Chapter 3
The memories gradually faded, and my gaze refocused on the present. A voice reached my ears. “Sir, Ms. Valerie said you don’t need to wait for her tonight.” Mr. Davies, the butler, spoke and then quietly withdrew.
The dinner on the table had grown cold. I quietly listened to the clock strike midnight. This was the third day. The third day I hadn’t seen Valerie. Just as I was lost in thought, the white furball suddenly darted into my arms. It knocked the bowls and chopsticks off the table, making a sharp clattering sound. “Buddy, cut it out.” Buddy’s tongue lolled out, like a grin. I helplessly stroked his head, then bent down to pick up the broken pieces from the floor. A sharp shard of porcelain cut my fingertip, and blood quickly seeped out. I knelt on the floor, looking at the scattered fragments around me. For a moment, I felt a strange sense of unreality. A bitter smile touched my lips. Go back to how things were… as if that were even possible. The room at night carried a chill. Ever since I fell ill, I’d become sensitive to the cold. The heat from the AC gradually filled the room, but even curled up under the blankets, I still shivered violently. Valerie appeared at some point. She gently wrapped her arms around me. “Alex, I’m home.” I strained to press closer to her, desperate for a bit of warmth, but I still shivered uncontrollably. “Valerie, I’m cold.” She gently stroked my back, then hummed a familiar lullaby to lull me to sleep. “Don’t be scared.” I called her name. “Valerie?” She said, “I’m here.” I called her name again and again, and she answered every time. Suddenly, I wanted to cry so badly. Tears welled up in my eyes. My voice choked with sobs as I told her, “Valerie, I’m dying.” Her movements suddenly stilled. “Oh? Well, that’s…” I couldn’t quite hear her voice, so I looked up at her. Valerie’s expression suddenly twisted, her eyes filled with extreme, deranged madness, her smile grotesque. “Well, that’s wonderful.” My heart jolted. I reached out a disbelieving hand toward her. “Valerie—!” When I opened my eyes again, the sky outside was bright. My back was soaked with cold sweat. I sat up, still shaken, unable to fully recover my senses. It had just been… a dream. I closed my eyes, calmed myself, then got up and walked out of the room. A housekeeper walked by in the hallway. I looked at the shirt she was holding and said, “Did Ms. Valerie come back last night?” The housekeeper respectfully nodded. “Yes, Ms. Valerie returned very late last night. She was afraid of disturbing you, so she slept in the guest room.” I took the shirt, glanced at it, then handed it back. “You can go now.” It wasn’t until I was alone that I lifted my fingers to my nose and inhaled. A familiar woody fragrance. I almost wanted to laugh. It was the birthday gift Valerie gave me when she turned twenty. The same scent. On whose body had she picked it up this time? My stomach began to cramp again. I took two painkillers, just barely managing to suppress the pain. A wave of dizziness washed over me. I lifted my hand, trying to grab onto something, but ultimately collapsed weakly onto the bed and passed out again. When I next woke, the window was pitch black. A knock sounded at the door. I reached out, gripping the edge of the table to steady myself. “Come in.” Mr. Davies slowly walked up to me. “Sir, Ms. Valerie sent someone to pick you up.” I paused, slightly confused, then nodded. It wasn’t until I was in the car that I belatedly asked, “Where are we going?” The driver’s voice held a hint of a smile. “You’ll find out when you get there.” A flicker of emotion stirred in my heart. Unease, or perhaps, expectation.