Soon, Sampson’s voice came through the phone, “Lola, it’s me.”
Dolores’s tone grew anxious, “Yes?”
There was a brief pause before Sampson spoke again, “The woman you mentioned… she’s dead.”
“What?” Dolores couldn’t contain her shock and interrupted Sampson. How did she die? She was perfectly healthy and not that old. How could she just die like that?
“Lola,” Sampson called out to her tenderly, trying to comfort her. “Don’t get too worked up. We don’t need to investigate this woman to find the answers you seek.”
Dolores tightly gripped the phone, her anxiety mounting. She couldn’t calm down, and she wasn’t sure why she felt so unsettled. Was it because her hopes were shattered, or was it something else? She couldn’t quite pinpoint it. All she knew was that she was deeply unsettled.
Her gaze dropped, and she asked, “Are there any other leads?” Had she expected too much?
Sampson remained silent. The call continued, but neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, and they could hear each other’s breathing.
After a long while, Sampson finally spoke again, his voice filled with uncertainty. “Lola… Do you really want to know who the father of your child is?”
Dolores lowered her head, her gaze fixated on her feet. Sunlight streamed around her, casting moving shadows. She asked herself, when did she start having these thoughts? This desire to know the identity of her child’s father only emerged after she discovered the clue involving Matthew.
“If the answer disappoints you, if it’s not the one you expected, will you still want to know?” Sampson pressed on.
Dolores struggled to find an answer. Perhaps she was torn inside.
“Why aren’t you responding?” Sampson pushed for an answer.
There were various types of feelings, one of which was love born from familiarity. She had lived under the same roof as Matthew. Could that have developed into love? That was why Sampson questioned her.
“Lola…”
“I’m listening,” Dolores interrupted, worried that he would ask something she couldn’t answer.
In country A, it was nighttime, while Sampson stood by the roadside in a different country. Streetlights cast long shadows along the ground…
He lowered his head, looking at his own shadow. Truth be told, he also wanted to know if the man from that night, was indeed Matthew, as Dolores suspected. The woman was dead, and the hotel’s security footage had been erased.
But he had uncovered the truth. He had shown Dolores’s photo to the hotel staff and made inquiries. One employee recognized Dolores and confidently confirmed that the man that night was Matthew. Yet, Sampson didn’t want to accept that truth, and perhaps he didn’t want Dolores to know either.
If they had a child together, even if Matthew didn’t care for her, would he do it for the sake of their child… Sampson couldn’t bring himself to delve further into that thought, nor did he want Dolores to know. He cared for her deeply and wanted to protect her. After all, he was the one who had known her since she was a child.
“Lola, I found out about the man from that night…” Sampson gripped his cellphone tightly.
Dolores’s heart skipped a beat, feeling as though it had lodged itself in her throat.
Suddenly, a shadow enveloped her. She turned around, and a figure emerged from the bright light. The intense radiance concealed his features, and through the scattered dust particles, she managed to see him clearly. Her expression grew nervous and defensive.
She was eagerly waiting for Sampson to confirm the person she had suspected all along.
“He was a local,” Sampson said.
Boom.
That answer detonated like a bomb in Dolores’ heart. A local? That meant what she saw on Matthew was just a coincidence. Was her guess completely off?
“Lola, are you listening?” Sampson’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“I’m busy, bye,” Dolores hurriedly ended the call, her anxiety causing her to drop the phone with a thud.
She bent down to pick it up, but before she could, Matthew retrieved it and looked at the number on the screen, narrowing his eyes. “Who was it that made you so nervous when you saw me?”
Dolores feigned composure. “I wasn’t nervous. Your sudden appearance startled me.”
Matthew chuckled and leaned in closer, his gaze fixed on her. “Really?”
A shiver ran down Dolores’ spine as she met his intense gaze, rendering her unable to reply. Just then, Coral entered the room carrying a plate of apples, breaking the tension.
“These apples are crisp and sweet. Try one,” Coral offered, placing the apples on the table.
Dolores quickly averted her gaze from Matthew’s and reached for an apple. They were indeed sweet and juicy. She picked one for Matthew. “Have one.”
Matthew hesitated; his eyes locked on her hand holding the apple.
Dolores playfully waved the apple towards his lips. “It’s cool and sweet,” she said with a blink.
Matthew took a bite, his gaze fixed on her. “I’ll let it slide since you’re so understanding.”
He knew she was trying to change the subject, of course. Coral laughed, understanding that it was time for her to leave. She excused herself and went to supervise the workers outside.
Dolores pursed her lips, refraining from retorting. Matthew chewed the apple, took off his jacket, tossed it onto the sofa, and sat down. His gaze drifted towards the piano. “Can you play the piano?”
Dolores turned to look at the instrument and nodded. “I used to play, but it’s been a while. My fingers might be a bit rusty.” She glanced down at her hands.
Matthew glanced at her slender and fair fingers, noticing the calluses on her palms. He furrowed his brow and was about to reach out for her hands when she stood up and made her way to the piano. Seated at the instrument, with the lights casting a glow behind her, her fingers gently rested on the keys. A clear sound resonated through the room.
The notes were pure and crisp.
She flexed her hands, recapturing the sensation. Although it had been years since she last played the piano, she had years of training behind her, and her confidence remained intact.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and delicately placed her fingers on the keys.
She began playing the melodic tune of “Sadness and Happiness.” It was the first piece she had learned, and one that held a special place in her heart. As she played, images of joy and sorrow danced in her mind. Her life may have been brief, but she had experienced so much.
Matthew watched her back, lost in thought. Were those calluses on her hands a result of her time in Country A? Had she been deeply wounded when her father abandoned her?
Lost in contemplation, he was abruptly interrupted by the ringing of a phone. The untimely sound visibly annoyed him, and his brow furrowed in anger as Dolores ceased playing upon hearing the ring.
The room fell silent, and the persistent ringing became more pronounced. Dolores stood up and curiously walked over, wondering why he wasn’t answering the call. As she approached, she caught sight of the caller’s name on the screen-Helen.
Seating herself across from him, Dolores remarked, “It’s Ms. White. Why don’t you answer?”
Matthew blinked and averted his gaze, as if indicating that she was intruding. Indeed, he didn’t feel like answering, and that was why he had ignored the call.
But the caller was persistent, and the phone continued its relentless ringing.
Dolores smiled. “Are you worried that I might eavesdrop on your conversation? Then I won’t bother you…”
She turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Matthew grabbed her wrist and with a gentle pull, she found herself seated on his thigh. She attempted to move, but Matthew’s firm grip around her waist kept her in place.
With his other hand, Matthew finally answered the call…