Chapter 28

It took me four hours on the high-speed train to reach Chiverton. As I arrived, the town was just lighting up. It wasn’t as bustling as Seavora, but it possessed its own charm, with twinkling lights and a cozy, small-town vibe.

Lena called almost as soon as I arrived. “Are you there yet? Found a place to stay?”

She hadn’t expected me to leave so suddenly. When she asked where I was headed, I gave her the address and train time. She wondered if I was leaving so quickly to avoid Jace, thinking he might try to stop me.

But she was wrong. Jace wouldn’t bother. He’s probably furious, mad that I stood him up and disobeyed him. So far, I seemed to be right. After he asked why I didn’t show up for the marriage registration, he hadn’t sent a single message or made another call.

I hurried here because I’d always wanted to visit. Another reason was to avoid getting entangled—not with Jace, but with Matthew and Lindsey. They’d definitely try to reach me and change my mind. But I’d already made up my mind. If I stayed, it would only waste their energy and exhaust me. Given that, it was better to leave quickly and not give them a chance.

I even put my main phone number on airplane mode. Lena was calling my backup number, one even Jace didn’t know about. This number had been my dad’s. It had remained silent in my phone’s other SIM slot for ten years, and now, it was finally being used.

“I haven’t found a place yet, but I’m not in a rush,” I said, looking around this unfamiliar place. I suddenly felt a sense of tranquility.

“Why not? It’s late. Find a good hotel, make sure it’s safe, check the wardrobe and under the bed before you sleep, lock the windows, and bolt the door…” Lena rambled on.

I smiled, touched by her concern. “Alright, I will. I promise.”

“And don’t forget to eat something. You should be able to find takeout there,” Lena said just as a delivery guy passed by.

“Want me to order a snack to keep you company?” I teased.

Lena sighed in relief. “Rea, no matter what, always remember to take care of yourself.”

“I know. You get some rest too. You have an early surgery tomorrow,” I reminded her before ending the call.

I wasn’t in a hurry to find a place to stay because I didn’t want to stay in a hotel. I came here because this was my hometown, more precisely, my parents’ birthplace. My parents weren’t from Seavora. They moved there hoping to make a fortune in business. In the end, they didn’t make money but lost their lives instead.

I was born here, but my parents took me away not long after. Even though I grew up in Seavora, my dad often talked about Chiverton. He always said that one day, when I was older, they’d bring me here to see where we used to live and visit the orphanage where they grew up.

Both my parents were orphans, abandoned by their families because of their disabilities. My dad was born deaf and mute, and my mom had congenital heart disease. Thankfully, they received help from some kind-hearted people and underwent surgeries that allowed them to lead normal lives.

I opened my phone’s photo album, scrolling to a picture of an address from my dad’s journal. Flagging down a taxi, I said, “Mister, please take me to Oldbridge Street.”

The driver glanced at me, and I took a closer look at him, a bit surprised. He had a buzz cut, with stern, rugged features, and skin tanned to a near-coffee shade.