When Kelsey made her request, Gael looked at her in surprise. He hadn't expected her to ask for anything.
After thinking for a moment, it seemed like he figured something out. "Mr. Dexter has accepted President Clark's arrangement. He's agreed to change his name and move to another city with you. President Clark will continue covering his medical bills and also compensate you with a large sum of money."
Then he stated the exact amount.
Kelsey let out a slight smirk. That much money was enough for her to live like a rich person in a quiet little town.
"Well, since Dexter agreed, then that's fine," she said, closing her eyes for a second before opening them again. "But there's one more person I want to see."
"Who?"
"The kidnapper who abducted me that day."
Gael suddenly fell silent, his face darkening as he looked at her.
Kelsey found it kind of funny. "What? Are you scared I'm still thinking like a thief and want to set Elise up?"
She already knew Rhett wouldn't believe her.
No one would. No matter how many times she repeated it.
The people who came after her were connected to Elise. But to everyone else, it would just sound like she'd lost her mind.
"I didn't mean that," Gael said quickly. "But I'll need to get President Clark's permission first."
"Mhm." Kelsey closed her eyes again. "Go ahead."
---
"Did she really say that?"
In the office, Rhett set the file in his hands down.
Gael stood in front of his desk, his head slightly lowered. "Miss Irwin agreed to meet. I think she's willing now."
Rhett didn't say anything. His face was hard to read, expression deep and unreadable.
He looked down at the ink blot on the white page from his pen, his eyes filled with something heavy—something that wouldn't go away.
He had already tried to visit her once, right after Kelsey woke up.
That time, she completely lost it. She shouted in her hospital room, yelling that she never wanted to see him again for the rest of her life.
Rhett had stopped in his tracks. In the end, he could only leave.
Later, he went a few more times, mostly when she was already asleep. So when Gael brought up the news now, he seemed a little distracted.
Trying to figure out what Rhett was thinking, Gael hesitated, then said, "President Clark, should I tell Miss Irwin that you're too busy with work?"
"No need."
Rhett stood up and picked up the coat hanging on the back of his chair. "I'll go myself."
"Right now?"
"Mhm."
Gael wanted to remind him that he still had another meeting coming up, and Miss Collins had also booked an appointment for the afternoon.
But when he saw Rhett walking away without a second thought, he just stayed quiet and followed behind.
---
At the hospital.
The hallway was quiet. Only a few doctors and nurses passed by from time to time. There weren't many patients around.
This was a private hospital Rhett had invested in. It was extremely confidential, and nobody outside would ever know that Kelsey had been staying here.
Right now, Rhett was sitting on a bench, head tilted slightly back against the wall.
His collar was open casually, and there was a scratch across his face, probably from someone's nails. But he didn't look messy, he gave off a reckless, stubborn vibe.
It took Gael a while to come back out. He looked a little embarrassed when he saw Rhett resting there with his eyes closed.
"President Clark… I didn't think Miss Irwin meant it like that…"
He thought Kelsey wanted to talk to Rhett. But he didn't expect that she would still be so against seeing him.
Rhett covered his eyes with the back of his hand and stayed silent.
Seeing him, Gael stepped forward. "She just calmed down. President Clark... do you want to take care of that injury on your face?"
At those words, Rhett raised his hand and wiped his face. When he saw the red bloodstain on the back of his hand, he let out a small, bitter smile. "She really didn't hold back."
He thought of how Kelsey looked just now, paused for a second, then rubbed his forehead tiredly.
Rhett had known from the start that Kelsey wouldn't want to see him.
He originally planned to end everything once he sent her and Dexter away.
That way, life would go back to normal.
But when Gael came to report, for some reason, he just acted on impulse and followed him to the hospital.
Kelsey's rejection didn't surprise him.
Rhett closed his eyes. Back when she fell from the building, the panic and fear he felt were overwhelming, but they had faded once he heard she survived.
Now, though, all of that panic was starting to come back.
He didn't understand why he felt this way. But seeing Kelsey again made him feel like he could breathe, like he had control again.
Rhett opened his eyes. "Just let her do whatever she wants."
Gael asked, "So, should we stick to the original plan and send the siblings to Pearl City tomorrow?"
"Is everything prepared in Pearl City?"
"Yes. Everything has been arranged exactly according to your instructions. Miss Irwin and Mr. Irwin will have new identities and can live peacefully there."
Just on the other side of the wall, Kelsey couldn't hear anything from outside—but she could feel it.
She knew someone was out there in the hallway.
She closed her eyes. Her body was still trembling.
All those intense emotions had drained everything out of her.
Ever since the fall, she had tortured herself by replaying that moment over and over in her mind.
Each wave of pain just made her feel even colder.
Today, she realized something, she thought she had let go, but deep down, she still couldn't forgive. She still couldn't let go of the hatred.
Her hand rested gently on her stomach. Her eyes stung, but she tried her best not to cry.
That was the only child she'd ever have in her life…
But since she'd woken up, Rhett hadn't asked about the baby even once.
It was like he didn't care at all. Like the child never even existed. While she was in pain, all he thought about was how her being around would make Elise jealous.
So he wanted to change her name, move her far away to some unfamiliar city…
What did she do to deserve all this?
Kelsey curled up, hugging her knees, as the waves of hate and regret swallowed her whole.
She hated herself for ending up like this. But she didn't even have the chance to fight for her own justice.
All she could do was follow Rhett's plans, run away, hide, escape from the woman who had actually tried to kill her.
Because Rhett didn't believe her.
Kelsey gripped her palm tightly.
Let it hurt. Just let it hurt. Maybe once it goes numb, she won't feel it anymore.
---
Pearl City.
It was a peaceful city, not as busy or loud as Spring City. Everything moved a bit slower here.
The seasons changed more clearly, and it was easy to feel the footsteps of autumn approaching.
Days started to slow down.
The heavy feelings in her heart… with time and distance, they began to fade just a little.
Kelsey hadn't thought about Rhett in a while.
But sometimes at night, the nightmares came back. She'd wake up in a cold sweat. Outside her door, Dexter would knock anxiously, "Sister! Sister!"
Kelsey would take a deep breath and reply softly, "I'm okay. Go to sleep, Dexter."
Through the door, her voice came out quiet and unclear.
Dexter still wouldn't leave. "Sister, did you have that nightmare again?"