a long time, even before you were born. He's a remarkable person, remaining so despite the loss of his parents and being penniless with no family left in this world. I believe Lia will find happiness with him.""What if Chester is not the one?" Isaac thought about Reese. Caroline said, "Whether it's him or not is not important. What matters most is that Lia likes him and is willing to entrust her life to him."Isaac said, "Oh, right, Mom. Lia mentioned
At night, Tyler and Axel returned home. Spotting Isaac snacking on the sofa, Tyler asked, "Isaac, where's Lia? Has she not returned home yet?"After munching on his chips, Isaac replied, "Lia went to Uncle Ben's old place this afternoon."Liora's unexpected departure visibly took Tyler and Axel aback.Tyler asked, "Did she go alone?"Isaac said, "She did initially, but Chester is going after her now. It will be the two of them soon."Tyler asked, "Did you tell Chester about Lia's whereabouts?"Isaac nodded. "Yes, Chester has been searching for Lia for most of the day. I told him after seeing how anxious he was. Uh, it isn't safe for Lia to be alone in a strange place, right? It's a good thing for Chester to go and keep Lia company."Tyler stared at Isaac. "Are you prepared to accept the consequences if anything transpires between them, given that they both have feelings for one another?"Isaac was stunned. He swallowed his saliva and said, "How could anything happen?""It's
"I'm here to see Liora, of course. You too?" Reese asked once again. This time, he looked at Chester with a hint of rivalry. Chester answered truthfully, "Yes."Reese stared at Chester for a while more before averting his gaze to the house behind Chester. "What is Lia doing here?" Reese was rather confused. Chester said, "Why did you come here if you don't know? Also, who told you that Lia is here?"Reese said, "Tyler told me about it. He's worried about his sister's safety, so he sent me, a police officer, to check on her. That's normal, right?"Chester pursed his lips in silence, then turned to knock on Liora's door.Before he could knock, Reese grabbed his arm and remarked, "It's only 5:30 a.m. Lia is probably still asleep. We should just sit by the door and wait for her to wake up."Chester pondered briefly before nodding.They sat down on the large stone block at the doorway.Reese then said, "You still haven't answered my question yet. Why did Lia come all the way
Reese stood up quickly and waved at Liora. "I'm here to hang out with you, Lia!"Liora's lips twitched—she was shocked he knew about her location. Soon, Liora realized that Tyler had betrayed her!Meanwhile, she was convinced that Isaac had told Chester about her whereabouts. She was furious about the two traitors in her family!Liora shut the door, stepped forward, and said coldly, "I'm not free to hang out today. I'm going to visit Uncle Ben.""Sure! We're here so we'll come with you to visit him. He will be happy to see so many visitors!" Reese said.Liora could not refute, so she could only nod in agreement. Even though Chester kept quiet, his gaze was locked on Liora all this time. However, Liora refused to meet his gaze beyond the initial glance she stole when she first opened the door.She dared not lock eyes with him, fearing that her emotions for Chester would intensify with prolonged contact, and she couldn't fathom the thought of letting him go.She had convin
There was no wind, yet the candle flickered.Liora knew that Benjamin was around—he just did not show himself to her. The flickering candle symbolized he already knew Liora's intention. Liora stared at the candle in silence but asked in her heart, 'Uncle Ben, you're here, right? I feel rather troubled about something, and I wonder if you can help me with it. If you can, will you make the candle smoke?'The candle smoked as soon as Liora said it in her heart. She felt relieved that Benjamin could hear her. She continued. 'You know about my situation, Uncle Ben. Should I be with him or not? If I should, make the smoke blow up, and if I shouldn't, make the smoke dissipate.'Liora peered intently at the smoke. Before she could discern its form, a strong gust suddenly swept it towards Reese.Reese choked on the smoke and coughed uncontrollably as the smoke enveloped him.Liora's heart raced, pondering Benjamin's cryptic message.However, the wind showed no sign of stopping,
"You shouldn't be fixated on one thing and blind yourself to other possibilities," Yelena advised Liora openly and subtly. However, Liora was so involved in the situation that she could not understand Yelena's underlying message at all. "I don't understand," Liora said while shaking her head. Yelena said, "Who can understand everything in life?"Liora puffed up her cheeks. "The way you put it, it feels like I've just sought pointless advice.""You just can't settle down, girl. What good does it do you to always seek clarity in everything?" said Yelena. Liora said, "Shouldn't we live our lives in clarity?""It's exhausting to live life so clearly. I understand now why Benjamin won't help to matchmake you," Yelena said. Liora was rendered speechless. Yelena said, "I'm afraid I can't answer you if you keep asking me this question. I can only tell you one thing: you can tell who is suitable for you and who isn't. However, don't be obsessed. Once you're fixated, you won't see
Chester could not help frowning. "So, are you giving up on me, Lia?"Liora said, "Yes, Chester. I'm giving up on you."Chester's mind went blank. Liora's words came as a crushing blow to him. Chester could feel what Liora must have felt when he rejected her previously. He lowered his gaze in disappointment. "Choosing to give up now doesn't mean your feelings won't change in the future."Liora was confused. "What?" She believed that she had made herself clear enough by saying so, but Chester seemed reluctant to let go. Chester looked at Liora in all seriousness. "I know it's too early to make promises now. But I want you to trust me when I say I won't let you feel like you're constantly considering me, Lia."Liora could refrain from reminding him, "Your effort will be useless. Do you know how much my parents are worth? I don't even know, let alone you. How are you going to surpass them just on this?""I'm well aware that I'll never surpass your parents' wealth in my lifeti
"There's nothing to hide. However, I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's talk about it another time when there's a chance," Liora said. Reese nodded and stopped the conversation. After the dishes were done, Chester told Liora, who returned to the living room, "Lia, I would like to go and check on my old house."Liora looked at him in puzzlement. "Is there anyone else at your house—"Liora noticed that she had misspoken and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way…"Chester said, "It's fine. My grandmother is there.""Reese and I shall walk you to the door then."Before Chester could reject, Liora told Reese, who just walked into the living room, "Let's go out with Chester, shall we?"Reese looked at Chester in astonishment. "You used to live here too?"Chester said, "Yes. I wouldn't have gotten to know Lia when we were children otherwise.""I see. Let's go then. It's good to take a walk after dinner anyway," Reese said. Chester wanted to speak but stopped hims
Reese winced in pain. "Alright, ma'am. I guess I can read your mind? Be gentle!"Liora relaxed her grip at last. "Right, when are we going to that place you mentioned previously?""There's no rush. Your body isn't up for constant actions now. What if you get hurt by those harmful spirits again? I've already committed myself to you out of guilt. If it happens again, I won't have anything else to offer."Liora chuckled. "You make it sound like I'm desperate for your compensation.""What's wrong with that? I'm a strong, handsome man, and everyone loves me!" said Reese, displeased.Liora was astounded by his narcissism.She took a deep breath and said, "Reese.""Hmm?"Liora said, "In truth, I'm not the best choice to be your partner because of my profession. Those spirits may bother me from time to time. I'm the complete opposite of Isaac because of my negative physique.""What happens when you have a negative physique?""Spirits will be drawn to bother me and might cause me a lo
Reese and Isaac couldn't perceive the spirit, but they witnessed a dark mist dissipating before them.Isaac asked in astonishment, "What's happening, Lia?"Liora turned and answered, "The female spirit didn't want to move on, so her soul has been dissolved.""Dissolved? Do you mean her soul has been destroyed?" asked Reese. Liora nodded and looked around. "Uncle Kenny, please help me find the six spirits."Kenny took on the task and brought those fearful spirits in just a few minutes. Liora asked, "Do you want to choose the same option as her or come with me to Cross Chapel?""Cross Chapel!""We would have left long ago if we weren't trapped here by her threats!""She wouldn't let us go even in death. Aren't our lives worth anything?"After Fiery Red was gone, these spirits began to complain in anger.Liora was infuriated by their complaints. "How dare you criticize her! She may be responsible for your deaths, but what about you then? Do you think you bear no responsibil
"That's easy for you to say! Those who caused my death may have become spirits, but I still want to stop them from moving on!" Fiery Red barked. Liora frowned. "So, you're implying that those six students caused your death?""Why would I kill them otherwise?"Liora said, "It's time to let them go now that they've faced your revenge. Keeping them trapped is like trapping yourself. Why bother?""Allowing them to move on is letting them off too lightly!" Fiery Red roared. Liora said, "Your obsession is too strong and is keeping you trapped here. You're constantly hurting yourself with painful memories. If you move on properly, it will be a kind of liberation from your past.""Don't preach to me! I'll make it simple for you. It's either you die or my soul gets destroyed!" Fiery Red snapped. She was about to attack Liora just as she finished her sentence. Liora was planning to call out to Isaac when a figure suddenly showed up. Kenny rushed over and blasted away Fiery Red."Y
Tyler did not comment further upon hearing Liora's reply. In the evening, Isaac returned home from school to find Liora already there. He hurried over, brimming with excitement. "You're back, Lia! How are you feeling? Have you recovered from your injuries?"Isaac's smile stretched from ear to ear.Liora glanced at Isaac meaningfully and said, "Please do me a favor tonight, Isaac."Isaac nodded repeatedly. "Sure, are we heading to the campus?"Liora looked at Isaac in astonishment. "Are you not scared anymore?"The smile on Isaac's face faded slowly. "Spirits are scary, but I don't want to see you bullied by them again, Lia. I wanted to destroy those spirits on the same day after seeing you suffer. However, they told me to respect your decision, so I didn't do that."Liora caressed Isaac's head affectionately. "You've grown, Isaac. You know how to look out for me now."Isaac took Liora's hand and held her hand tightly in his own. "Lia, I've always cared about you. Next time you
Reese said, "Yes, you have been in love with her for 15 years and have invested a lot of time for her. However, haven't you noticed that Lia is a very rational person? As soon as she figures things out, she can move on immediately."Chester's breathing became irregular. He took two deep breaths shakily while staring at Reese. "Yes, she is more sensitive and rational than anyone else."Reese said, "I'm going to give you another analogy. If Lia chooses to be with me, what are you going to do?""Nothing. I said before that I'd respect Lia's choice no matter what. Similarly, you don't have to worry about anything else. I won't harbor any resentment because of love," Chester replied. Reese said, "In other words, you'll continue to be friends with Lia even if we end up together, is that right?"Chester frowned. "Lia and I are friends. If we can't be together, our relationship will remain the same as before. You like Lia, but you can't stop me from being friends with her, Reese."Reese
Reese raised his right arm and said, "My entire right arm was covered in blood at the time. I watched the removal of rotten flesh from your back with my own eyes. I couldn't sleep peacefully for days.""That's easy! Just get the doctor to prescribe sleeping pills to you. You will be able to sleep better, right?" Liora said while giggling. Reese crouched down next to the bed, smiling. "Lia, are you mad at me?"Liora was confused. "Mad at you? For what?"Reese scratched his nose. "If I didn't take you there, you wouldn't have gotten injured."Liora took a glance at him, astounded. "This has nothing to do with you taking me there. It's the ignorant spirits. I'll deal with them all once I recover!""You still want to go back there?" Reese exclaimed. "Yes, of course! Hades will be delighted if I can send the seven spirits to him," Liora said. Reese looked at the joyous smile on Liora's face, feeling guilty. "I was hoping that you'd scold me instead of talking to me so casually."
Reese sent away Tyler and the other, surging them to get some rest while he remained seated, his gaze fixed on Liora.She slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. Meanwhile, a nurse approached. Reese noticed her and hastily stood up. "Hello, nurse."The nurse asked, "How can I help you?"Reese said, "May I inquire when Liora can be transferred out of the ICU?"The nurse said, "I'm not too sure about that. It depends on the healing of her wounds and vital signs. She has the most extensive wound that I've ever seen on a girl. She might end up with scars…"The nurse opened the door and walked inside upon saying that. Reese was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt as he thought of the debt he owed to Liora. He knew he could never fully repay it in this lifetime.-Three days later, Liora was transferred out of the ICU.After learning about the incident, Caroline and Evan rushed to the hospital. They were heartbroken to see Liora lying prone on the be
Fear and worry flooded Reese's mind, making it impossible for him to sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at the sky through the skylight. Reese could not help Liora in her profession, so he wondered if he could help out in her safety. He thought about it before he grabbed his phone to text Tyler. Reese: [Can you tell me where Ms. Yelena is staying?]Soon, Tyler texted Yelena's hotel and room number. Reese: [Thank you, my friend.]Tyler sneered.Tyler: [I haven't settled the score with you over Lia's predicament.]Reese: [I'll accept any punishment you deem necessary. It was my mistake, and I'll take responsibility for it.]There was no reply from Tyler afterward.Reese did not send another text, so he started the car and drove to the hotel. -Half an hour later, Reese arrived at the door of Yelena's room. He pondered briefly before knocking on the door. Soon, he heard a response. "Coming."Yelena opened the door and was surprised to find Reese. "Are you the lad fro
Liora opened her palm. The outline of the charm was vague, but she could feel its intense energy. She took a deep breath and stood up. After sensing her movement, the spirits glanced at her. Liora turned to look at them and felt the same feeling that stopped her from leaving again!Suppressing the fear, Liora braced herself to walk out of the door.The closer she got to the door, the more intense the gloomy presence became—she felt as if her soul was being crushed. "Don't be scared, Lia!""Try to walk out, Lia! They won't hurt you!""Lia! Axel, Ty, Mr. Gates, and I are waiting for you!"Αfter hearing their voices, Liora shed tears. She gnashed her teeth and continued to stride toward the door, which seemed so close yet remained out of reach. She took a deep breath, raised her hand with the charm, and attempted to walk closer. This time, the spirits all turned to look at her. They rushed forward in unison when they sensed Liora was about to touch the door. Sensing t