In the wee hours of the night, the light in the basement was dim.
Harrison glanced up, but couldn't make out who was sitting in the taxi.
The cab sped away, stirring up a dust cloud that made the air somewhat pungent.
Irritated, he reached for his lighter, inadvertently pulling out the jade pendant Roxanne had given him from his trouser pocket.
Crack!
The amber-colored pendant smashed against the hard ground, breaking into two.
Harrison hurriedly picked up the pieces. He held them gently in his palm, but they couldn't be pieced back together.
It was then that he realized, there were some things that could never be restored, never.
At three in the morning.
Roxanne arrived at the airport.
At half-past three, a flight was scheduled to depart.
She had her passport ready and had contacted a maternity hospital overseas.
She didn't tell anyone.
Not even Chloe.
Earlier that day, when Harrison had suddenly sought her out, she was terrified.
Afraid that she might lose the baby, she knew she had to leave.
Once the child was born in Valeria and they both had Valerian citizenship, even if Harrison tried to fight for custody, it would be impossible.
She had planned everything meticulously.
It's not that she didn't trust Harrison.
She just couldn't allow any risk to her baby.
No one could separate her and her baby.
No one!
So, she didn't even tell Chloe.
She feared that Harrison might discover something before the baby was due.
As she headed for security, a strong arm suddenly halted her.
She turned around, startled then surprised, "Dominic?"
Dominic was indeed very angry.
But he was helpless when it came to her, "Roxanne, do you think you're invincible?"
"How did you know I was at the airport?" Roxanne quickly glanced behind him, "Harrison didn't come with you, did he?"
Suppressing his anger, Dominic responded, "Knowing you didn't want to see him, how could I bring him?"
Roxanne still wasn't convinced.
She looked behind him again, making sure she didn't see any sign of Harrison, before she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But with the plane not yet in the air, she was still full of worries.
"Dominic, I don't have time to explain, I need to go through security." She tried to shake off Dominic's grip on her arm.
Dominic held on firmly, "You, not a local, are going alone to a foreign country to have a baby. Aren't you afraid of any accidents?"
She was unfamiliar with the place and would have communication issues.
Did she think she was some sort of superhero?
Dominic knew, however, that she was forced into this situation.
His anger entirely dissipated, he gently said, "I bought a ticket for the same flight. I'll go with you."
"Dominic."
"Go through security."
He let go of her arm and took the two suitcases from her hand.
"Stay close to me, and take it slow."
Roxanne felt a lump in her throat.
In the end, the person willing to stay by her side was the one she once trusted the least.
"Dominic, I'm going to have a baby, not going on a vacation. Aren't you afraid I'll be a burden?"
Dominic didn't respond.
He just looked at this sad yet resilient woman, his gaze softening.
After a quiet moment, he finally spoke,
Today, she was going to make an important announcement in front of these VIPs.
Eight months ago, a group of filthy men had taken away her innocence of thirty years.
Today, she was going to bury her bitter love of her youth.
So, when her father pushed her in front of Harrison.
She didn't even give Harrison a chance to announce their engagement.
She snatched the microphone and got straight to the point,
"Today is not my engagement ceremony with Harrison. Today is a funeral, burying my entire youth."
The crowd below erupted into whispers.
What kind of depressed bride-to-be talks like that?
Harrison tried to take the microphone, "Nora."
Nora held it firmly, "Let me finish."
He looked at her.
As if knowing what she was going to say, he quickly tried to pacify her, "Nora, darling, today is our engagement ceremony, don't make a scene."
"I'm not making a scene." Nora's face was wet with tears, "Harrison, I've wanted to marry you since kindergarten. This wish planted itself in my heart during middle school. But I can't marry you."
"Nora."
"Harrison, if marrying you means causing pain to everyone around us, I'd rather stay single."
"But I'm not in pain."
"Harrison, face your inner truths."
"Nora."
"I, Nora, declare that the Dawson family and the Rodriguez family shall still maintain amicable relations as we always have. I am willing to be as close to you as a sister, but I will never marry you. Not unless you genuinely fall in love with me."
That was an impossibility.
The engagement party was in disorder.
But Nora's resolve was unwavering, "Harrison, go find Roxanne."
She gave a bitter smile, "You've hurt me, and I've ruined your engagement party. I guess we're even now."
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