Hilda and Frances have gone to the US, leaving Earl and Albie here taken care of by the nanny.
The nanny knows me and she also likes me.
She is very happy to see me back.
"Mrs. Louis, good to have you back."
To be honest, I'm a little surprised.
Frances and I are already divorced. But she still calls me Mrs. Louis.
"No need to call me that. After all...."
I look at Frances and pause.
Although I know what happens between Frances and Hilda is not real, I still find it hard to get over it.
I don't want to talk about it anymore.
"No, you have always been the Mrs. Louis to me. Although I never know why you have divorced, I
could tell how much he loved you when you were here. Mr. Louis has been polite but distant to Hilda
Farey."
Really?
But how should I know about that?
I've been away too long to know anything that happens in this house.
When I walk pass old Mr. Louis' room, sadness strikes me.
Hilda is already dead, but I still don't know if she did this to him.
And I don't know if Frances has found out about the truth or not.
If he has, old Mr. Louis can finally rest in peace.
As I sigh, nanny walks to me and hands me a letter.
"Mrs. Louis, this letter is from old Mr. Louis two days before he died. He said that if you come back one
day instead of Hilda, I shall give it to you. If you never come back within two years, I shall burn it. Don't
worry. I have never opened the letter."
She looks sincere and then backs away together with the two kids.
I go into old Mr. Louis' room and open the letter.
Even now, he still chooses to write letters.
He probably feels that in this era where everything can be bugged, a letter is the best way to keep a
secret.
Tears begin to fall as I read the first sentence.
"Jane, if you're reading this letter, it means I'm already gone. Unfortunately, I will never get to see Earl
grow up, nor can I see the day when I'm surrounded by grandkids. Of course, I never thought I could.
People with liver cancer can only count the days until they die. But I can't help feeling regretful."
"No more sad words. After all, it's a real pleasure that you see this letter. It means Hilda has been taken
down. The threat to this family no longer exists now. I'm sorry. I was so mean to you because of Hilda.
Before I met her, I never thought that one day, I would be manipulated by a woman."
"At first, I thought she was a sweet, innocent girl. It wasn't until I overheard her call one day that I
realized she was malicious deep down, like a snake or a scorpion. That day, I saw the evil in her. She
could kill dozens of lives without mercy just to achieve her goal. And the power and the influences she
has are much greater than I thought. It'll be a piece of cake for her to hurt you. But she has discovered
that I knew all about it, threatening to kill you if I don't force you to leave."
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