Helen’s POV:
After visiting Korbin, it was time to get off work. Phil asked me, “My mother would like to invite you for
dinner at our home. Are you free tonight?”
Lately, Mrs. Mason had been inviting me to have dinner at her house for days on end. However, I was
too busy with the case to spare some time. If it weren‘t for Phil‘s help today, I wouldn‘t have been able to
deal with Korbin. I shouldn‘t refuse his invitation. Coincidentally, our homes were along the same
direction, so I agreed.
Ever since my first visit, I had been here several times. And each visit, Mrs. Mason would prepare a big
meal for me earnestly. I was kind of used to it. However, I was afraid of letting her down, so I told her the
truth during my second visit.
“Phil and I are merely colleagues and friends. I‘m so sorry, ma‘am. I don‘t want this to come out wrong.”
Seemingly unaffected by my response, Mrs. Mason replied, “Love can be developed over time. Even if
you and Phil don‘t end up together, it won‘t stop me from loving you.”
I was so touched by her words. She was forthright and enthusiastic, never beating around the bush. In all
honesty, I had grown fond of her. After dinner, Phil drove me home but dropped me off one block away
from my apartment building. I shot him a puzzled look.
Thereafter, he explained, “It‘s the girlfriend‘s privilege to be escorted home.”
After getting off the car, I stood beside it and said to Phil, “I hope you find a girlfriend soon. She‘s going
to be one lucky girl.”
“You‘re burning the bridge after crossing it.” Phil broke into laughter, stepping on the gas and driving
away. As I watched the car speed away, I felt so relieved. It turned out that some things wouldn‘t become
so bad if they were handled differently. Things were good right now. I managed to refuse Phil‘s advances
and maintain our mentor –mentee relationship.
I looked across the road casually and saw someone that made my smile disappear. I was unaware that
George had been standing there, probably for a long time. It was late at night. There were headlights
flashing left and right, and he was staring at me as he stood beside the car.
He must‘ve misunderstood my relationship with Phil, and it was probably the reason he looked so
gloomy. When the light at the intersection turned green, George strode towards me. Somehow, it made
me panic. I subconsciously backed away to keep my distance from him, staring at him vigilantly. I
recalled that the last time we met, it was also at night.
He demanded a fair competition. He said it didn‘t matter if I didn‘t choose him now or in the near future,
but he just didn‘t think Phil was right for me. It had been so long since I last saw him. Somehow, he
looked taller and more daunting. It was as if he could control me easily. I wasn‘t sure what I was running
away from, but I lowered my head anyway, held my bag, and ran toward my apartment.
“Helen.” George called out to me from behind. I had run away for a good distance but his voice halted
me. I was in such a hurry to run that I ran towards a random path.
Now, I noticed that I had gone the wrong way. I stood amidst a street where the streetlights couldn‘t
reach me. The lush trees cast shadows, surrounding me. There was no one else around. This scene was
all too familiar to me. It felt like the nightmare I had been having lately.
The endless darkness rushed towards me like a flood, enveloping me little by little. I couldn‘t tell where I
was and I couldn‘t find a way out. I felt like someone was strangling my neck and slowly suffocating me.
All of a sudden, someone held my hand from behind me. I screamed at the top of my lungs, struggling
desperately.
“Helen, it‘s me.” His familiar voice pulled me back to reality. It was as if I woke up from a nightmare,
gasping for air. After calming myself down, I turned around and saw the worried look on George‘s face. I
forced a smile and replied, “I‘m sorry.”
“Did something happen to you?” he asked worriedly.
“It‘s nothing. I was just thinking about something else.” Right after I spoke, my face returned to normal. I
was well–aware that something was wrong with my state of mind.
Even though I had seen a doctor, I couldn‘t fall asleep at night. Whenever I was alone, I couldn‘t stop
myself from overthinking Later on, I could no longer stand it, so I went to see a therapist. After discussing
my condition with me in detail, the therapist concluded that I was suffering from persecutory delusion.
At first, I didn‘t believe him, but then I remembered how I often felt that someone was following me and
that there was someone hiding inside my house. According to him, these were all symptoms of
persecutory delusion. I knew that these were just a part of my imagination, but it was hard not to feel
scared.
Sometime later, I got so busy with work that I wasn‘t able to see the therapist again. Every night, I tried
my best to pull myself together, thinking that as long as the break of dawn arrived, everything would be
fine.
“Is that so? Why do you look so pale?” George locked his eyes on me, seemingly concerned. Honestly,
I‘d rather not explain myself to him.
“Do you want something?” He shook his head and answered, “I‘m just here to check on you. Are you
sick?”
“No.” I wasn‘t obligated to tell him that. After all, we weren‘t even friends anymore.
However, I didn‘t just walk away, because I didn‘t feel like going back to my apartment. I‘d rather stand
on the roadside where I could see people coming and going. Suddenly, he said, “I‘ll walk you home.”
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