"Mr. Marsh, please have a seat," Elisa said as she snapped back to reality. She quickly handed him a bottle of juice, feeling somewhat embarrassed as she explained, "It's all we have at home, the kettle broke this morning."
Ivan accepted the bottle with a simple "Thank you," and drank straight from it, sitting casually on the couch. Today, he was just an ordinary person inquiring about Summer's past, with no official identity.
Elisa was struck by Ivan's down-to-earth demeanor, so different from the legendary figure in the business world at their company. Sitting across from him, the young girl felt a bit reserved, as if everything was surreal.
"I heard from Fiona that you and Summer were very close in senior year, so I came to ask for some information about her," Ivan said. "Could you please think carefully? I... I want to know about her."
A vision of the girl appeared in Elisa's mind. "Just a moment," she said before getting up and heading to the bedroom.
Ivan waited, unsure of what she was up to. Soon enough, Elisa returned with a bag and sat across from him, laying out polaroid pictures, albums, yearbooks, and letters on the coffee table. "Take a look," she said.
Ivan's slender fingers picked up the polaroids, one of which showed Elisa, recognizable even after many years. Was the other girl Summer?
Her most striking feature was her waist-length jet-black hair, beautiful big eyes, and a sweet smile. In an era without beauty filters, she was undeniably beautiful.
"We were classmates in senior year, and she always had a small vase on her desk, with fresh flowers in it. She was a slow-paced person, and later I found out her family owned a flower shop."
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