The Goodwin family blocked all information.
No one knew exactly what had happened to Zachary,
Some guessed he was dead, some guessed he was in a vegetative state…
As time went on, the speculations grew more and more.
Amidst the increasingly outlandish guesses, I met Harrison Goodwin, whom I hadn’t seen
for a long time.
He stood at the entrance of the research institute, wearing a black trench coat.
His once wayward face had now matured.
“Shall we talk?”
He smiled at me.
I walked with him into a nearby coffee shop.
He looked at me for a long time before slowly saying:
“Why have you lost so much weight?”
I shifted my gaze from the coffee on the table to his face, about to speak.
He seemed to know what I wanted to ask and spoke first:
“The situation isn’t good. He’s still in emergency treatment.”
“At any moment, he might…”
Harrison didn’t finish the sentence, just quietly looking at me.
My hand gripping the hem of my clothes tightened gradually as he spoke.
<
13:04 Sun, 2 Mar G
Harrison took in my expression, as if pained:
༥ ༣ 86%E
“During these years abroad, I’ve been thinking, if I hadn’t left out of fear of the old man’s control back then, would I have met you first?”
“Would you have been so good to me then, would you show such a sad expression when something happened to me?”
I looked at him, silent for a few seconds, just about to speak to deny it when Harrison stuffed a piece of bread in my mouth:
“Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear your answer.”
At the same time, Harrison’s phone on the table lit up.
I saw the lock screen.
It was the back view of a girl in a school uniform with messy hair.
It was from the day Chloe came to find me.
It must have been taken secretly when he dealt with Chloe, messed up my hair, and took me out of school.
Harrison noticed my gaze and turned off his phone.
After learning about Zachary’s condition, I didn’t want to stay any longer. I looked at the time and stood up:
“My lunch break is almost over. I should go.”
“Lily.”
Harrison turned his head and called out to me.
Seeing me look over, he smiled against the light:
“Actually, it’s right that you didn’t choose me. I can’t do what my brother does.”
<
13:05 Sun, 2 Mar G
3
$ . 86%
“Actually, it’s right that you didn’t choose me. I can’t do what my brother does.”
“Do you know why the old man didn’t come after you back then? Because my brother threatened him with his own life, saying if he caused you trouble, he would immediately slit his own throat.”
“The Goodwin family wanted to raise him as an obedient dog, but in the end, they raised an ambitious wolf.”
“During those two years you were abroad, he was in a crucial period of power struggle with the old man. The old man secretly sent people over, but they were all intercepted by his men.”
“The day he successfully took power, he said one thing to the old man and the company elders: if anyone dared to send people to find you again, he would make sure they immediately met their maker!”
“So, it’s right that you didn’t choose me.”
The last thing I heard before leaving was Harrison’s sigh.
