Chapter 4 Drawen?!

• I looked up, momentarily dazed.
• The house, as I looked up, seemed to still be lit up like before, with warm yellow light shining through the windows as usual.
• I didn't live here when I was a child. It wasn't until I went to college that my parents bought this house.
• After I went to college, I rarely came back home. Just two years after graduation, I ended up in prison because of Marius.
• Standing downstairs now felt like a lifetime ago. After adjusting my mood, I walked into the building and took the elevator to the sixteenth floor.
• Using the spare key to open the door, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. The familiar furniture brought back a rush of memories.
• My mother was sitting on the sofa watching TV, my father was drinking tea with her, and I was laughing foolishly with a bag of chips. Everything seemed to still be there.
• I looked around this house that held so many memories for me, feeling a mix of emotions.
• I skillfully went into the bedroom and packed all the items my parents left here into a suitcase.
• Standing in the living room, looking at the family portrait on the wall, a sour feeling rose in my heart.
• The family of three in the photo smiled so brightly, but I, outside the photo, couldn't smile at all. I took down the family portrait and carefully put it in my bag.
• Before leaving, I checked every room to make sure nothing was left behind, placed the spare key on the shoe cabinet, closed the door, and crossed the hall.
• I opened the door to my new apartment. Warm air mixed with a faint woody scent greeted me.
• The dim light softened the simple furniture, and beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the night view of City G sparkled.
• The place was clean and tidy, clearly cared for by the landlord before leaving.
• I took off my shoes, my bare feet curling slightly against the cold wooden floor as I walked to the window.
• Below, the streets were bright and lively, but my heart felt hollow.
• The night in City G was as bustling as ever, but my heart felt empty, as if there was no echo.
• The quiet space was interrupted by the sound of my stomach protesting, reminding me that I had been busy all afternoon and hadn't eaten. I had to go out to a nearby convenience store to buy some food.
• Standing in the elevator, I thought about whether to buy some groceries on the way back, and before I knew it, I had already reached the first floor.
• As the elevator door opened, I instinctively walked out.
• As I stepped out, a man hurried in.
• Lost in thought, I didn’t notice him and bumped right into him.
• I clutched my head in pain. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
• I looked up at him. The man, a little shorter than me, had a faint look of surprise in his eyes.
• Seeing him stare, I waved a hand in front of him. “Hey?”
• He blinked, coming back to himself, and said, “Sorry.”
• I carefully looked at this strange person and felt a bit familiar. "You look a bit like someone I know."
• "Oh really? What's his name?"
• "His name is Drawen."
• The man smiled. “Maybe it is me.”
• I was surprised and carefully examined the man in front of me. He stood tall, handsome, and indeed bore some resemblance to the Drawen from years ago, but looked much more mature.
• It had been years since we parted. Wasn’t it normal to change?
• Thinking that, I finally asked, “Drawen?!”
• He smiled and nodded. “It’s been a few years. Almost didn’t recognize me?”
• I scratched my head awkwardly. “I didn’t react at first.”
• After exchanging a few words with Drawen, we parted ways. Just as I walked out of the building, I realized I had forgotten to ask him why he was here, whether he lived here, or if he had friends here.
• From behind, Drawen watched me disappear from view before turning away.
• Lowering his eyes with a faint smile, he thought, The person I've been waiting for is finally coming back.
• He took out his phone and told his subordinate, "Look into Estelle’s current situation and report back to me as soon as possible.”
• "Yes."
• I went to the convenience store and bought some easy-to-eat instant food, planning to buy vegetables and fruits the next day.
• Maybe from sheer exhaustion, I slept until noon. After a quick sandwich, I headed out for groceries and other essentials.
• Once everything was unpacked, I sat on the sofa and sent Lyra a message.
• Less than half an hour later, she was at my door.
• The moment I opened it, Lyra threw her arms around me, holding me tight.
• I smiled helplessly. “What’s wrong? We already met.”
• She mumbled, “We have, but it still doesn’t feel real.”
• I let her hold me until she loosened her arms. Then we sat on the sofa together, and she asked gently, “Essie, what are your plans now?”
• Looking out the window, I answered firmly, “I plan to keep working as a designer.”
• My parents had many connections in the past, and I wanted to try to use those connections to start over.
• Lyra frowned. “Essie, you know that Creations has a lot of power now; they won't make it easy for you."
• "I have my own company now. Why don’t you work for me? I can give you a good position.”
• I knew she only wanted to protect me, but I couldn’t let her carry my burden.
• But I also knew one thing: I couldn't drag her down.
• I looked at Lyra gratefully and refused, "I know you mean well, but I don't want to burden you. I plan to use the money from selling the house, as well as my parents' connections, to start over. I want to reclaim everything that belongs to me on my own."
• Seeing I wouldn’t change my mind, she sighed. “Alright. I support you. But if you run into trouble, you must tell me. I’ll help however I can.”
• Downstairs, leaning against his car, Drawen looked up at the lit window, his expression heavy.
• He couldn't help but think back to the years when they were young, full of expectations and dreams for the future. She always had a bright smile on her face back then, vibrant and fitting.
• But now...
• He looked away and opened the file his subordinate had sent that afternoon. Reading through it, his brows furrowed.
• He hadn’t expected Estelle to have suffered so much. No wonder she had looked so worn and fragile when they met yesterday.
• She must have a lot on her plate now.
• After a moment’s thought, he called his subordinate again. “From now on, help Estelle in secret. Do whatever you can to clear the way for her.”