“Micah, can you please explain what happened to Hattie? Why did she disappear?”
A person’s tone can be deceptive, but subconscious reactions cannot be faked.
Is Hattie’s departure unrelated to Harry?
Micah felt a wave of panic rising in his heart. It felt like despair was looming over him. The thought of Hattie being in danger made his body uncontrollably shake. His grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning white.
Harry was still talking on the phone, but Micah wasn’t listening anymore. The call ended, and Micah slid down the wall, ending up sitting on the floor, holding his head in his hands.
The phone rang again, and Micah quickly picked it up. It was the hospital calling.
“What’s the matter?” Micah answered.
“Dr. Baker, do you have something urgent today? Why haven’t you come to work yet?”
“I… I want to take a leave of absence,” Micah’s throat felt dry.
“But you have an important patient appointment today, and you have a surgery in the afternoon.”
There was a moment when Micah wanted to give up. A doctor’s responsibility was to save lives, but he couldn’t even save the people he cared about the most, Elisa, Hattie…
If he couldn’t save Hattie, how could he go and save others? He felt like a useless waste of space.
Human endurance has its limits. In the face of great challenges, even the strongest will eventually fall. Like a camel carrying a heavy load in the desert, it’s the continuous burden that breaks its back. The final straw can be lethal.
“Dr. Baker, are you there?”
“Has the patient arrived at the hospital?”
“They’re already here.”
“Tell them to wait. I’ll be there shortly.” Without wasting any more time, Micah knew that with great power came great responsibility. Many people were trapped by their ‘responsibilities,’ but Micah had to stand up and do what needed to be done.
He took out his work ID from his coat. He was a doctor. Both he and Hattie were doctors.
Micah called the police, wanting to expedite the process. He contacted someone familiar, Max.
After hearing about Hattie’s disappearance from Micah, Max learned that Hattie’s phone was off and she took a surgical knife and some medication. The police reacted quickly to this suspicious behavior.
During this time, Micah went to the hospital to delegate tasks and see patients. His emotional state wasn’t suitable for performing surgeries, but thankfully, there were other surgeons to take his place.
By the time Micah finished seeing the patient, it was nearing noon. He changed out of his work clothes and called Max.
Max informed him that they had located the surveillance footage. Hattie had left at night, got into a car, and the driver had been identified. They were sending people to investigate.
Moreover, Harry had also gone there.
“Did you inform Harry?” Micah asked.
“Why would we?” Max replied. “He probably found out by himself. He’s heading there now.”
“Okay, thank you Mr. Brown. I’m getting in the car now.”
Max sent the address, and Micah was ready to search for Hattie’s exact location. He was following the location provided by the driver.
Throughout the process, Max was keeping a close eye on Harry. He noticed Harry’s unusual behavior. Although no one had analyzed Harry’s background in detail, the fact that he found Hattie before the police indicated that he had a significant network of contacts.
When Harry arrived at the location, he parked the car and entered an alley. Max followed closely behind.
Harry was aware of Max trailing him, but he didn’t acknowledge him. All his focus was on Hattie.
Why had Hattie come here for no reason? Harry looked at the map on his phone, showing a clear red mark.
As he approached the marked location – an abandoned cement factory – Harry walked in. The factory, covered in dust and cement residue, showed visible footprints and drag marks.
Max noticed these traces too. Was Hattie not alone? Was she kidnapped?
As they walked further into the darkness, Harry suddenly stopped. Max followed suit, everyone fearing for Hattie – fearing she might do something reckless or be in danger.
But what they found was unexpected. They saw Fiona tied up, bruised, and bloodied. It seemed like Hattie had attacked her.
While this scene was surprising, it wasn’t entirely unexpected from Hattie. She had a vengeful nature, and anyone who crossed her path wouldn’t have an easy time.
But Hattie’s actions of kidnapping and harming someone had crossed the line of legality.
In this world, order and rules could only restrain the weak.
Harry looked at Hattie, who smirked at him, “Harry, you finally came.”
Then, he noticed Max’s presence. Although surprised, Hattie greeted him, “Mr. Brown.”
Max advised Hattie not to do anything foolish and to release Fiona. He could pretend he hadn’t seen anything.
However, before Hattie could respond, Fiona, on the ground, hoarsely pleaded, “Please, Mr. Brown, save me.”
Max’s expression turned cold. Fiona should have been under observation at a mental hospital. How did she end up here and tied up by Hattie?
Hattie soon provided the answer.
Hattie only had eyes for Harry. It had been a while since they had last seen each other. The Harry with brain cancer looked drastically different – thinner, sunken eyes with deep black pupils. He didn’t even spare a glance towards the pleading Fiona, his gaze fixed solely on Hattie.
Like a fish seeing water, a sunflower facing the sun, or a bird breaking free from a cage, Harry’s lifeless face suddenly gained vitality.
“Hattie…” he tried to speak but couldn’t.
Hattie remained cold and aloof, but there was something in her eyes that Harry couldn’t decipher – hatred, even stronger than before?
Was there something else Harry had done to upset Hattie again? Harry started to feel nervous, unable to find the right words to ask. He just stood there, uncertain, gazing at Hattie, unable to take a step closer.
Harry hadn’t found this place on his own. Just as he was about to search for Hattie himself, Hattie sent him a text from Fiona’s phone.
“If you want to save Fiona, come to this location.”
In such a short time, he had arrived. It seemed his feelings for Fiona ran deep.
“Harry, was my parents’ death related to you?” Hattie had mulled this question countless times in her mind over the past few hours. But when she finally asked, she choked up, every word feeling like a knife piercing through her chest.