Chapter 17

Marlon drove Emily and Gordon back to their apartment in the city.He wanted to stick around, but Gordon insisted he leave, so Marlon reluctantly took off.

As Marlon was driving away, he thought he spotted a familiar silver Bentley, but when he looked again, it was gone. Shrugging it off,he headed back home.

In a hidden corner downstairs, a Bentley was parked. Patrick sat inside,staring wistfully at the warm light in Emily's apartment.

Earlier that morning. Patrick had gone to Emily's apartment, but no one was home. He figured she might have gone back to the city, so he knocked on the door for a while. Eventually, Carol from downstairs answered.

"You're looking for Emily, right?" Carol asked with a friendly smile.

Patrick nodded, not wanting to say much.

"She came back today. She might be out shopping now. Why don't you come in and wait?" Carol invited him warmly.

Maybe it had been too long since Patrick felt the warmth of a home,so he followed Carol inside.

Carol poured a cup of hot water and handed it to Patrick. He took it but didn't drink, instead observing Carol's home.

The 600-square-foot apartment had a sofa, TV, and fridge, all a bit

old but neatly kept.

"Emily's had a tough life." Carol said with a smile.

"When she was little, her dad passed away. Lisa worked far away, so Emily took care of her younger brother. One summer, the kids bought me a big birthday cake. I saved a piece for Emily, but she wouldn't eat it. She said she didn't like cake, but I saw her swallow hard a few times. She wanted to save it for her brother. By the afternoon, the cake's frosting had melted, and Emily blamed herself.crying in the hallway. She had never had cake before and thought it was her fault."

Patrick felt a pang of sympathy. When he was young, his father left a mountain of debt and ran away. Jennifer raised him and Karen with great difficulty, so he understood the feeling of being careful with everything.

"You like Emily, don't you?" Carol looked into Patrick's eyes.

Patrick looked down, blushing, and didn't answer.

"Sometimes, outsiders see things more clearly. Life is short, and some people, once they turn away, you might never see them again," Carol said, reminiscing about the past.

Carol said, "Young man, remember to follow your heart!"

Patrick was taken aback. He was rarely called a young man anymore.He was used to being called Mr. Rivera but had forgotten he was only in his early twenties.

Hearing a door open upstairs. Patrick excused himself.but it wasn't Emily's door. So, he returned to his car to wait for her.

Then he saw Emily and a young man getting out of a black car.heading home. Patrick gripped the steering wheel, a surge of jealousy and anger rising within him.

"Emily!" Patrick knew the car was Marlon's, buat in the dark.he couldn't see the man clearly. He assumed Emily was being overly friendly with Marlon. which made him furious.

Inside. Emily settled Gordon, turning on his favorite animal show.and went to the kitchen to cook. There weren't many ingredients. but she could make pasta. She remembered making pasta for Gordon when Lisa was away, standing on a stool because she was too short to reach the stove.

Soon, the delicious smell of pasta filled the apartment.

As Emily was about to bring the pasta out, she heard a faint noise.She looked into the living room and saw Gordon was no longer on the couch. Her heart raced as she put down the pasta and searched for him.

"Gordon, where are you?" Emily called out anxiously.

She found Gordon curled up behind the bedroom door. She rushed to him, tears streamning down her face, afraid of losing him again.

Gordon didn't struggle like he did in the storage room. Instead,he hugged Emily tightly.

"Don't be scared. Emily. I'll protect you!" Gordon said.

"That lady said bad people want to hurt you, behind the school in the storage room." Gordon said blankly.

"Which lady?" Emily asked carefully.

Gordon seemed to be thinking.

"The lady with the butterfly," Gordon said seriously.

Emily's face darkened. She remembered seeing a butterfly tattoo near Shirley's collarbone.

"Don't worry,Gordon. I'm fine now," Emily said.

After comforting Gordon, Emily brought the pasta and warm water to the bedroom. She watched as Gordon ate heartily, then changed him into clean clothes and gently put him to sleep.

Maybe it was the long day, but Gordon soon fell asleep.

Emily picked up the phone and called Marlon.

"Mr. Hughes, I really need your help this time," Emily said.

"Emily, you don't need to be so formal. Just tell me what you need,and call me Marlon," Marlon answered.

Emily paused, saying, "Marlon, Gordon's disappearance today wasn't just him wandering off."

"I thought so too. I reviewed the surveillance footage and found

something important. I'll bring my laptop over, and we can discuss it in person," Marlon said.

"Okay."

Emily sighed in reliefafter hanging up.

She went to the bedroom and looked at Gordon's sleeping face,filled with guilt and regret.

She knew Shirley was behind this, seeking revenge. Gordon got hurt because of her. She vowed to be more careful and protect him better.

In the car, Patrick frowned, thinking for a long time before deciding to confront Emily. He knocked on the door.

Emily,afraid of waking Gordon, quickly opened it. Seeing Patrick,she was stunned.

They stood in silence. Emily didn't know whether to thank him for helping Lisa or question him for believing Shirley without hearing her side.

"Is it inconvenient for me to come in?" Patrick asked.

"No, please come in," Emily said.

Emily stepped aside, and Patrick entered.

It was his second time here. The first time, he hadn't had a chance to look around.

Patrick glanced around. Though the apartment was the same size,

Emily's place felt more cramped, with a cheap sofa, old TV, faded sewing machine, and piles of fabric.

"Thank you for helping my mom! I'll pay you back, I promise!"Emily said.

"Pay me back? With what?" Patrick sneered.

Patrick looked around but didn't see Marlon, wondering if he had been mistaken.

Then he heard a faint snore from the bedroom and walked over.

Emily rushed to stop him.