âAh, so you still saw itâ¦â Feeling a little awkward, Lisanne rapidly changed the topic. âI almost forgot you also know him. It was Lucas who initially introduced you two to each other, right?ââThatâs right.â
Winnie nodded. âThere was something important I needed his help with back then.âLisanne was still unaware of Christopherâs passing, so when she spoke about him, she did it with a casual tone. âHow did things turn out in the end? Heâs pretty reliable, right?ââMhm.â Again, Winnie nodded. âHe is. He helped me a lot.âAfter she thought about what she had said carefully, she realized she had asked an extremely stupid question earlier.Christopher was like a brother to Lucas, and it was said that they grew up together.Considering Lisanne was Lucasâ twin sister, there was no way she didnât know Christopher.When Winnieâs train of thought arrived there, her heart grew heavy.Sensing the changes on Winnieâs face, Lisanne couldnât help but furrow her eyebrows. âWhatâs the matter? Why did your expression change when I mentioned him? Did something happen between you two? Or is itâ¦âLisanne was aware of how special and dangerous Christopherâs job was.Immediately, she pulled out her phone and opened her chat with Christopher.She swiftly scrolled up the chat log before eventually stopping at the last reply he had sent to her.Upon calculating the time in her mind, Lisanne uttered, âItâs been more than three months since he replied to me. I know he went on a mission, and itâs normal for him not to reply to me when heâs in the field. However, this has been his longest hiatus between replies. Iâve asked Lucas about Christopherâs whereabouts, but even he said he had no idea where Christopher went this time for his mission. Do you know something about it, Winnie?âGazing at Lisanne, Winnie was suddenly at a loss for words.When Lisanne saw that, she became certain Winnie knew something about Christopherâs whereabouts.Thus, she urged, âTell me, Winnie. Iâm worried about him. Truth be told, heâs the person I like, but I donât think he likes me back. He hasnât had a romantic partner even after so many years, and neither do I, so I thought a relationship between us might be possible. You saw how many messages I sent him earlier. Iâm really worried about him. If you know something about him, please tell me, okay? Your silence only makes me worry even more.ââLisanne.â Winnie took in a deep breath. âItâs not that I donât want to tell you. Itâs just⦠I havenât thought about how to break the news to you.ââYou donât need to think about that!â At that moment, all Lisanne wished to learn was how Christopher was doing recently. âJust lay the truth on me.ââOkay. Iâll tell you.â Winnie stared at her with a sorrowful expression. âChristopher⦠has died in the line of duty.ââHow is that possible?â Lisanneâs immediate instinct was to deny it. âDid you get the news wrong? Who did you hear it from? Is the news reliable? You canât talk nonsense about something like that!ââI know.â Winnie tightly furrowed her eyebrows. âI wasnât talking nonsense, nor did I get it wrong. Thatâs because I saw him die with my own eyes.âThat temporarily stunned Lisanne before she swiftly shook her head. âNo, I donât believe it. This is impossible.â Winnie also felt awful when she saw Lisanne like that. âI know how terrible you feel after learning this news, but Iâm not lying to you, Lisanne. I swear this is the truth.ââNo!â Lisanne still believed Winnie had it all wrong. âMaybe thereâs a misunderstanding? Perhaps you mistook him for someone else?âShaking her head, Winnie reaffirmed, âIâm sorry, Lisanne, but I didnât.ââHow is this possible?â
Lisanne grabbed Winnieâs arms agitatedly. âChristopher went on a mission. Aside from the members of his unit, no one knew where he went, not even his parents. How did you coincidentally stumble upon him?ââIt is that coincidental. Back then, my granny was kidnapped and brought to Manchernius by someone. When I went to find her, I came across Christopher. I thought it was unbelievable too, but that was what happened.âDeep down, Lisanne knew Winnie wouldnât lie to her about something like that for no reason. However, she was unwilling toârefused toâbelieve the fact that Christopher had passed away.âThen tell me, how was he killed? Was he in pain when he died? Did those bad guys murder him?âLisanneâs rapid-fire questions rendered Winnie speechless for a moment. Was Christopher in pain when he died? I think it was pretty painful. Did those bad guys murder him?
Subconsciously, she glanced in the direction of the balcony and saw Xavier talking on the phone next to the window. How am I going to answer Lisanneâs question? If I didnât know Xavier, I could probably tell her everything that happened in just a few sentences. However, right now, heâs someone I want to protect. I guess, ultimately, I am selfish. Taking in a deep breath, Winnie answered, âWe were about to evacuate back then. However, during a critical moment, a series of accidents occurred, which led to a change in our plan. In the end, Christopher plummeted from the top of the building. I just so happened to arrive at the bottom of the building when he fell onto the roof of my car. Thatâs how I saw him die with my own eyes.ââHe fell?â Lisanne didnât dare to imagine what the scene looked like back then. âHe mustâve been in a lot of pain. Did you rescue him? Did you try to save him?âWinnie choked out, âIâm sorry. The situation back then forbade me from trying. I really couldnât do anything about it. I couldnât afford to stop because my friend and I were injured. Not only that, we were escorting an unconscious patient, and people were coming to kill us. We couldnât save anyone else, considering we were barely able to protect ourselves. Also, the building was very tall, so the likelihood of anyone surviving that fall was practically zero.ââSo he was just left there? Is he back yet? His comrades mustâve brought him back. I need to see him.â Lisanne mourned as tears trickled from her eyes.After ending her sentence, she turned on her phone and, with blurry vision, pressed on a certain app. âIâm changing my flight.
Thereâs no way Iâm waiting for the confirmation of my resignation. Iâm leaving right now!ââDonât be like this, Lisanne.â Winnie stepped forward and grabbed Lisanneâs trembling hand. âHis body hasnât been found, so heâs not home yet. You need to calm down first.ââWhat do you mean his bodyâs still not found? How can I calm down after hearing that? Heâs gone, yet I canât even see him for the last time!â