Chapter b201 /b

    At the end of January, Julian received a phone call from 618 Soutne, Brindley, which was where Brindley Asylum was located. Alicia had been interrogated for a month, and she actually remained tight–lipped the whole time. However, a certificate bof /bmental illnessnded her in the asylum.

    Her doctor, Jonathan Crane, was a middle–aged man in his 40s. He was tactful and sensible and would immediately inform Julian about hertest developments. They were on the phone now and his voice was deep andposed.

    “Just moments ago, Ms. Burke had a miscarriage.”

    Julian was sitting on a couch in front of a floor–to–ceiling window in his office at Neb Group. With his phone in his hand, he wore an emotionless expression, and his voice was nonchnt when he spoke.

    “I’ll be there in half an hour.”

    Jonathan nodded. “I know what has to be done. Leave it to me, Mr. Ziegler.”

    Half an hourter, a ck Rolls–Royce Phantom slowly drove into Brindley Asylum. The car door swung open, and a pair of long and lean feet stepped out. It was Julian.

    Jonathan came over and stayed next to Julian as they went inside. He spoke as they walked.

    “The bleeding startedst night. Some lunatics were seen riding and hitting her when it happened. It waspletely uneptable. I’m willing to bet this is why she miscarried.

    “Mr. and Mrs. Burke requested that she be sent into a single room, but our asylum doesn’t have many resources, to begin with, and we didn’t have such luxuries for her. So, we had no choice but to make her stay in a room designated for four people.”

    Julian turned sideways and nced at Jonathan, who grinned. They stopped in front of a room as they chatted, and thetter spoke as he opened the door.

    “Ms. Burke has just undergone surgery. So, she is only semiconscious. Mr. Julian, you will have some private space with her.”

    The moment Julian opened the door, a stench of blood rushed at him.

    Alicia was lying on top of a narrow bed. Her face was pale, and her clothes were stained with a lot of blood. As sheid her eyes on the man who used to treat her like the most valuable treasure in the world, warm tears slid down her cheeks.

    She knew that Julian would detest her after the truth was exposed, but she had never thought he would be this ruthless. He surely knew about how miserable her life was in the asylumb, /band yet he allowed it to happen.

    Tears kept streaming down Alicia’s cheeks. Extending a bloodstained handb, /bshe tried to hold Julian’s wrist. s, she couldn’t. He merely stood by the door and cast a frigid nce at her.

    “Julian, I love you and only you. I know what I did wrong. Will you please forgive me? We used to be so close in the past. Set me free from the asylum, and I promise I will never set foot in Brindley ever again.”

    Julian closed the door. Lowering his head, he took a cigarette out, put it between his lips, and lit it. The smell of nicotine bdrove /baway the stench of blood.

    Amidst the faint smoke, Julian swept his beyes /bacross the room bbefore /bsettling his gaze on Alicia. His voice was bdevoid /bbof /bemotion as he spoke nonchntly.

    “bOnce /byou’re bout /bof this roomb, /bbyou’ll /bbbe /bbsent /bback bto /bbthe /bfour–bperson /bbroom/b. Everyone locked up bin /bthe basylum /bbis /bbcertifiably /binsaneb, /band there’s no telling what they would do.

    b“/bOhb, /bblet’s /bbnot /bforget that bthey /bbhave /bbmental /bbconditions/b, bwhich /bmeans they are free bfrom /blegal bliability /bbI’ll /bbwager /bbthat /bbyour /bbtime /b

    wille to an end within half a year.”

    Alicia trembled all over. ring at Julian, she gnashed her teeth and cried out in a shrill voice, “Julian, that’s ruthlessb!/b”

    He pinched her chin and looked at her frigidly. “The prison or the asylum. Make your choice.”

    Shey on a bloodstained bed, panting lightly. Then, sheughed. She wouldn’t make any choices. Never!

    She’d be dead in either of those ces. Julian would never spare herb, /bbut there was a silver lining. He must’ve been living in torment as well. His wife left him, and his unborn child was lost to him. He might as well have burned in the depths of hell.

    Julian let Alicia go, walked over to the sink, and turned the faucet on. He slowly washed blood off his hands, scrubbing it clean.

    As he did that, she tilted and fixed her gaze on him. Once he was done and walked toward the doorb, /bshe started squirming vigorously. She didn’t want him to leave. He couldn’t leave her hereb! /b

    s, Julian didn’t even turn back. He opened the door and exited. A beam of sunlight trickled into the roomb, /bradiant and

    blinding.

    Alicia found herself staring at his figure vacantly. In her daze, she seemed to hear pigeons pping their wings.

    At night, Julian drove to the southern suburbs of Brindley.

    He stood silently next to the river as he ced numerous floatingnterns on its surface. They drifted far away,ing together in the distance as a cluster of dazzling light.

    Julian remained where he stood and watched, surrounded by darkness and silence. The lights in thenterns went out one by one. He hoped that Grace and Landon would find a resting ce in one of them.

    He thought to himself, “Landon, remember to hold your grandma’s hand tightly. Don’t let go.”