chapter 2
Before I could hang up, Weston, sitting next to me, suddenly grabbed my phone.
His eyes were red, and his voice was filled with disbelief. "Are you crazy? Joseph is the one who killed Nova. You want to send him flowers?"
Ruby, with reddened eyes, grabbed my arm.
She said, "Adeline, are you so heartbroken that you've lost your mind? Tell me the truth. Are you hiding something? Don't be afraid. I'll always be here for you."
I pulled back my arm from Ruby's grip, my tone as calm as if I were talking about someone else.
I said, "I have no hidden reasons. I just want to send them."
"You just want to send them?" Weston's voice suddenly rose, filled with shock and anger. "Do you know? Yesterday, Nova secretly told me she was saving up to buy you flowers. Nova loved you so much, yet you want to send flowers to the one who killed her. Adeline, are you even human?"
At that moment, Weston's mother, Maria White, came out of the kitchen carrying chicken soup she had made for me. Upon learning what had happened, the pot in her hands fell to the ground, spilling the soup everywhere.
Maria staggered forward, her aged voice trembling with sobs.
She said, "You used to love Nova so much. Even if she lost a single strand of hair, you'd feel heartbroken. Now that she's gone, not only do you not hate the killer, but you also want to send them flowers? Are you possessed by a ghost?"
I looked at Maria expressionlessly and said, "Maria, I'm perfectly fine. I know exactly what I'm doing."
Weston trembled with anger, his eyes filled with fury and disappointment as he looked at me.
He said angrily, "Adeline, do you realize what you're saying? Nova was your own daughter, the child you gave everything to bring into this world. How can you be so heartless? Do you even deserve to be a mother?"
Ruby, with reddened eyes, also tried to persuade me, "Adeline, I know you're upset, but you can't torment yourself like this. Please calm down, okay?"
Facing their questioning and accusations, I said nothing and got up, walking to the door of Nova's room.
On her door was a family portrait drawn by Nova. She had colored it brightly with crayons, and next to it, in crooked handwriting, were the words "I love Mom and Dad."
At that moment, my phone rang. It was a call from the police station.
I answered the phone, my tone still calm.
I said, "Has Joseph arrived? I'll head over now."
"Yes, I'm sure I want to sign the letter of understanding, not hold him legally accountable, and not ask for any compensation."
"What did you say?" Weston snatched my phone, his eyes red as if about to bleed. "You want to sign a letter of understanding for the bastard who killed Nova?"
Maria clutched my clothes, crying. "Adeline, I beg you, don't go. Don't sign that thing. We need to make him go to jail, make him pay for my granddaughter's life."
Ruby stood aside, her eyes full of confusion and disappointment as she looked at me.
I said nothing and took a cab to the police station.
The taxi stopped at the police station entrance. As soon as I got out, I heard hurried footsteps behind me.
I turned around and saw Weston striding toward me with clenched fists, while Maria, supported by Ruby, followed. Their faces were filled with urgency and shock.
"Adeline, stop right there!" Weston's voice was full of anger.
He looked at me with reddened eyes and said, "Do you have to destroy this family to be satisfied?"
I didn't answer his question and walked straight into the police station.
Seeing me, the police immediately stood up to greet me, their faces showing a complex expression.
He said, "You must be Adeline, right? Joseph is already in the mediation room. But are you sure you want to sign the letter of forgiveness?"
I nodded and then pushed open the door to the mediation room. Inside, Joseph was sitting on a chair with his legs crossed, a cigarette unlit in his mouth.