Chapter 8
I took a few more days off to stay in my hometown and take care of my mother’s funeral arrangements.
On the day of the burial, Bronx showed up as Well
I was numb, barely reacting to his presence.
The crowd of mourners stretched out in a long line, paying their respects to my mother. Bronx stood beside me, his voice soft with a touch of sadness. “Your mother was an extraordinary woman!
I nodded, a forced smile on my lips, but tears silently slid down my cheeks.
It wasn’t until after her death that I
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discovered she had been surviving on the meager government assistance she received.
The tens of thousands I sent her every month–she had donated it all, giving it to children in the village who couldn’t afford to go to school.
The children she had helped all bowed deeply to her photo, tears glistening in their eyes. One by one, they solemnly offered bouquet after bouquet of lilies in her honor.
I was overwhelmed with grief, and I, too, found my tears falling in torrents.
Once the funeral arrangements were complete, Bronx asked about my plans for the future.
For a moment, I was lost, unsure of what to
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say.
Then, he asked about my fiancé. I paused, silence stretching between us.
For the entire time I had been handling the funeral, I had been alone. I knew Bronx must had noticed something was off.
I forced a weak smile and, in a hoarse voice, replied, “I don’t have a fiancé. We broke up a long time ago.”
Bronx gave a quiet nod, then stopped in his tracks, his expression serious. “Lena.”
He suddenly called my name, and I instinctively straightened up. “Yes?”
“I have a task for you.”
“The core development for Phase II of
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Wanderer. Do you have the confidence?”
“This work will require a great deal of time and effort. You’ll have to be isolated from the world until the task is complete. Can you handle that?”
I held my breath.
The development of Wanderer was a top–tier national project. If successful, it would be recorded in history.
Fewer than thirty people in the entire country were qualified to participate in the development, and I was one of them.
But two years ago, because of Jayden, I had given it up.
The Smith family had a criminal history, and if I married Jayden, I would never pass the
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security checks.
My colleagues and superiors had all expressed their regret.
I thought I would never get another chance to be a part of it. But now, here was the opportunity again.
After a few seconds, I heard the trembling of my own voice. “I can do it!”
“I, Lena, promise I will get it done!”
Bronx drove me back to the city.
I told him I needed to stop by home to grab a few things before heading to the research institute.
Bronx furrowed his brow, about to say something, but ultimately just nodded.
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“Make it quick,” he said.
I flashed him a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
I jumped out of the car, and as the horn honked behind me, I turned to meet Bronx’s concerned gaze.
“Do you need me to come with you?”
I paused for a moment before shaking my head with a smile.
This was something I had to face on my own; it had nothing to do with anyone else.
I’ve never been one to drag things out.
Before I left, I had already packed up most of my things at home–what needed to be kept, was kept; what needed to go, was thrown
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away.
In less than twenty minutes, I had packed up everything that belonged to me.
It all fit into a single suitcase.
Just as I was about to leave, I heard the door
open.
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