Chapter 26
Chapter 26
I felt a jolt in my chest. ‘Maybe that’s what they’re striving for in life.
Holly shrugged, noncommittal.
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Today, I went to pick Juno up from school. When I arrived, Rhea stopped me. “Mrs. Cook, I need to speak with privately. Please come with me.”
Her serious tone immediately made me nervous.
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Once we were in her office, Rhea spoke up, “Juno’s been a little off lately, and I wanted to ask if things have been tense at home?”
I was completely caught off guard. I never imagined this would be the reason she called me in.
“Is Juno okay? Is something wrong with him?” I asked, my worry mounting.
Rhea sighed. “Why don’t you take a look for yourself?”
She pulled up the classroom’s surveillance footage, and I saw Juno, sitting all alone on a small bench, his head hanging low. No matter how the other kids played, he didn’t join in. He just sat there, listlessly, for two whole classes.
When nap time came, Juno hid under his blanket and cried, and Rhea noticed. My heart sank, and a wave of guilt hit me. “Children are very sensitive,” Rhea said gently. “As his parents, you need to be more aware of his needs. Juno used to be the class’s little ray of sunshine–so lively and bright. I don’t want to see him like this; it’s affecting him.
“Whatever’s going on between you and your husband, whatever trouble there may be at home, the child is innocent. Please, pay attention to his emotional state.”
I nodded quickly, trying to hold back tears. I picked up Juno, and he looked completely drained, no trace of his usual happy self.
I hugged him tightly. “Did you have a good day at kindergarten today, Juno?”
He pouted and shook his head.
“Is it because Mommy and Daddy haven’t been spending enough time with you lately? Is that why you’re upset?” I asked gently.
He looked up at me, his big eyes wide with a hint of sadness. “Mommy, when can we go on a picnic with Daddy again? I really want us to be a family… with Daddy, with Mommy, and with Juno, all of us together.”
His careful little plea broke my heart. I had been so wrapped up in everything else lately, I didn’t realize how much I was neglecting him.
Juno might be young, but he was not oblivious. He could sense the changes between his parents. And I was the one who failed to make him feel secure.
“Of course we can,” I answered immediately, my heart aching.
When we got home, I had a serious talk with Dexter. We both admitted our mistakes and acknowledged where we’d fallen short. I also decided to set aside any grudges, at least for now, and focus on making Juno happy again.
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08:55 Sat, 15 Feb
Chapter 26
This weekend, we planned a family trip.
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Dexter had booked a stay at a hot spring resort. There was hiking, a perfect spot to watch the sunrise, and in the evening, we could soak in the hot springs and count stars. It was the ideal family getaway.
This time, Dexter didn’t bring Kimberly along. He said, “It’s just the three of us who should be together, right, Sylvia?”
I smiled and nodded. It felt like things between us were slowly improving. Some issues, when left alone, seemed to resolve themselves.
Two hours later, we arrived at the hot spring resort. After checking in, I led Juno out to the balcony of our room and opened the door. In the garden below was a private family hot spring, just for us.
Juno was absolutely thrilled. “Wow! What a tiny swimming pool!”
“It’s not a swimming pool, it’s a hot spring. We’ll soak in it together later, okay?” Dexter said, lifting Juno into his arms with a big smile.
“Okay, we’ll soak together!” Juno clapped his little hands excitedly.
Seeing him so happy made me feel like this trip was exactly what we needed.
We drank wine, soaked in the hot springs, and gazed at the stars in the deep night sky. With Dexter and Juno by my side, it might have seemed like the perfect, enviable scene.
But in that moment, I couldn’t shake a feeling of sadness. If only time could rewind, if only I could stay in that perfect moment, just before I got that photo.
“Don’t drink too much,” Dexter cautioned. “The hot springs can make you tipsy.”
“I know.” I nodded. “How about we go watch the sunrise tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Dexter cupped Juno’s little face. “Juno, you need to get some sleep tonight, or you won’t be able to wake up for the sunrise.”
Juno piped up. “I’ll definitely wake up!”
That night, I went to bed early. The next morning, before 4 a.m., still under the cover of darkness, we set off.
There were still a few other people staying at the resort who also wanted to catch the sunrise, and we passed a few families on our way out.
Dexter drove while Juno and I hummed along to a song. Even though the world outside was still veiled in mist, the lingering night couldn’t dampen our spirits.
Then, suddenly, the car broke down. Dexter got out to check it, leaving me and Juno in the car. Juno gazed out the window, excited.
Dexter was gone for a while, so I called him. He told me he had contacted the hotel, and they were sending someone with equipment to fix the car.
I frowned. “If it takes too long, we’ll miss the sunrise.”
Dexter apologized. “Sorry, it’s my fault…”
“It’s fine. I’ll just drive back.”
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08:55 Sat, 15 Feb 04
Chapter 26
“No, no-” Dexter’s voice suddenly broke into a scream, and the call cut off.
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My heart skipped a beat. I tried calling again, but the phone wouldn’t connect. Without hesitation, I decided to turn the car around and head back.
After calming Juno, I rushed back to the hotel and asked a staff member about Dexter. They told me he had gone to the warehouse behind the resort to grab some things, and there was a big ravine back there.
1 left Juno with the hotel manager and hurried toward the back of the resort.
At that moment, I had no idea that I was walking straight into a trap, unknowingly sending my life into an irreversible free fall. But I couldn’t just sit idly by, not knowing what had happened to Dexter.
The sky was still dark when I made my way down a narrow path, calling out Dexter’s name as I searched.
Suddenly, I spotted something hanging over the edge of the ravine–what looked like a piece of clothing. I hurried toward it to see more clearly.
That was when disaster struck. Someone shoved me hard from behind, and before I could react, I was falling. A rush of dizziness hit me, and pain shot through my entire body. Blood blurred my vision. I couldn’t move, and I couldn’t tell who had pushed me.
“Help… help me…” I could barely whisper.
Then, above me, I heard a cold laugh–a woman’s voice. “You were right. This idiot still has feelings for you. The moment she heard you were in trouble, she rushed right over to save you. True love, huh?”
The voice… I recognized it. It was the woman who attacked me in the hotel. I gasped, trying to get up, but I couldn’t move.
Then I heard Dexter’s voice. “Stop looking. She’s almost a pile of mush. What’s there to see? Be careful, you might get dirt in your eyes.”
My heart froze. I thought, ‘Dexter… Dexter! This is all a trap–a trap to lure me in!‘
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Feb
Chapter 27
