He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 340

Professor York ground his teeth together, his chest heaving. "Do not carry the burden of her death. Her final message to me was two words: *No regrets*. You know the kind of woman she was. Juniper, I only have one request for you. Find her remains."

At this, tears finally spilled from his eyes. "I asked a friend to go to Oakley to recover her body, but they couldn't find her. Terrified of alerting whoever was behind this, I pretended I didn't know she was murdered and had a small cenotaph erected in her honor. My friend spent two months out there and only managed to give me a single clue: someone involved had a tattoo on the back of their neck. It looked like a hawk."

He swallowed hard. "Go up to my bedroom. Check the nightstand. My friend sketched the tattoo. You might have seen it before, or you might see it in the future. It could be a symbol of their identity. But I am certain there was more than one faction involved. Your teacher's wife must have witnessed something else, something she wasn't supposed to see, and they silenced her."

Juniper wiped her eyes and nodded. "Okay."

She sprinted upstairs and retrieved the sketch.

It was highly detailed. The Talon Tattoo was rendered with chilling clarity.

Professor York sighed. "That is all I know. I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. I know you've suffered so much."

It felt as if a thousand blades were piercing Juniper's heart. Elise had died because she was caught in Juniper's mess, yet here was Professor York, apologizing to her.

It was a fate worse than death.

She grasped Professor York's hand. "Teacher, I promise you, I will find her."

Professor York smiled, his eyes shining with deep emotion. "But only on the condition that you keep yourself safe."

"I know."

Her expression settled into a chilling calm, but a violent storm raged in her eyes.

She was certain Lydia and Yvonne were involved in what happened back then, but this tattoo was completely unfamiliar to her.

She had never seen it before. Perhaps she could ask Nelson?

She lowered her lashes and swallowed hard.

Just like she had used him to eliminate Lucas, she would pull Nelson into this game.

Juniper sat quietly, stroking Moonlight, resting her forehead against his little head.

She had never thought the day would come when she would manipulate Nelson like this.

Their youthful romance meant absolutely nothing in the face of these cutthroat calculations and betrayals.

She had been far too naive back then.

But that naive Juniper had already drowned in the suffocating guilt she felt toward her mother. She had died a long time ago.

She once believed Nelson was her salvation, but that salvation had vanished in the blink of an eye.

In reality, she had never been saved at all.