Chapter 63
The night breeze gently stirred Elsie's hair.
Bruce watched her, his eyes filled with tenderness.
He carefully chose his words, his voice soft. "Elsie, have you thought about starting a new relationship?"
As soon as he asked, Bruce regretted it.
Elsie's fingers paused in mid-air, her hands, which had been gesturing, came to a halt.
Seeing her reaction, Bruce felt a pang of sadness.
He thought she had long since moved on from Ronald.
He couldn't understand why someone as wonderful as Elsie would waste her feelings on someone like Ronald.
"Elsie."
"I know it's hard to let go of feelings."
"But you can't live in the past forever. You have a long life ahead of you."
"There are so many beautiful things waiting for you to experience. Ronald isn't worth it."
lsie looked up and slowly sighed, "I have already moved on from Ronald."
Bruce was stunned.
He had always thought Elsie was deeply in love with Ronald.
Even though she had been hurt, he thought she couldn't let go of Ronald.
"Really?" Bruce's voice trembled slightly, with a hint of uncontrollable joy.
Elsie nodded, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
"He was just a passerby in my life. I'm grateful for the happiness or pain he brought me, and for helping me grow. But the past is the past. I won't waste my time and feelings on him anymore."
Elsie's eyes were a bit red, but she knew clearly that Ronald and she were from different worlds.
It wasn't a pity to part ways with Ronald, but it was a pity to ruin those innocent memories.
Bruce looked at her, his eyes showing a hint of admiration. "It's great that you can let go of that relationship."
Bruce's voice returned to calm, but there was still a faint smile on his face. "You deserve someone better, someone who truly loves and cherishes you."
Elsie smiled and signed, "Thank you, Bruce. I know."
On the top floor of the York Group Building, the city nightscape outside the floor-to-ceiling windows sparkled like a galaxy.
Ronald sat in his office. His long fingers tapped the desk rhythmically.
"Mr. York, is there anything else you need?" Teddy asked cautiously, afraid of setting off him.
Ronald didn't look up, still staring at the documents on his desk, his lips barely moving, "I noticed they were decorating with some dolls downstairs. What occasion is tomorrow?"
"Halloween." Teddy answered quickly and concisely, afraid that saying one more word would bring unnecessary trouble.
"Halloween." Ronald repeated, his fingers stopping their tapping.
Elsie's clear eyes, filled with a hint of anticipation, suddenly appeared in his mind.
Ronald was somewhat impressed with himself; he had been thinking about Elsie all day.
Had Elsie hypnotized him?
Damn it! Why was he thinking about her?
Ronald irritably ran his hand through his hair and threw the documents on the desk.
He told himself he shouldn't think about her anymore.
That Elsie was like a shadow he couldn't shake off, always appearing in his mind, disturbing his thoughts.
Suddenly, the phone rang, breaking the silence of the office.
Ronald glanced at the caller ID. It was Missy.
He hesitated for a moment but answered the call.
"Ronald." Missy's voice was sweet and a bit whiny. "You haven't come to see me lately. I'm so bored."
Ronald frowned, his tone cold, "The company is busy."
"I know you're busy." Missy's voice became even more pitiful.
"But I haven't left the house in almost a week. Ronald, can you take me out for a walk? Just to keep me company."
"Halloween is coming. Ronald, can you spend Halloween with me?"
It reminded Ronald that Elsie had once said she wanted to spend Halloween with him.
How had he responded?
Ronald frowned, trying to remember.
He had derided her as puerile.
Thinking of this, Ronald's heart felt like it had been pricked, a mix of pain and itchiness.
He remembered that after he called her childish, Elsie's eyes lost their light, and she didn't speak to him again, retreating to her room.
"Ronald? Ronald? Are you listening?" Missy's voice pulled Ronald back from his memories.
"We'll see." Ronald said coldly and hung up the phone.
He didn't want to hear Missy's voice anymore, nor did he want to think about those things that made him restless.
Ronald threw his phone on the desk in frustration.
The phone case hitting the desk made a dull thud, echoing in the empty office.
He got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the twinkling city lights.
Amidst the myriad lights, not a single one remained alight for him.
A strange sense of anticipation rose in his heart; he hoped Elsie would call him at this moment.
Even if she just signed a video call, asking if he had finished work.
Or like before, she would text him, saying she was waiting for him to come home for dinner.
But the phone screen remained dark and silent.
Disappointment washed over him like a tide.
Ronald laughed at himself.
What was he expecting?
That Elsie was probably with someone else now, happily preparing for Halloween.
Thinking of this, a strange sourness spread in Ronald's heart.
He closed his eyes tightly, trying to banish Elsie's image from his mind.
The phone rang again, still Missy.
This time, Ronald decisively answered the call.
"Ronald." Missy's voice had a hint of coquettishness.
"Are you really not going to spend Halloween with me? I'm so bored."
Ronald suppressed his impatience. "I'll go with you."
"Really? That's great!" Missy's tone instantly became cheerful.
"Where should we go? I heard the amusement park has a Halloween theme event. Can we go there?"
Ronald didn't answer, just replied indifferently, "Okay."
He agreed to spend the holiday with Missy partly because of her persistence.
But more importantly, he was concerned that Missy, out of sheer ennui, might seek out and trouble Elsie.
That Elsie, though stubborn, was ultimately a mute girl.
On Halloween night, the adults and children gathered in the courtyard of the sanatorium.
Elsie was carefully applying black paint to Molly's face with a makeup brush.
Molly giggled, her eyes sparkling. "Elsie, you did such a good job. I love it."
Elsie smiled faintly and signed, "I'm glad you like it, Molly."