“Kendrick, was that really you?” Niamh asked dispiritedly at the air before her, feeling her heart tightening slowly.
She went back to Waldburg Manor and took out the bookmark Kendrick left her. Tears started pouring from her eyes silently.
“Kendrick…”
Kissing the bookmark, she then curled up in a fetal position in bed while crying and holding her blanket.
“I miss you so much. Why did you leave me alone? Why…” she asked, but no one was able to give her an answer.
She wanted to direct all of her attention to her career. She did everything from blending fragrances and designing, but she would still think of the man.
Once in a while, she would go to the cemetery. She would not do anything or say anything. Instead, she would just sit quietly next to his grave.
She tried to imagine back at the time when Kendrick thought she was dead. Perhaps he had also felt like the entire world was dark.
…
There was no turning back for the Stygian Johnson Gang. After Fabian went back to F Country, he went to see Yorick for the last time.
Yorick had seen through everything and was calm. On the contrary, he comforted Fabian, saying, “Fab, I chose this path and knew this would happen someday. I’ve accepted it. I’m just glad that I stopped you from getting involved with the company. There’ll be no Stygian Johnsons in the future, so you have to be a proper man.”
Fabian’s eyes were red, and his brows furrowed tightly.
Yorick looked at his brother, his eyes starting to get teary as well.
“Fab, I wanted to give you a huge present during your 19th birthday, but I don’t think I have the chance now. However, you still have to live your life happily.”
“Yorick…”
“You idiot, why are you crying? You have to live your life properly after I’m not around.”
Yorick’s warnings sounded like advice, but after he said that, his tone softened.
“Fab, don’t repeat the same mistakes I’ve made. You’ll only be able to live an upright and frank life if you’re open and candid. Remember what I’ve said, upright and frank.”
Fabian nodded with his red eyes. He felt his heart sinking as he watched the prison guards take Yorick away. Then, he went to the women’s prison to visit Lana.
Lana was still as carefree. However, she looked wretched and haggardly.
When she saw Fabian, she asked for a cigarette and also about Adam’s whereabouts.
Fabian looked at her coldly. “You betrayed Yorick to save your own skin.”
“Heh.” Lana scoffed. “Since he’s the eldest, he should bear all responsibility. Isn’t it worthwhile to die for his younger brother and sister?”
“Lana!” Fabian grabbed Lana’s collar. He was just an 18-year-old boy, but at this moment, his eyes were filled with sharpness. “You’re the one who should die! You’re killing Yorick and destroying the Stygian Johnsons.”
Lana pushed Fabian away and mocked him. “Fabian, do you know who’s the one killing Yorick and destroying the Stygian Johnsons? It’s Kendrick!”
“What does this have to do with Kendrick? You only provoked him because you’re into him! You killed Eveline’s parents and broke off her marriage to Kendrick! Now, you even have the cheek to say he’s the one who ruined you?” Fabian berated angrily.
Lana turned her face guiltily and clenched her fists. “Yeah, so what if I’m the one who provoked him? If he and Ryan hadn’t framed me, how would things have ended up like this? Do you know that Kendrick and Ryan are part of the Interpol?”
Fabian’s expression changed slightly when he heard that. “Interpol?”
“Hmph!” Lana snorted. “Fabian, Kendrick and Ryan are our enemies, do you understand? Plus, you’re still so defensive over that mute, Lillian. Yorick is going to die, so shouldn’t you kill that mute and make Eveline get a taste of losing her family?”
After she said that, Fabian lifted his hand and slapped Lana heavily across the cheek. “Shut up!”
“…” Lana was dumbfounded. Then, she saw Fabian’s malicious gaze.
“You’re the reason why she’s mute! I told you, as long as I’m here, I won’t let anyone bully Lillian. Lana, you’re the person who deserves to die the most!”
“…”
After Fabian said that, he left.
Lana sat there while feeling at a loss. She touched her swollen cheek and gritted her teeth.
…
Ryan went back to Glendale from F Country and told Niamh everything about the Stygian Johnson Gang.
Yorick was going to get the death penalty soon, but Lana would only need to serve three years.
Niamh could not accept this verdict.
This woman committed so many crimes but only needed to serve three years.
Niamh was agitated. As such, she locked herself in her lab every day to come up with new perfumes.
When she was tired, she picked up her pen and drew Kendrick’s face on an A4-sized paper.
His eyes, his nose, and every part of him looked exactly like him.
“Kendrick, I’m so tired. If only you were next to me right now so you can hold me and give me motivation.
“Pudding’s about a year old and already knows how to walk. Isn’t he amazing? Mom told me you also learned to walk when you weren’t even a year old. I guess our son is exactly the same as you.”
She murmured to the person in the drawing. However, after talking to it for a while, she placed her head on the paper and started crying.
“Kendrick, I miss you so much…”
Niamh broke down and cried. However, she could only keep this vulnerable side in a space where no one else could see.
Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door of the lab. A second later, Coco’s voice sounded from outside the door. “Ms. Montgomery, the commercial party is half an hour away. Mr. Jones is here, so we should get ready to depart now.”
Niamh recomposed herself and replied, “I’ll change now.”
She almost forgot about the party today. She heard that it was being hosted for a young and promising elite in the business world. All of the upper-class and businesspeople in Glendale would be there, so naturally, Ryan and her got the invitations as well.
Niamh changed into a champagne-colored dress and attended the party as Ryan’s wife.
Niamh was not in the mood to entertain everyone because she still had Kendrick in her mind. When she wanted to go out for some air, someone mentioned to her that the mysterious man had arrived.
Niamh looked over to where everyone was looking. The man’s ashy short hair and amber eyes wandered into her vision.
However, what shocked Niamh was that aside from the special hair and eye color, this man’s features and figure were exactly the same as Kendrick’s!
When she looked at him, the man’s smiling eyes landed on her at the same time.
“Kendrick?”
Niamh’s heart started racing. Ryan was standing beside her and was shocked as well.
“Kendrick?”
Niamh froze in place. An indescribable surge of emotions started rippling in her heart.
Her dark world lit up immediately as the hoping light warmed her long-frozen heart.
“Kendrick, Kendrick…”
Niamh was on the verge of breaking down.
Her mind went blank, and she was staring at the man in the crowd.
At the same time, she heard a lot of people whispering around her.
“Isn’t that Mr. Waldburg?”
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“Why did he change his image? Is he wearing colored contacts?”
“He looks pretty good this way. As long as he’s good-looking, he can do anything he wants to his appearance.”
Niamh’s grip on her wine glass tightened when she heard what the guests said.
Did he dye his hair?
Was he wearing color contacts?
She looked at the man in confusion. She had a million thoughts racing in her head and wanted to run toward him.
However, her last ounce of reason stopped her.
She attended this party as Ryan’s wife. The people in the circle knew she and Ryan were husband and wife as well, although nobody knew their marriage was fake.
If she was overly passionate about Kendrick right now, Ryan would become the butt of the joke.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.