Beyond the Divorce

Arnold dismissed him. "So what? A milk seller can act all arrogant now? You'd better tone it down, got that?"

"Don't be unreasonable, Arnold. Let's go." Nick said sternly as he cast a faint glance at Hazelyn. It was just a fleeting look, but it was enough to make Hazelyn guess what he meant. The cold aura emanating from him was intimidating.

In the end, Hazelyn didn't dare pick a fight.

Arnold remained silent and followed Nick, who walked confidently toward the exit.

Then, we each boarded two luxurious cars. Under their watchful eyes, we left with heads held high.

On the way back, I kept thinking about Beatrice's final gesture. Was she anxious for me to leave? But her vacant gaze and dull expression made me uncertain. Was she really sick? The way she looked at me sent shivers down my spine. It was not a gaze a normal person would give anyone.

Our group returned to the hotel we had stayed at last night, and I went back to my room.

Arnold immediately asked, "Did you see her, Chlo? Was the person in there your classmate?" "Yes, it's her. She's been locked up, and she's almost unrecognizable." I felt very distressed.

"Do you think she's really mentally ill?" Sean asked.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"I can't be sure... but something feels off," I replied.

Arnold pressed, "What's off about it?"

"Wait, let me think." I shook my head. "It's not right... She understood my coded message. If she's not in her right mind, would she be able to do that?"

I turned to face everyone and continued, "When I saw her, she kept her head down the entire time. She was motionless, like she was asleep. Her long hair covered her face, and I couldn't tell if it was really Beatrice. But I said a coded message we used to say back then to try and confirm that it was her."

Arnold immediately asked, "What coded message did you say? Why didn't I notice?"

"It was something we always said

when we argued back then. She would always start with "If you keep this up, I won't let you sleep on the lower bunk", to which I would respond, "So what? I'll sleep

48

upper bunk then! What's the big

deal?"

the

I explained the anecdote behind that sentence so that everyone could understand.

"When I said that, she suddenly

looked up at me. But she remained motionless even as she looked at me. She said nothing and showed no expression. She was just staring with those eyes that looked like deep voids." I detailed the situation to them.

When Finn heard my words, his expression turned grim.

Feeling unsettled, I shook my head and muttered, "How could this happen? Why did Beatrice turn out like this?"

Everyone remained silent, and I couldn't stop thinking about her expression when she looked at me.

"But when we said we were leaving,

she leaned forward, and her lips

moved Her lips first formed an O

shape, then she pulled her lips into a line. What does that mean?"

mimicked what she did.

Suddenly, I froze in place, still holding that pose. Then, I turned abruptly to face everyone. They looked at me in surprise.

"No, Beatrice isn't mad!" I asserted. "She definitely isn't mad!"

Urgently, I told everyone, "When she heard we were leaving, she was anxious. Her body leaned forward, and she did that with her lips. Try to do what she did."

After I explained, they all mimicked the motion. Then, Arnold exclaimed, "Holy crap! She was calling you!"

"She recognizes me. She was calling my name!" I said excitedly.

Finn seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said, "I told you she wasn't crazy."

Sean grew serious. "Looks like we really need to investigate this thoroughly."

The robust man who had come with him asked, "Should we apply to the bureau to file a case?"

As soon as he asked the question, everyone said, "No way!"