On the other hand, debauched with its luxuries and money, City J is still as the same as it was five
years ago. Men wrapped in their elite shells, their hearts dissolute under the mask. Women tie up their
hair in immaculate buns but on the inside they are nothing more than a siren, luring unsuspecting
sailors to their deaths. Here, material desires flow everywhere, the place is choking full of the smell of
lust and money.
In the early hours of the morning, the streets are just as noisy as the day. The night drapes the place in
an ambiguous coat.
Today is a memorable day for Rex. Five years ago today, the car escorting Lily was involved in that
accident. Every time this day comes, his mood spins out of control and he becomes irascible. He falls
into a pit of melancholy, doesn’t want to do anything or say anything, just wants to be alone.
Tonight, as he drives back drunk to the main gate of the villa, he finds his way blocked by a black Land
Rover.
His car stops steadily without hitting the other car. Karl gets off the other car angrily and opens the door
of his driver's seat. Before he could speak, he smells the stench of alcohol coming from his mouth.
Enraged, as the small flame in his heart burns furiously until it explodes out of his head, Karl grabs Rex
by his collar and pulls him out of the car, "Driving while drunk, are you [email protected] crazy?"
Rex fumbles around, unable to hold himself straight as he falls back a little, his tall body leaning on the
car for balance. His voice soaked in wine is cold as he says, "Get out of the way."
"Every time this day comes, you get drunk like this. Is it really worth it? Last year, it was hard to stop
your stomach bleeding; it was not easy to recover. Now you are back at it. Do you want to live or not?"
Karl is angry, he knows Rex would be like this, so today he comes to stop him.
To his surprise, Rex didn’t only drink this much but also drove himself back while plastered with alcohol.
He really doesn’t want to live!
Seeing him getting furious, Rex’s expressions changes a bit as he dimly repeats, “Get out of the way."
Pow!
Karl’s fists cut through the night with anger and disappointment, and fall heavily on Rex's face. Karl
couldn’t even remember when the last time he punched someone was, but at the moment, he really
couldn't help it.
Seeing him sad and heartbroken, Karl’s comfort, companionship and persuasion are all useless. Even
if he ignores all other things, he cannot bear to see the way Rex spoils his body.
Rex got a hard blow on his left cheek. Karl used his strength, it was not light, but he didn’t feel it. Rex
didn’t fight back or resist, he just stood there, lifeless.
Karl stops after hitting twice. No longer wanting to continue, he leans against a tree trunk on the side,
"Rex, for [email protected]’s sake wake up please! Lily is dead. No matter how crazy you act, she can’t see it. Even
if you kill yourself, she won’t come back. Don’t you [email protected] get it? She’s dead!"
Angry and heartbreaking howl spreads through the air.
In the past five years, Lily's whereabouts have been unknown. Although there was no body found, the
police report said that the escort vehicle was seriously damaged by oil leakage and explosion. Even the
car, not to mention anyone present inside that moment, was burnt to a crisp. There is no possibility of
her survival after such a long time.
But he just doesn't believe it. The word "dead" makes him lose control in an instant. Lily seems to have
become a switch in his life, controlling everything about him.
“It has been five years! How much longer will you be tortured by this?”
Upon hearing Karl saying so, Rex comes out of his daze. His eyes look sharp and red as he extends a
hand towards Karl’s collar, holding him close, "She is not dead!"
"Not dead? Then why didn’t she contact you? Not dead? Then why is there no news of her for the past
five years? Why doesn't she come to you then? Until when are you going to deceive yourself and
others? When will you finally accept it?" Karl roars; the blue veins on his neck visibly strains. After Lily's
accident, everyone was worried about Rex’s feelings and never openly talked about it or made it clear.
But now they have to say it out loud so he can come out of this mess. Even after such a long time, he
has not forgotten, it is still branded in his heart.
In the dead of the night, the cold wind hits his frustrated heart, as if it is blowing on a barren land that is
already cold and dead.
Rex weakly leans against Karl for support, his eyes full of ashes, looking like a defeated emperor who
just lost his country and became a prisoner, “She was just disappointed at me and didn’t want to come
back to me. That is all.”
He would rather believe that Lily didn't love him anymore than to accept the fact that she was dead.
Karl stands there speechless and understands the saying ‘concern makes disarray’, anger faded, only
suffocating despair and depression remains.
Rex’s hands loosen on his collar and he falls back towards the wet lawn. His chest heaves violently as
he gasps heavily. His clean clothes are stained with soil and his throat is parched dryness. Karl
continues, "It has been five years, Rex, let her go now. Lily is long gone, let her go, she also need a
place to rest in peace now. Last week, Abby showed a grave. Lily's parents have seen it, and some of
our friends have also been there. When she was alive, her wish for you was to take her home, but she
didn’t get her wish. Now that you miss her like this, go and visit her. "
Rex’s body goes stiff. Over the years, Harry and Bree never set up a grave for Lily because they were
unwilling to believe that their daughter was dead, but now they believe it?
It’s like a string that has been stretched for years is finally broken, his insistence and stubbornness
dissipate with the wind, leaving the haggard reality. He feels ridiculous and absurd.
It feels like someone is whispering in his ear: Even Lily's parents have accepted the truth, who are you
to continue to deceive yourself?
Karl says this and leaves. He knows that Rex has heard it all. As for how he will think about it, he could
not control it. He could only let him figure it out himself.
Rex sits on the grass in a daze. There is a night patrol security guard in the distance. As the flashlight
sweeps Rex’s body, he thinks it is some idle person. When he comes closer, he sees that it is Rex, and
he immediately apologizes and walks away.
But from time to time, he looks back at his figure sitting on the ground looking dejected. He looks
defeated as he sits there shaking, his shoulders trembling. His suit trousers are stained with the grass
and sand in the early morning.
At this time, what is a man of extraordinary status doing alone in the grass?
The night patrol guard shakes his head quietly. Even the richest among us are not carefree, each has
their own worries.
Time goes by, as he sits there motionless. As the sky gets lighter and the smell of wine dissipates
slowly. As he thinks of the grave and the words Karl left him with, his heart becomes even heavier, as if
thousands of stones are piling on top.
You can never wake up a person who is pretending to sleep. Right now, he is that person. No matter
who tells him, strangers or her own parents, he just cannot believe that Lily is dead.
An indescribable force keeps him going, keeps him believing.
He takes out his cellphone, only 5% battery left. He opens his address book and calls his assistant.
"Book me a ticket to London, England."
It’s at four or five o'clock in the morning and the assistant is obviously confused, "But you don’t have
any schedule in England in the coming time..."
"Personal travel." His hoarse voice interrupts, his eyes dark and deep, "The earliest flight, I want to
leave immediately."
When he hangs up, he remembers the crowds in London, the sound of Big Ben ringing through the
clouds, and the flocks of pigeons by the Thames.
He needs to empty himself, needs time to heal his inner wounds, and if his mind can’t be silenced then
he would choose to embrace the crowd.
He anticipates everything, but he doesn’t expect that this trip would change the trajectory of his future
life.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda