Facade of Love

Chapter 448 Only I Can't Let Go

I pulled my gaze away and gave Maxwell a sideways glance. "Is that what you told yourself about Alice?"

He froze for a second, his lips tightening. "Why bring her into this? We..."

"You fell for her. I saw it the minute you got back from Lorrell. You turned Zoe down and cooked up a bunch of excuses, but you never told her the real one. You already had someone else on your mind," I said, cutting right to the heart of it.

His face flickered with emotion, but within seconds, he gave up the fight. "What does it matter? It's all history now."

Yeah, history.

He looked at me earnestly. "Forget about me. I'm here to help you. If you're going to fall apart over Idris, then you're not the person I thought you were."

I did not bother to argue, changing the subject instead. "How's Scott Corporation holding up?" ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

He perked up at that, launching into a long update. Finally, he said, "You're back now. Just get back to work like before, and stop worrying about all that other stuff. It's history, remember?"

I did not answer, my fingers tightening around the red plastic bag Kobe had handed me. Can everything really be left in the past? Officer Jackson's death, Kobe's death… Everyone else seemed to move on by convincing themselves to leave the past in the past, but I just could not.

I saw them die right in front of me. How could I just pretend it never happened?

I managed to let Idris go. I truly wished him and Alice the best, but I could not just say 'it's all behind me' and go back to living like nothing's changed. I could not remember the last time I felt normal.

I did not take Maxwell up on his offer to return to Scott Corporation. I just crashed at his place for a bit. The next day, I went to the police station by myself and gave Gregory the stuff Kobe left me.

Gregory seemed taken aback. "Kobe gave this to you before he died?" he asked.

I just nodded, not in the mood for chitchat. I handed over the items and was ready to bolt.

"Ms. Scott," he called after me.

I paused and turned to him, my eyes asking the questions I did not voice.

He hesitated, then said, "I didn't expect the Youngs to catch wind of the border thing so fast. I just heard about the trouble they've been giving you. Sorry about that."

Wait, so Kobe's death was not what he and Madam Young had led me to believe?

I was thrown for a loop for a second, but then I shook it off and told him, "It was bound to come out. No need for apologies."

It looked like Alice was dead set on marrying Idris. She was scared of me rekindling my relationship with Idris, so she ran to Madam Young with the border story to get me out of her way.

People were never as simple as they seemed. That went for Rebecca, and it went for Alice too.

After leaving the station, I had nowhere else to turn, so I headed back to Maxwell's place.

Once, I believed Lake City was where I was meant to end up. However, as I gazed upon its vibrant streets, I was hit with a wave of loneliness, feeling like the city had suddenly turned its back on me.

Surrounded by a sea of twinkling lights, I realized I was no longer a part of this place.

I spent the next few days cooped up at home, not venturing outside. Maxwell figured I was shaken up and dealing with some heavy emotions, so he did not pry.

A week went by, and after a stretch of gentle rain, Lake City's skies finally cleared.

As did I.

As I was getting ready to step out, Maxwell asked, "Have you got any plans? Want some company?"

I gave him a reassuring smile and shook my head. "No, I'm good. I just need to clear my head, you know? You've got your own stuff to handle."

He gave me a nod, a moment's pause, and then added, "Just... take care of yourself, okay?"

I smiled, a promise in my eyes. "Of course. I just want to reconnect with this city that's been my home for over twenty years."

He hummed a response, probably caught up in his own world, and did not linger on the conversation, heading out.

In just two days, I revisited the city that raised me, a place both familiar and foreign. Memories flooded back of my parents, of Sweety, of Idris. The memories were bittersweet, all of them drifting further away.

When Idris's call came through, I was sitting in the park where my dad used to take me. The name flashing on my screen left me in a haze.

I answered, and his familiar voice filled my ear, "Yvette, where are you?"