Michael smiled. âI donât know why youâre running. But if you step away now, theyâll definitely take you away.â
1 leaned back in the seat and asked, âGot nothing better to do?â
Indeed, having Michael take me out was an option.
âYeah.â Michael nodded.
Lowering my voice, 1 said, âTake me out of the hospital.â
Michael didnât refuse my request and signaled the driver to go.
I crouched on the floor of the car, avoiding the people outside.
Michael sat next to me, blocking the view of the people outside.
âWeâre here.â After leaving the hospital, Michael had the driver stop the car in a safe place.
I looked out of the car window and glanced at Michael. âWhy are you helping me?
Michael stared at me for a long time. âYou remind me of someone I know.â
âSomeone you know?â I laughed, feeling increasingly nauseous.
How disgusting! For whom was he putting on this affectionate act?
âThis is my business card. Feel free to reach out if you encounter any trouble in the future.â Michael handed me a business card.
I accepted the card and got out of the car. As Michaelâs car drove away, I tore the card into pieces and threw them into the trash.
âIâll get my revenge on all of youâMichael, Yasmin, and also the murderer.â
Leaving the alley, I tied my hair up and wore a hat. I walked away with my head down.
After passing through several streets, I borrowed a phone from a coffee shop and dialed Rachelâs number.
Meeting Rachel directly wasnât an option. It would be too obvious. I had to make her come out to see 1. me.
âHello?â Rachâs familiar voice echoed through the phone. Her voice was strained from crying daily. â
Who are you looking for?â
My eyes instantly turned red. I leaned on the table, trembling all over.
âIf you want to know how your best friend, Stephanie lied, keep quiet. Come alone to the coffee shop on the corner near Mansion 13.
Cheer Rachel suddenly became alert upon hearing my words. âWho are you?â
I remained silent, fearing that I might burst into tears if I spoke.
She nervously asked again, âWho are you?â
I covered my mouth, suppressing the tears. I hung up the phone before handing it back to the waiter. I lay on the table and cried for a long time.
After about 15 minutes, Rachel arrived.
I chose this café because it was close to her home. Also, we often came here when my mood was low. It had become our secret meeting place.
It seemed Rachel came in a hurry as she was wearing slippers.
She alertly looked around to search for the person who had called her.
âOver here.â I waved to her.
She looked at me cautiously and came over quickly. âYouâ¦â
She stared into my eyes for a long time, as if wanting to say that I looked a lot like Stephanie.
She asked me softly, âDo you know the cause of my best friendâs death?â Her eyes turned red.
I nodded and looked around. âIf we havenât gotten married by the time weâre 30 and havenât found suitable partners, weâll abandon everything and embark on a sixâmonth journey abroad.
âIf we still havenât found a life partner by the age of 40, weâll forgo marriage. Instead, weâll purchase a small house in Southvis City and spend our days together. If weâre financially wellâoff, weâll adopt a childâ¦â
Rachelâs gaze at me slowly turned into surprise. She covered her mouth while trembling all over.â
You⦠Who are you?â