Marlon drove Emily and Gordon back to their old apartment. He wanted to stay with them, but Gordon insisted he leave, so Marlon reluctantly took off.
As Marlon drove away, he thought he saw a familiar silver Bentley, but when he looked again, it was gone. He shrugged it off and headed back to the villa.
In a hidden corner downstairs, a silver Bentley was parked, and Patrick sat inside, staring sadly at the warm light coming from Emily's place.
Patrick had gone to the apartment earlier that morning and found it empty. He figured Emily might have gone back to the old apartment. When he knocked on the door, Carol from downstairs answered.
"You're here to see Emily, right?" Carol asked with a kind smile.
"Yeah," Patrick replied, not saying much more.
"She came back today, but she might be out shopping now. Why don't you come in and wait?" Carol invited him warmly.
Feeling a rare sense of home, Patrick followed Carol inside. She poured him a glass of water. He took it but didn't drink right away, instead looking around Carol's place. It was a small 500-square-foot room, with everything from sofas to TVs and refrigerators. Though a bit old, it was all neatly arranged.
"Emily's had a tough life," Carol said with a smile.
Carol continued, "When she was young, her dad died of illness, and her mom Lisa worked all the time. Emily and her brother Gordon were left at home, and she took care of him. I remember one summer, my kids threw me a birthday party and got a big cake. I saved a piece for Emily, but she wouldn't eat it. She said she didn't like it, but I knew she wanted to save it for Gordon. By the afternoon, the cream had melted. Emily felt so guilty she hid in the hallway, crying, thinking she had ruined it."
Patrick felt a pang of sympathy. When he was young, his dad racked up a lot of debts and eventually bailed, leaving Jennifer to raise him and his sister. He could relate to Emily's struggles.
"You like Emily, don't you?" Carol asked, looking into Patrick's eyes.
Patrick looked down, his face turning a bit red, and didn't answer.
"Sometimes, those involved are confused, while onlookers see clearly. Life may seem long, but it's just a blink of an eye. Appreciate the people in your life now, or you'll regret it," Carol said, sounding nostalgic.
Hearing a door open upstairs, Patrick excused himself, only to find out it wasn't Emily's place. So, he went back to his car to wait for her. And then, he saw the scene from the beginning.
In the darkness, Emily and a tall guy got out of a black car and went straight home. Patrick clenched the steering wheel, feeling a surge of anger.
"Emily!" Patrick knew the car belonged to Marlon, but in the dim light, he couldn't see the guy clearly. He assumed Emily and Marlon had gone up together, acting all cozy, and was filled with jealousy and anger.
Meanwhile, inside the house, Emily settled Gordon, turned on his favorite TV show, and went to the kitchen to start cooking. There weren't many ingredients at home, but she could make spaghetti. When Emily was young, and Lisa hadn't come back by mealtime because of work, Emily would move a stool and make simple food for Gordon. His favorite was the spaghetti she made.
Soon, the spaghetti was ready, filling the kitchen with a delicious aroma. Just as Emily was about to bring it out, she heard a faint noise. She quickly looked into the living room and realized Gordon was no longer on the sofa. Her heart skipped a beat. She put down the spaghetti and started searching everywhere.
"Gordon, where are you?" Emily called out, her voice tinged with panic.
She found Gordon curled up behind the bedroom door, and her heart ached. She rushed over and hugged him tightly, tears welling up, terrified of losing him again. This time, Gordon didn't struggle like he did in the utility room; instead, he clung to Emily.
"Emily, don't be afraid. I'll protect you! That Emily said there are bad people who want to harm you, in the utility room behind the school," Gordon said, his voice distant.
"Which Emily?" Emily asked cautiously, trying to make sense of his words.
Gordon seemed lost in thought. "The girl with the butterfly tattoo," he said seriously.
Emily's face darkened. She remembered seeing Shirley with a butterfly tattoo near her collarbone.
"Gordon, it's okay now. I'm safe," she reassured him.
After calming Gordon down, Emily brought the spaghetti and water to the bedroom. She watched as he ate heartily, then changed him into clean clothes and gently put him to sleep. Exhausted from the day's events, Gordon soon drifted off. Emily picked up the phone and called Marlon.
"Mr. Hughes, I really need your help this time," Emily said into the phone.
"Emily, you don't need to be so formal. Just tell me what you need. And please, stop calling me Mr. Hughes, just call me Marlon," Marlon replied.
Emily was silent for a moment. "Okay, Marlon. The disappearance of Gordon today may not be as simple as just getting lost."
"I was thinking the same thing. After I got back, I reviewed the surveillance video and made an important discovery. I'm bringing my laptop over to see you in person. Let's talk face to face."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Emily breathed a sigh of relief. She went to the bedroom, looking at Gordon's sleeping face, feeling guilty and self-blaming. She knew all of this was Shirley's way of getting back at her. Emily realized she hadn't been the best sister, and Gordon had suffered because of it. She silently vowed to be more careful in the future and protect him.
In the car, Patrick frowned, thinking for a long time before deciding to confront them face to face.
A brisk knock on the door startled Emily. Afraid of waking Gordon, she hurried over to open it. Seeing Patrick, she was stunned. They looked at each other in silence, and Emily didn't know what to say—whether to thank him for helping Lisa get clean or to question him for not listening to her and believing Shirley.
"Is it inconvenient for me to come in and sit down?" Patrick asked.
"No, please come in," Emily replied, stepping aside to let him in.
This was Patrick's second time here, the first being so sudden he hadn't had a chance to look around properly.
Patrick glanced around. Though it was only about 500 square feet, it was clear Emily's home was much more compact, with cheap sofas, old TVs, a faded sewing machine, and piles of worn-out fabric.
"About Lisa's matter, thank you! How much do I owe you? Consider it borrowed; I'll definitely pay you back!" Emily said.
"Pay me back? With what?" Patrick chuckled.
Not seeing Marlon around, Patrick wondered if he had been mistaken. Just then, a faint snoring sound came from the bedroom, and Patrick strode over. Emily rushed to stop him, but it was too late.