Chapter 8
It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that a grim–faced Felix finally brought Stella home.[]
The doctor had repeatedly confirmed that her foot wasn’t injured, but Stella kept crying that it hurt.[]
She’d insisted Felix stay with her through a battery of tests, all while constantly asking where Gideon had gone.]
“Did he go to find Aurora?“[]
Felix had never found his adopted sister so profoundly annoying.]]
Now, not only could he not get through to Aurora, he couldn’t reach Gideon either.[]
He was already sick with worry, and Stella was just clinging to his arm, weeping.
Several times, he’d been tempted to just leave her there and go home by himself.[]
But then he’d think about how she’d lost her parents so young and was living under their roof, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. And so he’d been stuck there until two in the morning.[]
The second he walked in the door, Felix headed straight for Aurora’s room, but the scene inside stopped him dead in his tracks.[]
Amidst the wreckage, Gideon was slumped on the floor.
In his left hand, he clutched a card marred by a footprint. His right hand was bleeding freely from cuts, yet he was still stubbornly dialing a number.
Felix’s sharp eyes recognized the number on the screen–the same one he’d been dialing all night.[]
No wonder neither of them had been picking up.[]
“Gideon, what are you doing? Where’s Aurora?“]]
At the sound of his name, Gideon shot his head up. Only then did Felix see that he’d been crying.[]
The kid from next door, in all his memories, he’d never seen him cry like this.[]
His eyes were red and swollen, the tip of his nose was raw, and his lips were chapped.[]
At first glance, his expression was blank, but a closer look revealed a chilling, manic energy.
Felix’s heart plummeted. A flood of unbearable, terrifying thoughts rushed into his mind.[]
His voice trembled. “Where’s Aurora? What did you do to her?“[]
At Felix’s words, Gideon’s eyes widened slightly.[]
After a moment, he covered his face with his hands and began to laugh and cry at the same time.[]
“Yeah, what did I do to her? What the hell did I do to her!”
“What did I do to her? What did I do to Aurora?“]
With his clean hand, he gently stroked the worn card, reading the words on it over and over.[]
“I said it, I promised her, I liked her the most, I only liked her! What the hell have I done?“[]
Felix was completely bewildered. He was about to ask what was wrong when he saw it: hanging in the wardrobe behind Gideon was the wedding dress his sister had worn just that day.
A dress, stained with wine.]]
He looked down as if stung, but then his eyes caught another, even more glaring patch of dark red on the hem.]
That wasn’t wine. It looked more like blood?]
Felix’s vision went black. His legs gave out, and he nearly collapsed to the floor just as Gideon had.[]
Like a madman, he grabbed Gideon’s collar and yanked him to his feet.[]
Chapter 8
“Where’s my sister? I’m fucking asking you, where is Aurora!“[]
“I don’t know! I really don’t know! Felix, she’s gone, she doesn’t want us anymore.“[]
The next second. Felix’s fist connected with Gideon’s face.]]
Stella, who had just shuffled to the doorway, looked up to see the shocking scene.]
Forgetting her pretense, she rushed over and grabbed Felix’s arm.
m.[]
“Felix, don’t hit Gideon! What’s wrong with you guys? Did Aurora make you angry again?“]
The moment the words left her mouth, both men snapped their heads toward her.[]
The cold suspicion in their eyes startled her, and she immediately let go.[]
“W–what is it? Wasn’t it Aurora?“[]
Gideon gave a bitter laugh, a laugh that bent him in half until he looked like a complete lunatic.[]
He reached out and grabbed the hollow–eyed Felix, his expression crazed, his voice hoarse.[]
“Felix, bring her back! I know I was wrong! Please, bring my Aurora back. I’m begging you.“[]
