"You know, if only we could put all things on the table without any war, there could be a hope of fixing
everything at once. Otherwise, there is no meaning of talking about Molly's happiness, do you
understand?" he continued with a striking tone.
Even before Edgar could give his answer, Steven already went out of the room.
It was a gloomy and cloudy day, as if the rain would fall at any minute. Steven walked along the streets,
his mind was as heavy and dark as the clouds.
His thought went on with him fully understanding that he's not Molly's biological father. But after so
many years of raising her and living together with her, he had already treated her like his own in the
deepest part of his heart.
All these years, he kept blaming himself for not protecting Sharon from the incident which made Molly
come into life. He could not blame her loathing Molly, seeing her as the outcome of her own
humiliation. But to him, he should never ever detest her. He had always been under the impression that
it was his responsibility to take after her, protect her.
It was after he met Brian that this idea appealed to him, gradually forming in his mind as a resolution.
'There might be hope, ' he thought. So he started his plan, a long-term and elaborate plan. He made
himself into a bad person. He pretended to be addicted to alcohol and gambling, he even used her
compassion to force her to be with Brian.
All of it was part of his plan. He was only doing it on purpose to finally release Molly and put her to
safety.
Otherwise, there is no doubt that she would be killed one day after being stuck in the riot and disarray
of the different factions.
As for Molly, death was her solution, a final and ultimate relief of her torture and hardship. However, to
him, as a father, no matter how uneasy she got, he would never allow his daughter to be killed.
No matter how much she should suffer, he would never let that happen.
After a moment, Steven drew himself back from his recollection. He stood motionlessly for some time,
contemplating something. Over him, were the dingy and dull layers of clouds pressing down on the
earth. There was almost no sign of sunlight. Everything was looming in the gloomy and hollow
darkness. Suddenly, he sighed and fixed his eyes ahead. After a second, he stepped forward and
strode straightly towards the place where he would be meeting Justin.
However, without his knowledge, the plan that he had poured so much of his mind and sacrifices was
gradually veered off from its own destination.
*
At the park in the central area of the city, Molly suddenly stopped walking.
There was something familiar about the place. The stone-paved paths, the clean and beautiful small
lake, the rows of flowers planted along the bank, all of it were familiar to her. Gradually, her eyes rested
on a bench that stood under a willow tree. Her mind started to recollect her memory of this place.
"This music is called 'The Summer Breeze'. From now on, I will play it to you. It is exclusively for you,"
a warm and beautiful smile crept up her face as she started her recollection of the past.
Remembering how warmly Spark smiled at her when he said it to her, she was absorbed by his sweet
and rich timbre once again. She sat down on the bench at the same end where she sat that time. Her
eyes stared motionlessly at the other end of the bench. Her mind gradually displayed the happy and
harmonious moment she had spent with Spark.
With her eyes closed, her mind was filled with the tone of the music," The Summer Breeze", so vivid
and clear, as if Spark himself was just sitting there, playing for her. Her tension and stress slowly faded
away and dissolved into nothingness. She was calm and at ease now.
Finally being at ease, she didn't notice Brian was standing behind her. He had followed her all the way
down to the park. At that moment, his face was tensed and unappealing. He was angry and bewildered
at the same time. He had never been like this before. He was so out of his mind and out of his
consciousness, only following after a girl, only thinking about a girl, as if he had been placed under a
curse. He was also angry how his mind was completely filled by her, but it seemed like he was of no
importance to her at all.
After finally noticing him," Brian," suddenly came Molly's voice. Brian recoiled instinctively at the calling
of his name. "You have never followed after a girl this far away, have you?" she asked.
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