“…….”
Sidney neither affirmed nor denied Logan’s words. She merely shrugged her shoulders once and turned away again.
Checking Marien’s palms and arms.
“Sidney Warden, I meant don’t rule out other possibilities…….”
“I know.”
That such petty delusions were just an inferiority complex. So she didn’t want to hear anything right now.
Sidney changed the subject while reporting on the condition of the corpse.
“The face was damaged to make it unrecognizable, and there are a total of 13 wounds – 7 on the chest and 6 on the abdomen.”
Only the sound of Andy Spencer scribbling could be heard.
“Usually when attacked while sleeping, one wakes up. And instinctively grabs the sword trying to stab them.”
“There are no defensive wounds.”
Andy chimed in while vigorously writing with his pen. Sidney put down Marien’s hand and recalled the side effects of Penzle.
Penzle took away human senses in exchange for making one forget pain at a cheap cost.
Emilia said nonchalantly as she drank salt water. With a calm face, as if unable to taste the saltiness.
In the end, the side effects the doctor had worried about appeared in Emilia.
At the time, it felt like the sky was falling.
The doctor presented three options to the despairing Sidney.
First, continue treating the disease while enduring Penzle’s side effects. This meant preparing for Emilia to become paralyzed.
Second, replace Penzle with other painkillers and continue treating the disease. If they had the money, they would have gladly done this.
Lastly, focus only on treating the disease without taking painkillers. Of course, they chose the last option.
But completely cutting off the painkillers.
Emilia, who always smiled and said she was fine, cried and begged for relief from the pain.
At those times, all she could do was… tightly hug the sobbing Emilia and comfort her.
Saying to endure. That the disease would soon be cured, so just endure a little longer.
But Emilia, exhausted from the long illness, gave up everything.
In the end, Sidney had no choice but to give up on treating Emilia’s disease and choose expensive painkillers.
It meant abandoning hope that Emilia’s disease would be cured.
A gloomy life continued, like walking through a dark cave. When it was too much and difficult… sometimes she resented that day’s choice, Emilia’s tears.
Damn it. Sidney clutched her throbbing head and muttered weakly.
“The lack of defensive wounds means… Miss Marien was already dead or in a similar state at the time of death.”
“Spencer, tell them to do an autopsy on the body.”
Logan placed his palm on Sidney’s back. Startled by the sudden contact, her body flinched.
“We should go out for now.”
That expression again. Sidney stared at Logan looking down at her with concern, then let out a shallow breath. And moved her feet as he said.
Was it the feeling of being protected? Or was it the awkwardness of his hand on her back?
Sidney cleared her throat, trying to shake off the tingling sensation and the feeling of her face burning.
“The killer seems to have been in a very excited state at the time of the murder, harboring resentment or grudge against Miss Marien.”
“We’ll need to investigate people around her.”
“Yes, we also need to check where Miss Marien was staying.”
Andy replied while continuing to take notes at Logan’s signal.
“I’ll relay that to the police.”
As they came out into the hallway, Sidney broke away from Logan and leaned against the wall. Logan and Andy waited for her to regain composure.
“But… I’m not sure where the people in this building bathe.”
“Good point, Spencer. The killer would need to use a bathroom to wash off the blood.”
Sidney grabbed the back of her neck and turned her head to stretch her muscles. Then she walked steadily to the end of the hallway.
[This is the timeline separator]“Where are you going?”
Logan asked as he followed Sidney. She walked steadily and stood in front of an old door.
Creak, the door opened with an unpleasant sound.
Following Sidney inside, a shabby and dirty bathroom came into view. Naturally, his gaze followed her.
“This is the communal bathroom. This side is mainly used by women…”
Sidney looked around the tiled floor and walls. Finally, she peered into a wooden bathtub barely big enough for a small child to sit in.
Logan pointed at the frozen water and asked.
“How do you bathe here?”
“You scoop water from the tub with that ladle and pour it over your body.”
Sidney pointed to a small ladle visible on the floor. He was about to ask more, but she passed by Logan and moved to the next room.
Thud, Sidney kicked the door open with her toe and went inside.
“This is the bathroom used by men.”
Though it was daytime, the bathroom was dimly lit.
The only light came from a palm-sized window.
Sidney Warden stood where that light poured in. She looked into the bathtub while unbuttoning her coat one by one.
“Hmm, why are you taking off your coat…”
“I’m going to undress.”
In an instant, Sidney had removed her coat and red jacket, turning around in just her white shirt.
Her figure, faintly visible through the white shirt diffused with light, was slender yet lithe.
Like Marien that night… A sound that seemed to have come from scratching his throat escaped between Logan’s lips.
“Sidney…”
Instead of answering, Sidney turned her head and cast a glance over her shoulder.
Her red hair tied in a ponytail swayed, revealing her white neckline.
The side profile of her standing crookedly was truly indifferent.
Logan’s eyes, which had been moving along the slender waistline and toned back visible through the white shirt, shook violently.
Crazy. Just an hour ago, he had made Sidney so angry, and nearly lost her…
It’s not Marien.
Even if she has a similar body type, doesn’t that fiery red hair tell you? Even if the long white neckline is the same, the facial features are so different.
It wasn’t funny at all. Even if he saw Marien’s face, he wouldn’t be able to recognize her…
Nevertheless, every time he looks at Sidney, his senses and heart go wild.
Damn it. Logan clenched his fist, contorting his face.
Cold-hearted one.
Logan turned his gaze to the small ladle lying in the corner. And to calm the blood rushing to his lower body, he recalled the telegram he had received last night.
[This is the timeline separator]− 19 Conrod Avenue, murder case, victim 22-year-old Marien.
A woman using the name Marien was killed in the house where Sidney had lived. How could he ignore this?
What if Sidney had given her old house to Marien?
Even though he knew that she couldn’t afford to do that, and that Marien wouldn’t live in such a run-down place.
It was too much of a coincidence.
Logan immediately hailed a carriage and headed to Conrod Avenue.
As he followed the police officer up to the third floor, his heart was anxiously pounding and his head felt empty.
Would he be able to recognize her? Now that he couldn’t even recall her face.
He prayed and prayed to God that it wouldn’t be his Marien, or Sidney Warden.
Was it fortunate? In front of the gruesome corpse, Logan Redford felt a strange sense of relief.
Because he was vaguely certain that this woman was neither Marien nor Sidney Warden.
He left the building and made his way out of the alley.
Throughout the carriage ride to Mayfield Avenue, he had only one thought. That he needed to go to Sidney Warden’s side.
And so he arrived at Victoria Owello’s apartment. Logan waited for morning, guessing which room Sidney Warden would be sleeping in.
Just that alone made it feel like he could breathe.
But as morning dawned, greed grew. In his impatience, he pushed Sidney as soon as he saw her.
Showing everything he had prepared, demanding she hand over Marien. As if Sidney Warden would fall for such a flimsy trap… As always, she slipped away with an indifferent face.
He shouldn’t have rushed…
Logan glanced at Sidney rolling up her shirt sleeves, swallowing his regret.
Three months.
Not long, but not short either.
If he acted normally and waited for an opportunity when Sidney Warden let her guard down, he might surely get one chance. Until then, like a predator hiding in the bushes waiting for its prey, quietly…
[This is the timeline separator]Why are you silent after calling me? Sidney glanced at Logan while rolling up her shirt sleeves to her elbows.
“Captain, why did you call me?”
“What are you doing?”
“If the murderer who came to wash off the blood was an outsider… they would have disposed of the weapon in this bathtub. Because they’d want the police to investigate the building residents.”
“But the water is frozen like that…”
Sidney silently passed by Logan and picked up the ladle lying on the floor. Then, holding onto the bathtub, she struck the ice hard with the ladle.
Along with a clicking sound, Logan’s voice was heard.
“Even if it’s shared, if someone else is bathing… wouldn’t you wait?”
“Most people just come in. The door doesn’t lock.”
“You bathed with men?”
Why does he ask such stupid questions? Sidney moved her hand holding the ladle faster, signaling she didn’t want to hear it.
Bang, bang,… Following the loud sound of hitting ice, a familiar voice brushed past her ear like an auditory hallucination.
Peter from room 309.
Whenever Sidney came out to bathe, he stood guard at the door.
About the same age as her, small and frail build, and always kind with a smiling face… That’s the kind of guy Peter was.
Bang, along with the echoing sound in the bathroom, the consideration and respect Sidney had received here came vividly back to life.
Why had she forgotten? If she had to make an excuse, it was because they were burdensome.
Sidney was at the bottom of life just like them. Who was helping whom?
Crack, Sidney muttered a curse under her breath as she looked at the cracked ice. Then she gritted her teeth and mercilessly pounded the cracked ice.
She hated it.
Someone expecting something from her.
Whether it was some impure intention, or just simple protection… she had never wanted such things even once.
She had been enduring well.
While suppressing the indignation boiling in her chest, she had still endured well.
Sidney swung the ladle, pouring all the emotions she had piled up until now.
She would rather be criticized as selfish, arrogant, and cold-hearted.
Please…
As the ice shattered into pieces, the ladle hit the water.
Cold water splashed up and wet Sidney’s face. Only then did she stop moving, and a groan escaped her lips.
“…Leave me alone.”
Sidney’s shoulders shook as she hung her head. She remained motionless like that for a long time.
Logan Redford, watching her, did the same.
She put her arm into the bathtub. Crunch, it was so cold her teeth chattered involuntarily.
Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be used as a weapon.
Sidney grabbed the bathtub and stood up. Wiping the water off her arms with a towel hanging on the wall, she muttered to herself.
“…There’s nothing.”
In the heavy silence, Sidney buttoned up her black coat and turned around, her lips moving.
“Peter…?”
In that moment, Peter, standing at the doorway, rushed in like an arrow with a dagger in hand.
Why Peter? Sidney looked at the dagger and Peter with uncomprehending eyes. His face was contorted with desperation.
“Sidney!”
Logan’s shout struck her ears like thunder and her vision shook dizzily.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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