Chapter 1139
Skylar and Vera met on the third floor of the library. Vera's face was pale, and she removed her face mask only after entering and seeing Skylar. Fortunately, the library was nearly empty, and no one observed them.
The statue, carried in Vera's backpack, wasn't large. It was smiling, but strange markings on its hands and stomach prompted Skylar to examine it closely. As Skylar stared intently, Vera grew anxious. "Is something wrong?" she asked. She'd been told the cursed statue wasn't dangerous, only causing bad luck, but Skylar's serious expression unsettled her.
"There is something unusual," Skylar said, carefully inspecting the intricate markings on the statue's feet. "The photo you sent didn't capture these patterns. They're different from those on its stomach and hands." The markings on the feet were eerie, a twisted, overlapping symbol.
"I didn't notice that," Vera said, her gaze following Skylar's. The strange markings made her heart race.
"Let me take another look," Skylar said, still unsure of the statue's significance. The rough craftsmanship suggested a Victorian origin. Initially, she hadn't sensed anything harmful, but considering Vera's recent personality changes, she suspected the statue's influence.
Vera's nerves were frayed. Skylar asked, "Did Molly ever mention the statue's or ring's original owner?"
"No," Vera replied. "I asked, but she only said it belonged to a highly respected elder she rarely met. By the way, today's car accident was strange. It didn't seem accidental—intentional, even. Even if the driver was drunk, they should have braked, right? But the driver kept accelerating until they hit Molly." Speaking to Skylar, Vera felt unexpectedly calm. Perhaps it was their shared experience—Skylar's divorce from Joe mirrored Vera's situation—creating a sense of mutual understanding. For the first time in a while, she felt peace.
Skylar frowned. Viola's recent death and Molly's car accident seemed too coincidental. Someone wanted Molly dead, or perhaps feared she knew too much. As for Viola, she had foreseen her own demise. Joe would likely uncover truths, and the police would investigate; these weren't her immediate concerns. The puzzling statue, however, was.
"This statue isn't really dangerous, is it?" Vera said regretfully. "I shouldn't have trusted Molly. I was so vulnerable, and she tricked me with just a few words."
Skylar turned the statue over. "Have you been sleeping poorly lately?" she asked.
Vera nodded vigorously. "Yes! I'm restless and agitated. I can barely sleep three hours a night."
"That makes sense," Skylar said, her unease growing. "This statue will gradually make you irritable and unable to stay calm. As you experience more bad luck, the negative energy increases, and your good fortune is absorbed by the statue and transferred to its true owner."