A year later, Charles was preparing for his wedding with Emily. More accurately, Emily was enthusiastically managing everything on her own.
Charles immersed himself in his work at the police station, working tirelessly day and night.
James noticed his state and, somewhat alarmed, tried to convince Charles to take a break. But Charles only shook his head, continuing his work in the forensic department.
For the past year, I’ve been by his side, watching him act as if everything was fine during the day but cry over my photo at night. He would repeatedly express his love and apologize.
But I felt nothing, not even hatred. I just wanted to leave him.
I tried everything but couldn’t. An inexplicable force kept me tethered to him. Gradually, I despaired, thinking perhaps we were doomed to this toxic bond, and only his death would free me.
James couldn’t help but report Charles’s condition to the police chief, who ordered him to take a month off to prepare for the wedding.
Emily had already brought wedding sweets to the station, announcing their engagement.
A year ago, after escaping the explosion, Emily came to the station, declaring she wanted to dedicate her life to Charles.
Gradually, everyone accepted the marriage. They urged Charles to marry soon. Annoyed, Charles eventually agreed.
When he got a month’s leave, Emily was the happiest. She promptly took Charles to the mall to choose his wedding suit.
Charles, uninterested, let her make all the decisions. Emily also invited her friends to choose bridesmaid dresses.
After trying them on, they all went to the restroom together.
Over the past year, my range of movement expanded, and while I still couldn’t leave Charles’s side, I could now stay in other rooms.
I followed them to the bridal shop’s restroom.
I overheard the girls chatting. One asked, “Emily, can you tell us the story about you and your fiancé again? Some of us haven’t heard it. It sounds like a movie.”
Emily chuckled proudly, “Of course, my fiancé saved me from that thug James, even willing to trade his life for mine. So romantic.”
“How romantic. But why did that thug capture you?”
Emily scoffed, “It was James’s problem. I told him Charles’s girlfriend was Grace. He should’ve targeted her, but ended up coming after me.”
A chill ran down my spine. No wonder I couldn’t leave Charles.
The real culprit was Emily. She revealed my identity and address to James, leading to my abduction.
I returned to Charles, trying to contact him to reveal the truth. But no matter how hard I tried, it was futile.
Until I saw Charles open a fortune-telling app. The app was simple, with big words at the top: “Always Accurate.”
Charles sneered and casually entered my name. After a moment’s loading, it displayed: “She’s right by your side.”
Charles chuckled bitterly, about to close the app. Just then, I realized I could control the phone’s keyboard. Under Charles’s gaze, I painstakingly typed two words: “Restroom!”
Charles was surprised, not expecting the phone to type on its own.
