XIII 夏至 [1] / [17]
They decided to send a petition of appeal to Liza with the name of Liza Mills as the assumed name, who once sported dark red hair, brown eyes, height of 166cm, weight of 49kg, slender body shape, and a long shallow scar on her waist. The picture of her entire figure was sent instead of her own name. Whether she identified herself or not, she would be judged by the law.
"When do you want to check the rest of the videos?"
Alexander asked her.
She replied briskly,
"I want to rest. We have the day off, and that's sp rare. Let's resume watching the videos when we get back to work."
Cynthia had a paper bag full of wine bottles. She insisted that these are for cooking, but Alexander stared at her with doubtful eyes.
"You drink too much,"
he shook his head from side to side.
"I don't. When have I drank a drop of liquor since I've investigated Sarah's case?"
She deflected while opening the front door with the key.
"That's true, but do you know how many times I saw you drink wine?"
Alexander questioned her half jokingly. She pretended not to listen to him and busied herself with clearing her things up. Alexander went close to her, grabbed both her shoulders gently from behind her. She turned to him. He put his hands on her shoulders again.
"Are you going to drink even after being my wife and having my child?"
Cynthia's eyes wavered. A weak smiled appeared on her lips and disappeared almost right away. She turned her back again, and put the wine bottles onto a shelve to arrange them.
"Alex," she hesitated and continued,
"I can't have a baby, even after I marry you. Ever since I lost John's baby long before, I can't be a mother.”
Alexander looked at her for a moment, but it wasn't, as she feared, a look of scorn or rejection. He looked at her with eyes full of love, compassion, and understanding. He moved forward, pulling her into his arms again.
"Then we'll adopt. I just know one thing. I want to have a family with you. To be with you and have you by my side until we're old and gray. I've felt this way for a long time."
With one look at Cynthia, he noticed she was crying. He stopped speaking.
"Why are you crying?"
he asked.
Tears fell from Cynthia's eyes, but the smile had returned to her face. Alexander raised a hand to her cheek, and she raised her own hand, placing it over his.
"That was just . . . I love you. And I want to be by your side. Until today, I didn't know how you felt, truly,"
she said this all through happy tears and a radiant smile.
"But you're so genuine, so tender; I know your heart and you know mine. For as long as I have breath in me, I want to be by your side."