Chapter 19

Over the years, the pitiful little puppy had grown quite large.

When it burst out, I almost got knocked over.

I saw it run to the elevator, desperately scratching at the elevator door with its paws.

When I walked over and hugged it, it looked at me, whimpering softly.

This careless, silly dog, it turns out, could also have watery eyes.

It looked anxious and helpless, biting my pant leg.

It wanted me to open the elevator door, to chase Liam back.

I stroked its head, my voice catching in a sob:

“I’m sorry, he doesn’t remember us. I can’t keep him anymore.”

Lucky seemed to understand.

It leaned against me, placing its paw in my hand.

As if it was sad, and also as if it was comforting me.

The sound-activated light in the hallway went out.

We, one person and one dog, huddled in the darkness, sharing our misery.

After a long while, I finally stood up, taking Lucky back to my room.

My phone suddenly rang late at night, and I answered.

Captain Miller’s voice came through: “Alice, I found you a job.

“At a Chinese hospital in London. I sent you the details, you might want to consider it.”

Every time he contacted me over these past two years, his words always carried an undertone of guilt.

Probably because, three years ago, he had recommended Liam and Sam to become narcotics officers.

Three years ago, the day before Liam and my wedding.

The officiant for our wedding was the director of the orphanage where we grew up.

The director, a man in his sixties, was both excited and nervous about officiating a wedding for the first time.

The day before the wedding, he rehearsed over and over again on the altar of the already set-up wedding venue.

His excited, booming voice resonated from the stage:

“Next, let our groom deeply kiss our bride!”

Liam and I sat in the audience, laughing heartily at his antics.

Liam extended his arm, pulling me close to him:

“Alice, the mood is just right. Let’s practice too…”

He leaned in, about to kiss me.

A gunshot rang out at that very moment.

When I looked at the stage again.

The director, once energetic and in a sharp suit, was now lying on the ground.

Blood gushed from his chest like a fountain.