Chapter 77

• Bellamie stood, leaning slightly against the wooden railing of their cabin. The night sky was thick with darkness, yet it only served to make the aurora borealis above more breathtaking—like a silken shawl draped across the heavens, shifting and twirling with the wind. Stars scattered across the sky of East Metro, enhancing the magic even more. She’d once heard that this part of the region was famous for its nighttime scenery.
• During certain months, the aurora would paint the sky in such vivid clarity that tourists flocked here in droves. There had been major tourism campaigns over the years, because from what Bellamie understood, accommodation in East Metro were scarce. Visits were tightly regulated—whether due to local governance or by design, she wasn’t entirely sure.
• She had never imagined herself standing in a place like this, taking in such beauty. Most of her life had been spent working, saving what she could while sending the rest to Mr. Kim. Her fingers tightened around the cup in her hand, knuckles whitening as memories surfaced—Gala's story of betrayal, how people they once trusted had used him.