Chapter 22
When we walked out of the building, Oscar asked me with a smile, "You seem to be in a good mood. Is there anywhere else you want to go? This human backpack hasn't been put to use yet."
I thought about it seriously. "There's nowhere else I want to go, but when you mentioned design just now, there is someone I'd like to see."
Nina, my best friend, was no longer an unknown designer.
After her entry won first prize at an international fashion week a year ago, her design company had become famous. She must be very busy now. Many celebrities who wanted her to design gowns had to book appointments months in advance. I wasn't sure if I could get her to come out.
My phone number was already familiar to her - she had forced me to memorize it back then, so that in case of emergency, I could contact her right away.
When the call connected, I heard her familiar voice: "Who's this?"
I collected myself and tried to keep my voice calm: "Hello, my name is Emily. I heard your company's designs are excellent. I have something that needs designing and would like to talk with you. I wonder if you have time?"
Nina, on the other end, paused: "Emily? Don't know you! How did you get my private number? If it's about work, please contact my work number. Please delete my private number."
The corners of my mouth lifted slightly. It seemed she'd become much more low-key these three years, no longer the loudmouth who would curse at the drop of a hat: "Don't hang up yet. I'll wait for you at the entrance of Morning Light Bookstore on Spring River Street."
Nina paused, her voice suddenly excited: "Morning Light Bookstore? Are you Emma? Is it Emma? Are you back? I knew you were still alive."
My nose tingled. If there was still one person who cared whether I lived or died, it had to be Nina: "I'm Emily, not Emma. We can talk more when you get here. If the timing doesn't work for you, we can meet another time."
"I'll come right away. Wait for me." Nina answered immediately and hung up quickly.
"No wonder you didn't let me help you find a designer - turns out you have your own designer," Oscar said, pulling a tissue from the car's tissue box and handing it to me.
Was I crying? I hadn't even realized when the tears had started falling.
Taking the tissue, I smiled at Oscar: "Since I've decided to develop my career back home, I naturally did my homework beforehand. This designer is currently one of the best young designers in Lumaria. Let's go, I'll give you directions."
We weren't too far from Morning Light Bookstore. Soon, I saw Nina hurrying over to the bookstore entrance, looking inside.
When she came in, I had already stood up, but her gaze swept past me, scanning the interior of the bookstore.
"Ms. Davis—" I walked up to her, smiling and extending my hand. "Hello, I'm Emily Wilson, the one who called you."
She looked at me with confusion, staring at my face repeatedly, as if trying to see through me to something else: "You? You made the call?"
I nodded with a smile: "Let's go out and find a place. How about I treat you to dinner?"
Nina's mind didn't seem to be on this at all. She looked around the bookstore again. There were very few people inside - you could see everything at a glance.
I saw the disappointment in her eyes and let out an almost imperceptible sigh: "Let's go."
Oscar helped pick up my bag. Outside the bookstore, there was a restaurant across the street: "Ms. Davis can eat spicy food, right? This seems to be the only place nearby with decent food. It's been open for about ten years - an old establishment."
Nina examined me carefully again, her brows slightly furrowed: "Do you know Emma? Don't tell me you don't. The fact that you mentioned this bookstore already says everything."
I didn't deny it: "I guess I know her?"
Nina looked excited: "Where is she? She's still alive, right? Why hasn't she come back?"
I turned to look at her, still smiling: "Can we eat first? We can talk while we eat."
Nina could only nod in agreement: "Then I'll treat you. This gentleman is..."
Only then did I introduce him: "My fiancé, Oscar Lopez."
Nina glanced at Oscar, a hint of disdain in her eyes: "Oh, Mr. Lopez - let's go. This Mexican restaurant is really good. Emma and I came here several times before."
Oscar walked beside me, somewhat innocently touching his nose. I suppressed a smile and just signaled for him to follow.
After ordering a few of the restaurant's specialties, Nina couldn't wait to ask me again: "Can you tell me now? Where is Emma?"
"I can only tell you that she's doing well. You don't need to worry." It wasn't that I didn't want to tell her the truth. Nina was too impulsive. If she knew what I'd been through, I was afraid she'd go straight to The Brown Family and kill Sophia.
Nina's brows were still furrowed, her eyes red. She tried hard to hold back her tears: "You're lying to me. If she was fine, how could she not contact me for three years? Tell me the truth. I just want to know if she's still alive."
My nose stung. Nina's emotions made me suddenly feel guilty, and I really wanted to tell her right away that I was still alive.
"She's alive. Don't overthink it." I took a breath and could only comfort her this way.
Nina smiled through her red eyes: "As long as she's alive. You don't know - I shouldn't have let her leave alone that day. If I'd gone with her, I wouldn't have lost track of her. They all said she ran away from home. I didn't believe it. I reported it to the police, but in the end, nothing was found."
She cried with self-blame. I naturally went over and gave her a hug: "It's not your fault. Don't be like this."
Nina's body stiffened slightly. She turned to look at me, slowly leaning back, then back further, then suddenly grabbed my hand and held it in hers.
I withdrew my hand somewhat guiltily. Nina's hands were sensitive - she could pick me out from the whole class with her eyes closed: "I... I just wanted to comfort you."
Nina wiped away her tears, looking straight at me: "I forgot to ask you - when did you meet Emma? Where did you see her? If she gave you my number, you must be close. Can you call her now? I have something to ask her."
This impatient person - her rapid-fire questions left me flustered: "I... I saw her recently. She might not be able to contact you. Yes."
Nina looked straight at me: "Not able to contact me because she has a different face?"
"What?" I couldn't quite follow her logic for a moment. I had the feeling that before I could even start, she was already finishing.
Nina looked at me with red eyes: "I don't know how to prove you're her, so please prove you're not her."
What kind of logic was this?
"Ms. Davis, I'm here to talk to you about design drawings..." I could only quickly change the subject. If we continued, I'd give myself away.
Nina pulled my arm over and turned it around. Her previously excited face suddenly showed disappointment again. I knew she wanted to see the three small moles on my arm, but now, on the smooth skin, there was only a blooming rose. Looking closely at the heart of the flower, there was a scar from a burn, all twisted together.
"Your arm..." Her fingers slowly traced over the wound covered by the tattoo, right where my three moles used to be.
Seeing her tears fall, my heart ached faintly. I pulled back my arm and smiled at her: "My arm is fine. Don't be sad. It healed a long time ago."
Nina smiled at me through her tears. She didn't ask again whether I was Emma or not: "As long as you're okay. What do you want designed: an office? Although it's not my specialty, as long as it's design, you can come to me. I can do it, and I can do it cheaper than others. I just don't know where your location is?"
She seemed to already know my identity and was going along with my concealment.
"The location is at Lumina Trade Center, the third floor, plus the fourth floor."
"Lumina Trade Center? Third floor?" Nina could hardly believe it.
"Yes, the Brown Group's current location. After tomorrow, it will be SoftGlow Biotech." I turned to look at Nina, the smile on my face deepening.