University life whizzed by.
For the first three years, Annis visited Elin in Uchaesau to celebrate the New Year. However, the final year saw Elin returning to their new home for the festivities.
Over the twenty-day break, Elin rarely ventured out, only venturing to familiar malls and schools before leaving Uchaesau, not crossing paths with anyone familiar. Solitude had become her preference, her desire for social interaction blunted by time.
On the eve of Elin’s departure from Uchaesau, Annis brought up Erick, a name not mentioned in years.
Erick had stepped down from his executive role three years back, weary of the corporate chase. He had pivoted from his corporate path to academia, becoming a visiting professor. His research won him acclaim on the international stage.
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Elin, absorbed in her studies and steering clear of the media, was slow to catch wind of his accomplishments.
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She heard that before his departure from Foster Group, Erick had launched a service route to Uchaesau. The venture was clearly not profitable, sparking a rare show of fury from Landen, yet Erick was adamant about getting it started.
Subsequently, each time Annis visited Uchaesau, the Foster Group’s staff coincidentally needed to be there as well, making Annis’ journeys more convenient.
In time, this ostensibly unprofitable route earned high praise from Uchaesau’s leaders, lauding the Foster family for their generous spirit. This acclaim had an unexpected boon. It surged the Foster family’s stock value and expanded their commercial footprint.
The venture, initially seen as unprofitable, ultimately propelled the Foster family to greater prominence.
Elin didn’t dwell on it. She was familiar with Erick’s business acumen. He was not one to pursue a venture that didn’t promise success.
After completing her studies in Uchaesau, Elin lingered for another year before she headed back to Swynborough.
At a social event, Elin crossed paths with Erick once more and met his childhood confidant, Dayton.
What ensued was a chapter Elin wished to erase. It was a tumultuous span, a chapter of darkness seared into her memory. Dayton, to her, was a terror more daunting than any creature of the night.
As midnight neared and weariness set in, Elin’s eyelids grew heavy.
Through the haze of sleep, her phone chimed in with a message. She hadn’t yet looked at the screen. It was from Dayton.
In a haze, Elin reached out and felt her phone on the bedside table.
She blinked her eyes open and saw a line of text on the screen.
It was from Dayton. “Elin, you can’t escape me. I’ll find you.”
Suddenly, the phone slipped from Elin’s grasp and crashed to the floor. Her head buzzed as if she had been struck by a stick.
The ghosts of nightmares past swirled around her, and Elin wanted to scream out in pain and fear. Yet, no sound came out. Her throat felt blocked. “Ah…” Elin managed a muffled roar.
Then, a loud bang echoed. Elin fell down from her bed. Pain surged through her body.
Elin blinked. The room was dark and quiet. She groped for her phone but found nothing.
As panic set in, a harsh sound cut through the silence. It was the familiar ring of her alarm.